Too long in primary?

[Brownbeard]

I have been trying to get around to working with my brew in primary, it has been in the primary for 2 weeks now waiting for me to bottle the brew in my secondary. We have been sick at our house, and beer got neglected. I am sure this is gonna be fine. Never had one in the primary this long. I am going to try and get to it tonight.

[wortchillergoal]

I have left a couple sit that long with no problems detected. I had one that ended up sitiing longer. I could and still can taste a little off flavor. The older it getds, the less the off flavor seems to come through. In fact, one of my hockey team mates thinks it is the best one, a brown, I have given him.


BEER CAN BE FOOD,BUT FOOD CAN NEVER BE BEER

[Tweek]

I am always amazed that so many people on this board can leave beer in primary for so long and not get off flavors. Everytime I leave my beer in primary too long I get em.

[bigmf]

I think it depends on the environment in the area. I did an experiment two weeks ago by leaving an open beer bottle with the dregs in it. No infection and I washed it out yesterday. But then I live in a place where it is consistently below 0 celsius last month and there is almost no humidity in the air.

I bet if people did the same test in hawaii they would have gotten an infected bottle within days.

M.

[Brownbeard]

My primary is in a 60 degree area. Nice and cool. I am only concerned because it is in plastic. Not too concerned mind you.

[Professor Frink]

I just did the same thing, 17-18 days in the primary. We repainted the entire interior of our new home, ceilings and all, the week after Christmas, and I didn't have time to bottle to free up my carboy till yesterday. I finally bottled (last pumpkin ale of the holidays) and transferred last night.

I was wondering should I alter the time in the secondary, I usually give it two weeks? And, I'm almost embarassed to admit this, but since my 3rd batch, I stopped checking the spec. gravity, so I can't go by that. I figure the best way to determine alcohol content is through consumption, imho, just not very concerned with it if the brew tastes good.

[fretlessman71]

Originally posted by bigmf
I think it depends on the environment in the area. I did an experiment two weeks ago by leaving an open beer bottle with the dregs in it. No infection and I washed it out yeasterday. But then I live in a place where it is consistently below 0 celsius last month and there is almost no humidity in the air.

I bet if people did the same test in hawaii they would have gotten an infected bottle within days.

M.

So something might be happening between the boil and the pitch before racking to primary? I suppose... here's a thought: We have a sonic humidifier, and we have to run it most of the winter for our own health, but we add a pint of hydrogen peroxide to it to "disinfect" the air. Might work to eliminate the extra infection possiblilty....?

[bigmf]

I don't know how the h2o2 would help but I'm pretty sure it couldn't hurt. I know that it breaks down to water and oxygen when it reacts.

M.

[Professor Frink]

So, Brownbeard, any word on how this came out, should be mature about now??? How long did you go in secondary??

[paul84043]

I wouldn't sweat 2 weeks in the primary at all. I have had them go longer than that and have never detected an "off" flavor.