How Long Does It Take Beer To Ferment?

The short answer is that, on average, it takes about four hours to brew beer, one to two weeks to ferment and condition, two hours to package in bottles, and one to two weeks to naturally carbonate in bottles.

How do you know when beer is fermented?

At the end of the day, there is only one way to know if your beer has finished fermenting – by using a hydrometer or refractometer. These devices allow you to check the sugar levels in the wort/beer.

How soon after fermentation can you drink beer?

When Do I Get to Drink My Beer? – After you bottle the beer, give it at least two weeks before drinking it, The yeast needs a few days to actually consume the sugar, and then a little more time is needed for the beer to absorb the carbon dioxide. (Read this post to learn about the science behind carbonation,) The beer also goes through a bit of “bottle shock” right after bottling.

Is it safe to drink fermenting beer?

Can You Still Drink Infected Beer? (Read This!) Have you ever taken a sip of your favorite homemade beer and felt an unexpected repulsive sour and buttery taste on your palate? If so, the beer you consumed was probably infected. However, no one wants to waste their beer since you spend a lot of time and resources making it, leaving you to wonder whether infected beer can be consumed.

You can still drink infected beer without harmful effects. However, in extreme cases of infection, the brew develops high acidity and a terrible off-flavor that may render it undrinkable. Although you can still consume the beer if you can get past the taste, why drink it if it’s off-putting. If you have more questions about infected beer consumption, don’t worry, this article will answer most of them.

Continue reading as I take you through various topics on infected beer, including the safety of its consumption, how it becomes infected, how to identify it, how to remedy it, and how to prevent beer infection.

Can I bulk ferment for 12 hours?

by Tom Cucuzza – The Sourdough Journey (c) January 2023 Why do some sourdough recipes call for a 30% rise and others a 100% rise? One of the great mysteries of sourdough baking is why some recipes recommend a 30% rise and others recommend up to a 100% rise during bulk fermentation.

Both methods produce very similar results. How is this possible? The difference is due to the dough temperature during bulk fermentation. I have reviewed and tested dozens of recipes and there is a clear correlation between the target bulk rise, and the bulk fermentation dough temperature. Recipes calling for a warm bulk fermentation temperature (e.g., Tartine at 80F/27C) recommend a low percentage rise (30%), while recipes calling for a cool bulk fermentation temperature (70F/21C) recommend a higher percentage rise (75-100%).

The reason is because the dough keeps fermenting in all of the downstream steps after bulk fermentation, until the loaf is baked. Consequently, warm-fermenting dough needs to be cut off earlier in bulk fermentation than cool-fermenting dough. With warm-fermenting dough, you need to “hit the brakes” at a lower percentage rise to prevent the dough from overproofing in the shaping and final proofing steps. Measuring the dough temperature and percentage rise is the most accurate and repeatable method of determining the end of bulk fermentation. But, the dough temperature and percentage rise are inextricably linked. A 100% rise at 70F/21C produces a much different result than a 100% rise at 80F/27C.

The percentage rise alone is a meaningless data point without also knowing the dough temperature. The approximate timing is provided here as a reference, but it is a weak predictor of when bulk fermentation should be cut off. The percentage rise does not lie! You can bulk ferment at any dough temperature, but the combination of dough temperature and percentage rise are the secret to perfect, predictable, and repeatable sourdough fermentation.

But you must measure both. Everyone’s starters and flours are different so your results may differ from these guidelines. If you overproof your dough at these recommended targets, then the next time you bake, reduce your target rise by 10%. If you underproof, then increase the target rise by 10%.

By carefully measuring and keeping records of your dough temperature and the percentage rise, you can dial in the optimal target rise within a few bakes. Once you find the right percentage rise for a specific dough temperature, it never changes for that recipe. Continue reading for more important details and examples! PART 1: UNDERSTANDING THE INTERPLAY OF DOUGH TEMPERATURE AND PERCENTAGE RISE To best understand the importance of properly cutting off bulk fermentation, one must consider the entire fermentation chain.

The “end” of bulk fermentation is the “beginning” of the downstream steps in bulk fermentation. The dough temperature and percentage rise at the end of bulk fermentation determine how the dough behaves throughout the remaining steps until it is baked. The Setup for the Fermentation After “Bulk Fermentation” When bakers decide to cut off bulk fermentation, they may believe that somehow the dough hears that message and stops fermenting. It does not. In fact, the dough keeps fermenting at the same or faster rate until the dough temperature cools down to refrigerator temperature (37F/3C) which can take 8-12 hours! Note: This example assumes a cold retard in the refrigerator after shaping, but the same principles apply with countertop proofing at room temperature.

1. The end of bulk fermentation is the beginning of the fermentation “glide path” from shaping until the yeast die-off point during baking.
2. Your decisions and actions at the end of bulk fermentation determine how all the remaining steps will play out.
3. The Downstream Fermentation Steps When a baker cuts off bulk fermentation, this is an arbitrary cutoff point we create in our minds, but the dough keeps fermenting! · During the 40 minutes of pre-shaping, bench rest and final shaping, the dough keeps rapidly fermenting,

Warm dough (80F/27C) can increase in volume by at least 10% during this time. You don’t see this rise because you are handling and shaping the dough, but it is rapidly fermenting. The dough temperature at the time of shaping determines how rapidly the dough will ferment during this 40-minute period.

1. · When you place your shaped dough in the refrigerator for a cold retard, it can take 8-12 hours for the dough to reach “hibernation” temperature of 37F/3C.
2. During that long cooldown, the dough continues to ferment, particularly in the first few hours when the dough is still above 50F/10C.
3. The dough temperature, when it enters the refrigerator, determines how fast and how much the dough will continue to ferment throughout the cold retard.

· Lastly, as the dough warms up again in the oven during the initial phase of baking, the fermentation process reactivates until the dough temperature reaches the yeast die-off point of 130F/54C during baking in the oven. Experienced bakers always pace their fermentation to leave a little “gas in the tank” for the final burst of fermentation in the oven.

We will focus primarily on what happens during shaping and the cold retard. See Appendix 1: What Happens in the Oven During Baking? for more information on that topic. The End Point – The Perfectly Fermented Loaf Every baker’s goal is to have every loaf end up in the same place – a perfect, fully fermented loaf.

You can bulk ferment at a wide range of temperatures, but you need to synchronize your bulk fermentation percentage rise with your dough temperature for optimal results. The key is understanding how your actions at the end of bulk fermentation influence all of the downstream fermentation steps.

PART 2: DOUGH TEMPERATURE DETERMINES THE FERMENTATION SPEED As you approach the end of bulk fermentation, you want to focus on two questions: 1) How much has the dough risen? Your dough readily shows how much it is fermenting by the rise in the dough. The percentage rise determines how far along the dough is in the fermentation process.2) What is the dough temperature? Sourdough fermentation is a highly temperature-sensitive, biological process.

Warm dough ferments much faster than cool dough. The dough temperature determines the fermentation speed, Warm Dough (80F/27C) in the Downstream Steps If you are following the Tartine method, for example, and bulk fermenting your dough at 80F/27C dough temperature to a 30% target rise in the dough, consider what happens after the end of bulk fermentation.

After bulk fermentation, the dough spends 40 minutes at room temperature during the shaping steps. During this time the dough is continuing to rapidly ferment, and the yeast population is rapidly reproducing. You do not typically see this rise during shaping because you are handling, shaping and de-gassing the dough – but it is happening.

If your dough remained unshaped for 40 minutes after the end of bulk fermentation you would see it rise at least 10%, sometimes more. So, a 30% rise at the end of bulk fermentation continues to at least a 40% rise before the dough goes into the refrigerator.

After shaping, the warm, shaped dough goes into the refrigerator for the cold retard at a dough temperature of approximately 78F/26.5C (warm dough loses a few degrees of temperature during the shaping process). Many people mistakenly believe that the dough immediately approaches refrigerator temperature once it goes into the refrigerator.

It does not. The dough takes a long time to get down to refrigerator temperature – as long as 12 hours to reach a dough temperature of 37F/3C. During this time the dough keeps fermenting. Cool Dough (70F/21C) in the Downstream Steps If you are following a recipe that calls for cool bulk fermentation at 70F/21C (or lower), these recipes often call for a 75% (or higher) rise at the end of bulk fermentation.

• Let’s assume 75% in this example.
• The difference between 70F/21C and 80F/27C may not seem like a lot, but the fermentation rate at 70F/21C is about 50% slower than the fermentation rate at 80F/27C.
• In other words, warmer dough is fermenting and rising almost twice as fast as cooler dough.
• Let’s call this the fermentation speed.

During the 40-minute shaping and bench rest, 70F/21C dough will rise only about 5% in volume, or half the fermentation speed of the 80F/27C dough. Warm dough rises at approximately 20% per hour and cool dough rises at approximately 10% per hour as each dough reaches the end of bulk fermentation. An Example: “Hitting the Brakes on a Slippery Road” If you were driving your car on a slippery road and you saw an upcoming stop sign, you need to assess your distance to the stop sign (i.e., how much more the dough needs to rise to be fully fermented), and your speed (i.e., how fast is the dough fermenting) to determine when to hit the brakes.

If you are traveling at 80 mph / 130 kph, you need to hit the brakes much earlier than if you are traveling at 40 mph / 65 kph. That speed difference is the equivalent of the difference in fermentation speed between 80F/27C and 70F/21C. Warm dough is fermenting almost twice as fast as cool dough – so, you need to hit the brakes earlier with warmer dough.

“Hitting the brakes earlier” means cutting off bulk fermentation at a lower percentage rise (e.g., 30%) because the dough is rapidly fermenting and it keeps fermenting in all of the downstream steps. At faster speeds, you need a longer stopping distance to avoid skidding through the stop sign – which would result in an over-proofed loaf.

• PART 4: WHAT HAPPENS IN THE REFRIGERATOR DURING A COLD RETARD? Once your shaped dough is placed in the refrigerator for a cold retard, the warm dough and cool dough continue to behave differently, and to complicate matters, cooling dough does not “show the rise” as visibly as bulk fermenting dough.
• Warm Dough (80F/27C) in the Refrigerator When you place warm dough in the refrigerator for a cold retard, the dough keeps fermenting until the internal dough temperature reaches about 37F/3C.

This can take up to 12 hours. Prior to that time, the dough keeps fermenting as the dough slowly cools through different temperature ranges. The following chart shows the cooling dough temperature in the refrigerator for dough that ended bulk fermentation at 80F/27C. How Does Warm Dough (80F/27C) Behave in the Refrigerator? Phase 1: 80F-70F / 27C-21C Dough Temperature in the Refrigerator – Rapid Fermentation It takes about 60 minutes for warm dough to cool down from 80F to 70F / 27C to 21C in the refrigerator. During this time, the dough doesn’t know it is in the refrigerator.

It keeps fermenting at the same pace as if it were on the countertop at room temperature. In this 60-minute time period, warm dough can continue to rise as much as 20%. You don’t see the rise as readily in the refrigerator because the dough was recently compressed during shaping, and the gasses in the dough begin shrinking as the dough cools down.

Have you ever put a balloon in the refrigerator? It shrinks. The dough is shrinking as it cools, but it also expanding as it ferments. The visible rise in the refrigerator is not exactly indicative of how much the dough is continuing to ferment, but I have done experiments on unshaped dough throughout the cold retard process to approximate the percentage rise that occurs in the refrigerator.

• Phase 2: 70F-50F / 21C-10C Dough Temperature in the Refrigerator – Moderate Fermentation As the dough cools/ down from 70F to 50F / 21C to 10C, the dough keeps fermenting, but now at a pace slower than typical bulk fermentation speeds (due to the lower dough temperature).
• It takes approximately 3 hours for the dough temperature to travel through this temperature range, and the dough continues rising approximately 10-20%.

It is difficult to see and measure this rise in a shaped loaf, but it is fermenting. Phase 3: 50F-42F / 10C-5C Dough Temperature in the Refrigerator – Slow Fermentation Once the dough reaches 50F/10C, the fermentation activity significantly slows down and it takes approximately 3 hours for the dough to travel through this temperature range.

• There is generally no visible rise in the dough during this 3-hour period, but it is continuing to slowly ferment.
• If your dough remains in this range (above 42F/5C) for more than 12 hours, it will likely overproof.
• This occasionally occurs in the summer when refrigerator temperatures may be as high as 45F/7C.

Phase 4: 42F-37F / 5F-3C Dough Temperature in the Refrigerator – Very Slow Fermentation Depending on your refrigerator temperature, the dough takes another 6-8 hours to reach /37F/3C. The dough continues to rise and ferment very slowly during this phase.

• If you are trying to build more sour flavor in your loaves, this is a good temperature range for longer fermentations.
• Phase 5: 37F/3C Dough Temperature in the Refrigerator – “Hibernation” When the dough reaches 37F/3C, it is generally considered to be at the “hibernation” temperature.
• The dough keeps fermenting, but extremely slowly.

You can keep your dough in the refrigerator for days at this temperature.24 hours in the refrigerator at 37F/3C is the equivalent of 30 minutes (maximum) of peak bulk fermentation time. Days at 37F/3C are the equivalent of minutes of fermentation at 80F/27C.

1. How Does Cooler Dough (70F/21C) Behave in the Refrigerator? When you load cool dough into the refrigerator, it behaves differently than warm dough, especially in the first 6-8 hours.
2. Phase 1: 80F-70F / 27C-21C Dough Temperature in the Refrigerator – Rapid Fermentation Because the dough enters the refrigerator at 70F/21C, there is no rapid fermentation phase at warm temperature.

This is a major difference between 80F/27C dough and 70F/21C dough in the refrigerator. Warm dough rapidly rises approximately 20% during the first hour in the refrigerator. Cool dough bypasses this phase. Phase 2: 70F-50F / 21C-10C Dough Temperature in the Refrigerator – Moderate Fermentation Cool dough enters the refrigerator at about 70F/21C, but it behaves differently than the warm-fermented dough at the same temperature.

Warmer-fermented dough typically has a larger, more active yeast population so it more vigorously ferments in this range. The optimal temperature for yeast production and re-production is 75-80F / 25-27C. The cool dough never hits this temperature range during bulk fermentation, so it never reaches its peak production or reproduction rate.

Phases 3-5: 50F-37F / 10C-3C Dough Temperature in the Refrigerator – Slow, Very Slow, Hibernation By the time the 70F/27 dough cools down to 50F/10C, it generally follows the same trajectory as the warmer dough down to 37F/3C. In this range, the fermentation rates are fairly similar.

• PART 5: FERMENTATION CURVES AT DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES – AN ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE Based on the information in the prior sections, we can construct an illustrative fermentation curve for 80F/27C dough and 70F/21C dough throughout the entire fermentation cycle.
• In this example, assume that all dough needs to theoretically rise to 100% to be fully fermented.

We know that we cannot visibly measure the percentage rise through the shaping steps, because of degassing, or in the refrigerator because the gasses shrink at cool temperatures. But if you imagine you could accurately measure the percentage rise throughout the process, this is what the percentage rise curves would look like over a 24-hour cycle. Cool Bulk Fermentation – 70F/21C Dough: Target Bulk Rise 75% A loaf bulk fermenting at 70F/21C may take 12 hours to reach a target rise of 75%. At the 75% rise, the dough is shaped, where it rises 5% more to approximately 80%. The dough then goes into the refrigerator where its rise curve flattens fairly quickly and it slowly rises to 100% over the next 12 hours.

Warm Bulk Fermentation 80F/27C Dough: Target Bulk Rise 30% A loaf bulk fermenting at 80F/27C ferments much more quickly. It reaches its 30% target rise in 5.5. hours of bulk fermentation. During the shaping process it rises another 10%. Within the first few hours in the refrigerator, it has risen to 75% – the same point where the cool loaf exited bulk fermentation.

In the final few hours of the cold retard, both fermentation curves converge, and the loaves end up at exactly the same level of fermentation. Cool dough requires a higher rise in bulk fermentation (75%) because it cools down and slows down quickly as it enters the refrigerator.

Warm dough starts faster and maintains a warmer temperature in the refrigerator. It continues its very vigorous fermentation rate for a few hours in the refrigerator. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS What is the best temperature for bulk fermentation? You can bulk ferment at virtually any temperature between 50-90F / 10-32C.

The key is to synchronize the target percentage rise with your dough temperature. Warm dough requires a low bulk rise and cool dough requires a higher bulk rise. Why don’t I see the dough rising in the refrigerator? As your dough cools down in the refrigerator, the carbon dioxide gasses that inflate the loaf begin to shrink at low temperatures.

So the dough is still “rising” but it is shrinking at the same time. Once the loaf warms up in the oven during baking, the cool gasses expand and produce some of the explosive ovenspring that you see in the first 20 minutes of baking. Is the target bulk fermentation temperature the “ending temperature?” No.

It is the average (and ending) temperature. Bulk fermenting your dough is not like cooking a steak where you are trying to raise the temperature to a desired end point. Bulk fermentation works best if you can maintain your target temperature throughout bulk fermentation.

• Use tools such as a desired dough temperature calculator and a proofing chamber to maintain a constant dough temperature throughout bulk fermentation.
• Temperature fluctuations during bulk fermentation can result in uneven dough fermentation with some parts of the dough fermenting faster or slower than others.

The appropriate target percentage rise is more influenced by the ending dough temperature because that temperature influences the fermentation in the downstream steps. Bulk fermentation times generally are driven by the average dough temperature during bulk fermentation.

• How do you accurately measure the percentage rise? Use a vessel with milliliter markers on it.
• Your starting point is the volume in milliliters after you have mixed all of your ingredients.
• Sometimes the dough is domed on top after mixing and it is difficult to get a good starting measurement.
• For most country loaf recipes (e.g., Tartine at 75% hydration and 20% starter), the initial starting volume of the dough is equal to 1.5x the flour weight in grams.

For example, a 500g flour-weight recipe typically mixes up to 750 milliliters of initial dough volume. You would then multiply this number times 1 plus the target percentage rise to mark your final volume target. For example, a 50% target rise would be 750 milliliters x 1.5 = 1,125 milliliters.

• Many recipes call for the dough to double in volume and don’t specify the target dough temperature? I don’t recommend following those recipes.
• How can I learn more about this topic? I have dozens of videos on my YouTube channel at The Sourdough Journey on this topic.
• Here is a good place to start.
• When is Bulk Fermentation Done?: Episode 8 – Low and Slow,

You can also find more information on this topic at thesourdoughjourney.com If you find the information helpful, please support The Sourdough Journey at thesourdoughjourney.com/donate Appendix 1: What Happens in the Oven During Baking Once your loaves reach the oven, after a cold retard, there is still one last stage of fermentation that occurs in the oven. As your cold dough warms up in the oven, the yeast and lactic acid bacteria reactivate for a short, but powerful, “last gasp” of fermentation until the dough reaches the 130F/54C die-off temperature.

In a typical bake where a cold loaf is loaded into a preheated oven and Dutch oven, the dough will rise to active fermentation temperature (70F/21C) in about 5 minutes and will continue very rapidly fermenting and producing CO2 for about 15 minutes until the dough temperature reaches 130F/54C. At that point, all fermentation finally stops.

For more information on this topic, check out the video, “The Secrets of Ovenspring and Baking Temperature.”

Can beer ferment without bubbling?

Some yeasts will ferment at different speeds at different temperatures. The airlock isn’t always the best way to determine fermentation activity. So, if you find that it isn’t bubbling, it doesn’t mean that it isn’t fermenting.

Can beer be fermented twice?

by Al Folsom When we start new brewers off at Keystone, the process includes fermenting the beer in a plastic bucket, siphoning (racking) to the bottling bucket, and bottling. The process is kept as simple as possible so that the new brewer gets good beer, and gets it as quickly as possible! Sooner or later, though, that new brewer shows up at a homebrew club meeting, and hears mention of “secondary fermentation,” or something even more cryptic like “I dry hopped it in the secondary,” and their reaction is “Huh?” Secondary fermentation is the process of taking your “finished” beer from your fermentation bucket, and transferring it to another container, usually a glass carboy, for a period of aging typically ranging from two days to several months.

• There are pros and cons to doing a secondary fermentation for your beer.
• In some cases it may not be necessary at all, and in others, it is vital to the beer.
• Let’s start with the cons.
• Racking your beer an extra time gives you one more stage to introduce a flavor-detracting infection in your beer.
• It’s another process where you have to be scrupulously clean and sanitary.

It’s also another time when you can introduce oxygen into the fermented beer, which can lead to cardboard-like or stale flavors. It adds to the cost, since you need to buy an extra carboy. Finally, it introduces another delay before you can drink the beer! Given the cons, why would anyone do a secondary fermentation? There are a couple of very good reasons to consider doing a secondary fermentation on your beer.

• The first is probably obvious.
• It allows the beer to clear more, giving you a better-looking brew, with less sediment in the bottom of the bottle.
• But why not, you might ask, just let your beer sit longer, in the primary fermentation bucket ? Because plastic buckets are never fully air tight, and once the primary fermentation has slowed and is not producing large amounts of protective carbon dioxide, oxygen will affect the beer, producing those stale, oxidized flavors.

If we’re going to let the beer sit after its main fermentation is done, it pretty much needs to be in glass, and away from the spent yeast that accumulates at the bottom of your fermenter. Also, because yeast are clever little creatures, when they run out of that nice yummy sugar to eat in your wort, they will find other things to munch on.

One handy source of nourishment is dead yeast cells. Unfortunately, when the yeast go down this metabolic pathway, they don’t produce the carbon dioxide and ethanol that we all know and love. Instead, through a process known as “autolysis” they produce some interesting off flavors, reminiscent of burning tires-definitely something you don’t want in your beer.

But why age your beer so long? In essence, longer aging using secondary fermentation will generally smooth out the beer, giving you a more pleasant tasting brew. In the case of lager beers, this type of yeast requires a long, cold secondary fermentation.

As yeast consume the sugars, they leave odds and ends of more complex sugars around, and will eventually turn to them for nourishment. It is not unusual for this process to take a month or more in lagers. Ale yeasts, on the other hand, cannot process these more complex sugars and therefore require less time in a secondary fermentation.

Once your ale has cleared to your satisfaction in the secondary, it has probably also completed any biological benefits from the secondary fermentation. Secondary fermentations for ales are usually on the order of a week or so, though it won’t hurt the beer to stay in the fermenter longer (but remember that hop flavors and aroma may fade over time).

1. Big” beers, such as barley wines and imperial stouts, may take a long time to finish fermenting, because there is more sugar to consume, and the yeast is struggling in the presence of the higher alcohol content.
2. Should you do a secondary fermentation? Some brewers only do it for lagers, some only with their “big” beers, and some (like me) for nearly every beer, to help with the clarifying if nothing else.

It’s just one more tool to help you make that perfect beer.

Why is my beer not fermenting after 7 days?

Fermentation Fails to Start – The primary reason for fermentation to not start is the health of the yeast, or too little healthy yeast, and this is usually the cause. Perhaps the packet or vial of yeast was old and there was little healthy yeast left to do the job.

Does homemade beer go bad?

Author Topic: homebrew shelf life (Read 15778 times) – So i have pretty simple question. What is the self life of a Homebrew in bottles? I realize that most of the time the beer will be gone long before it spoils, but since there are no preservatives besides the alcohol, does anybody have a rough estimate for the shelf life. Logged “Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drank, I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn’t drink this beer, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered.

1. Then I say to myself, “It is better that I drink this beer and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver.
2. Hops are also preservatives.
3. I believe that there are many variables to consider with the shelf life of a beer.
4. Some that come to mind are abv., amount of hops, malt, packaging, storage temp., etc.

Or you could taste some now and write down some tasting notes. Then, save some for six months and a year and taste again and compare tasting notes. Logged Dan Chisholm Typical rule of thumb is that it’s at its best within 6 months, still plenty drinkable at about 12 months, and then beyond that, it can begin tasting pretty stale. Of course this also depends on storage temperature. Beer stored at 70 F or more will taste like crap after 6 months. Logged Dave The world will become a much more pleasant place to live when each and every one of us realizes that we are all idiots. Too many variables. Drew brewed a 30 year batch of beer for when his mortgage is paid off. It won’t go bad like food will, but it might pass a “best before” date. Hard to say when that date is. Logged Tom Schmidlin The old analogy “how long is a piece of string” comes into play here. I have some high gravity barley wines that are from 2006 and they are still quite delicious. But most of the beer I brew is intended to be comsumed fresh. Logged Mine has always lasted longer than it has lasted. Suppose I could brew bigger batches, but then I’d have to brew less often. Logged Beer.Now there’s a temporary solution! Na Zdraví Six months is a good ROT to go by. I had a dubbel peak at about two years but after three years it just wasn’t good anymore. Wasn’t spoiled but had faded etc. Hops were mentioned. The stronger and hopper the beer is the longer it will remain in its prime. Logged The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis Low gravity beers, wheat beers, and beers that emphasize hop aromas and flavor are best enjoyed young. Logged You can always ship them a bottle and they can try it now, while it’s fresh. Use fedex, not USPS. Use tons of bubble wrap and a strong plastic bag around the bubble wrap. Make sure there’s no contact anywhere of the bottle to the outsides of the box. Use TONS of bubble wrap!!! Make it bomb proof. There’s a thread on these forums about shipping beer. Logged +1 on the “too many variables” opinion. I have pulled out a barleywine at 13 years that was wonderful, but a pumpkin beer at 7 years had gone way south. Logged Brewing since 1989 – BJCP National Rank Member of KROC and Foam on the Range Fermenting: Double IPA Conditioning: Saison du Potiron On tap: Cider, Cream Ale, Bock, Rye Dunkel Doppelbock, Celebration Clone, Imperial Stout Controlling oxygen helps. Logged Life is wonderful in sunny White Signal New Mexico

Homebrewers Association | AHA Forum General Category General Homebrew Discussion homebrew shelf life

Is yeast in beer OK?

“Floaties” in Craft Beer | What Causes Particles or Chunks? Bob Brewer answers your questions about the world of beer and brewing. Bryan (via Facebook): Bob, could you please address beer ‘floaties’ – the particles sometimes hanging out in the bottles of craft beers? Bob: Good one, Bryan. There are different types of ‘floaties’ caused by different things. I like to think of them as the good, the bad, the very bad, and the ugly.

The good: The beer has been bottle-conditioned. Bottle conditioning is a deliberate process whereby a small amount of active yeast and sometimes a bit of fermentable material such as maltose or some other type of sugar is added to the bottle prior to capping it. Sometimes the bottle will be filled with beer that is still fermenting.

Either way, the result is a mild fermentation taking place in the enclosed bottle which creates a natural carbonation and a small increase in the alcohol content. However, there will also be yeast in the bottle, some of which was left there and some that was generated by the fermentation.

This yeast will settle to the bottom of the bottle but will become “floaters” when the beer is agitated or moved – like when you are pouring it or drinking it. It’s not bad and doesn’t affect the flavor. Bottle-conditioned beers can be quite good and the yeast is a part of the experience. The bad: Several things here.

First – and probably most common – is that the beer is just plain old. Some craft beer has been known to get lost on the shelf for ages. While we all know that some beers such as barley wines and strong ales can be laid down for extended periods and actually improve with age, this is not the case with many other beers.

Age can destroy beer. The liquid breaks down, the proteins fall out, the hop character goes away and the beer tastes stale, oxidized, and musty. In this case, the floaters tend to look like snowflakes rather than the yeast sediment from bottle conditioning. “Snowflake” beer should be avoided. Also bad but not necessarily fatal is poor filtration at the brewery, which allows particulates to end up in the bottle.

This is mostly a cosmetic thing, but its presence reflects inattention or poor practice by the brewer. The very bad: The beer is infected and spoiled. Poor sanitation, bacterial contamination. You will know immediately if this is the case, as the beer will smell bad and taste awful.

• It won’t kill you if you drink it but if it smells bad it’ll taste worse.
• Some beer from small breweries is packaged unpasteurized.
• This can be a good thing if the beer is kept refrigerated and consumed fresh.
• However, an unpasteurized beer can have a limited shelf life and be subject to spoilage.
• Spoiled beer can have floaters and may also appear cloudy.

The ugly (But not bad): A significant amount of yeast has been intentionally left in the beer as a part of the style. Think German-style hefeweizen. While some American-style hefe beers have been processed so as to keep the yeast in suspension, this is not always the case.

The yeast can sit on the bottom of the bottle in a thick mass. There are examples with so much yeast in them that the beer looks muddy and the sediment will actually be so thick that it has to be coaxed out of the bottle in chunks. Big, fat floaters. Thick brown sludge oozing from the bottom of the bottle: not very appetizing.

For these beers it is recommended that the bottle be laid on its side and gently rolled back and forth for a few minutes so as to “rouse the yeast” and get it into suspension before pouring. Bottled beers of this type should always be roused and then poured into an appropriate glass.

Is it OK to drink beer yeast?

Brewer’s yeast is a source of B vitamins and protein. It also contains chromium, which might help the body use insulin better and lower blood sugar levels. Brewer’s yeast also seems to increase enzymes in the stomach that could relieve diarrhea and improve the body’s defense against viral infections like the flu.

Does beer smell while fermenting?

Fruit Aromas – During fermentation, yeast produce fruity aroma and flavor compounds called esters, These aromas might remind you of bananas, or strawberries, or even bubble gum. For some styles of beer, a strong, specific ester production is a trademark.

1. The banana aromas from a good German Hefeweizen are completely produced by the yeast, even though some people will insist they blend a Chiquita in every batch.
2. American ales often have a character that may not be attributable to any specific fruit, but is just described as “fruity”.
3. An ester aroma is not considered a negative character by itself.

The problem with esters comes when they begin to overpower the rest of the beer. If every homebrew you make smells like strawberry bubblegum or freshly cut pineapple, you will want to start making adjustments to the fermentation part of your brewing process.

Can you ferment in the fridge?

Refrigeration and Yeast: Will Yeast Ferment in the Fridge? – Thus, when it comes to refrigeration and yeast, you are unlikely to get fermentation to occur. Most refrigerators run between 36 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit, which is much too cold for yeast to ferment, but it is a great temperature to keep your live yeast alive and active without having to feed it for a couple of weeks if you are in between batches of beer, wine, bread, or whatever you happen to be fermenting.

Can I ferment overnight?

If you leave your bulk fermentation at room temperature overnight it will likely overproof. You can put your dough in the refrigerator to slow things down until morning.

Can fermentation be done in 2 days?

Fermentation Activity Has Stopped. When To Package Your Beer? – Once your hydrometer readings indicate the yeast have stopped fermenting sugars and there are none left to consume when can you package your beer? As mentioned earlier on, the conversion of sugars to alcohol leaves certain byproducts and precursors in solution.

Can fermentation be done in 2 days?

Fermentation Activity Has Stopped. When To Package Your Beer? – Once your hydrometer readings indicate the yeast have stopped fermenting sugars and there are none left to consume when can you package your beer? As mentioned earlier on, the conversion of sugars to alcohol leaves certain byproducts and precursors in solution.

Can fermentation finish in 4 days?

Good Price/Quality Fermenter – No products found. There are many options out there -like this one on Amazon -, a great choice in terms of price/quality. Make sure you understand when the fermentation process is over, before continuing. When fermenting, for your own sake make it a habit to understand when your fermentation is complete.

Generally, it shouldn’t take longer than 2 weeks for the fermentation itself to be done, but some beers require you to let it sit for longer since your yeast can do some “clean up” that can make your beer better. TIP: If you are uncertain about whether or not your fermentation is complete just remember that leaving it for a little longer compared to opening it too soon is generally better.

Use a hydrometer if you want to make sure your fermentation is complete. A fool-proof method most homebrewers use is tracking the alcohol content of your beer with a hydrometer (Amazon link). Once your beer reaches the alcohol content it’s supposed to have, your fermentation is probably complete.

Can you ferment wine in 3 days?

I am making a wine with black and red currants. I mixed everything together and the fermentation started the next day. But now my wine has stopped fermenting too early. It has only been fermenting for about 5 days. What should I do? Name: Kelly F. State: GA —– Hello Kelly, It may very well be that you have a stuck fermentation, and need to figure out how to get it going again.

• But, more than likely the reason your wine is not fermenting is because the fermentation is simply done.
• Once all the available sugars have been turned into alcohol by the wine yeast, there is nothing else to do.
• No reason to add more yeast, etc.
• While most fermentations will last anywhere from 5 days to 10 days, I have personally seen wine fermentations be completely done in less than 3 days.

It’s all just a matter of how happy you make the wine yeast. To determine if your wine stopped fermenting too early or if you have a stuck fermentation, you will need to test the wine with a hydrometer. If you do not have a hydrometer, I would strongly urge you to get one.

If your wine has a specific gravity reading less than,998, then your fermentation is done. All that you need to do is to continue on with any wine recipe directions you are following. This would typically be to rack the wine into a secondary fermenter and allow it time to clear.

If your wine has a specific gravity reading more than,998, then you have a stuck fermentation on your hands and will need to figure out how to get the wine fermenting again.

There are a number of reasons why a wine might stop fermenting too early – too many to go over here – but fortunately you can go to our Top 10 Reasons For Fermentation Failure, There you will find the mostly likely reasons why you have a stuck fermentation. In short, if you have a wine that stopped fermenting too early, it does not necessarily mean you have a problem. In fact, it could mean the opposite – that you had a very good fermentation and it is done sooner than expected. But, if the fermentation is not complete, you need to figure out why, and then address that issue.

Can I drink a beer thats been open for 3 days?

Does Beer Go Bad In The Fridge? – Yes, both opened and unopened beer can go bad in the fridge. In a refrigerator, an unopened bottle or can of beer can last up to two or three years. However, an opened bottle or can will generally only be good for a day before the oxidation destroys all the good flavors.