2 weeks in the primary ...

Longrasser · Post by **Longrasser** » Wednesday Jun 27, 2007 2:02 pm

Have two Tooheys brews Can +1kg ldme in the tubs
Am considering leaving it for 2 weeks then into the bottling tub for bulk prime and bottle
I know some of you guys do this and I cant be bothered searching but how does it turn out? Clarity taste etc?

Pale_Ale · Post by **Pale_Ale** » Wednesday Jun 27, 2007 2:05 pm

Yeah, good.

2 weeks is fine, your a long way off autolysis and it does clear out a bit more and develop in flavour.

With a normal ale if I don't rack I will typically leave it in for 2 weeks then bottle. Had some great results without racking, although I still rack more often than not.

DarkFaerytale · Post by **DarkFaerytale** » Wednesday Jun 27, 2007 2:14 pm

agreed, all my brews are in primary for at least 2 weeks, then transfered to secondary for 2+ weeks, makes a hell of a difference and you'll be sure to have reached your final gravity by then as well

-Phill

Mr_Booze · Post by **Mr_Booze** » Wednesday Jun 27, 2007 3:15 pm

I realise now that my first few brews were bottled waayyy to early and, while they were certainly drinkable, they were nothing special. One day I brewed a Mexican Cerveza and was worried because it wasn't bubbling (I had an air leak there somewhere), so left it in the primary for two weeks just to make sure, before bottling.

When I finally got round to drinking it about a month ago (it was just over 3 months old by then), it was sensational, easily the best tasting beer I have made so far. All my brews since then have been in primary for around 2 weeks and I am reaping the benefits.

Longrasser · Post by **Longrasser** » Wednesday Jun 27, 2007 5:42 pm

Thanks for replies
Normally I would rack after one week for a further week in the secondary
I want to use my tubs for more brewing to catch up (who knows what the hell is going on up here the an NT aborginal back bencher calling for a total grog ban

you should see the bros stockng up on goons,you would wonder if she had shares in a grog shop)

I digress, will give them 2 weeks and bottle as planned

shane_vor · Post by **shane_vor** » Saturday Jun 30, 2007 10:43 pm

Autolysis! Bastard of a thing!
I had that very problem and it took ages and several brews to work out what I was doing wrong! There are now several blokes who won't attend my humble abode for fear of being served the dreaded "Band Aid" beer.

I think 3 and 4 weeks were doing it to mine, lovely clarity though...if that's what you're after!

Longrasser · Post by **Longrasser** » Sunday Jul 01, 2007 11:06 am

But autolysis not a problem after 2 weeks?

Iron-Haggis · Post by **Iron-Haggis** » Sunday Jul 01, 2007 4:52 pm

I've gone 3 weeks with no signs of autolysis. It shouldn't be a problem after 2 weeks. I think anything longer than 4 weeks and autolysis would definitely be an issue.

Pale_Ale · Post by **Pale_Ale** » Sunday Jul 01, 2007 5:37 pm

Have gone 3 weeks in the primary for a particularly lazy pilsener with no signs of trouble. I've never had autolysis but I can imagine it's not worth risking with more than 4 weeks in the primary.

shane_vor · Post by **shane_vor** » Sunday Jul 01, 2007 9:57 pm

I should qualify my last comment...

My brews have suffered from autolysis but only the ales and only at moderate temperatures.

The lagers and pilsners, at low temps, no dramas. Of course, those things need to stay down for longer anyway and it's not unheard of for some of mine to be left in the shed for 4 to 5 weeks in the dead of winter for primary fermentation...now that it's wintertime....

chris. · Post by **chris.** » Monday Jul 02, 2007 9:59 am

shane_vor wrote:I should qualify my last comment...

My brews have suffered from autolysis but only the ales and only at moderate temperatures.

The lagers and pilsners, at low temps, no dramas. Of course, those things need to stay down for longer anyway and it's not unheard of for some of mine to be left in the shed for 4 to 5 weeks in the dead of winter for primary fermentation...now that it's wintertime....

You get Band Aid flavours from Autolysis?!

Ain't forums wonderful things!

Aussie Claret · Post by **Aussie Claret** » Monday Jul 02, 2007 10:49 am

shane_vor wrote:Autolysis! Bastard of a thing!
I had that very problem and it took ages and several brews to work out what I was doing wrong! There are now several blokes who won't attend my humble abode for fear of being served the dreaded "Band Aid" beer.

I think 3 and 4 weeks were doing it to mine, lovely clarity though...if that's what you're after!

If you're getting band aid flavours it ain't autolysis, it's an infection. Autolysis is supposed to taste like vegemite, not that 've tasted it in any of my beers; and I've left beers in primary for 4 weeks but in the fridge where they get CC'd.
AC

chris. · Post by **chris.** » Monday Jul 02, 2007 12:19 pm

Aussie Claret wrote:Autolysis is supposed to taste like vegemite

Exactly. Phenols taste like Band Aids. Autolysis is the slightly vegemite smell that you usually find in Champagne.

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Monday Jul 02, 2007 1:34 pm

Phenols are not necessarily caused by infection.

John Palmer wrote:Medicinal
These flavors are often described as mediciney, Band-AidÃ¢â€žÂ¢ like, or can be spicy like cloves. The cause are various phenols which are initially produced by the yeast. Chlorophenols result from the reaction of chlorine-based sanitizers (bleach) with phenol compounds and have very low taste thresholds. Rinsing with boiled water after sanitizing is the best way to prevent these flavors.

http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter21-2.html

shane_vor · Post by **shane_vor** » Monday Jul 02, 2007 8:02 pm

Well, it was a medicinal or "band aid" taste that ceased after I commenced racking. I've had infections before but they never tasted like these ones.

Of course the only thing that I did different was leave the brew in the primary fermenter for an extended period of time at ale temperatures, nothing else was changed.

Thankfully, it was the local shop that assisted after running through all the usual likely culprits...was his suggestion that the yeast was consuming itself or it's waste, or something like that. That bit was beyond me.

Is this where I insert the smartarse smiley and pout a bit? (Nah...I'll leave that for the more sensitive types!

)

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Monday Jul 02, 2007 9:51 pm

Tipsy · Post by **Tipsy** » Tuesday Jul 03, 2007 6:05 pm

I believe I have had autolysis.
I didn't notice it much until I had a stubby that was about a year old (I had drunk his mates much earlier)

The taste was between bonox and vegemite, smelt exactly like vegemite.

I had used dry enzyme in this brew so thought this might have had something to do with it

What do you guys think?

I have one bottle left and I am going to leave it for as long as possible to see if can get that rubber taste Palmer talks about

Longrasser · Post by **Longrasser** » Thursday Jul 05, 2007 9:31 am

Just a thought.
It may be useful when Beermates refer to bottles they indicate longnecks or PETS?

Longrasser · Post by **Longrasser** » Sunday Jul 08, 2007 1:19 pm

Just bottled after 2 weeks primary
Nice and clear,nice taste.
Good tip drain off a glass or from tap before draining into bottling tub
Will try another couple of brews the same way