Short fermentation period

[NewBrewMeister]

Hi...new to this site and am excited about being a new homebrewer. I have a question...
I have fermented my second batch of brew (one pale ale and one darker ale) and used one pack of Munton's active brewing yeast, (6gm) in the first batch and two packets for the second batch. Both batches had a very active fermentation that started around 12 hours after pitching, but only lasted about 30 hours. I bottled the first batch and everything seems okay...but was wondering if the active fermentation period should have lasted more than 48 hours. I also wonder if it might be the brand of yeast that I used. I would appreciate any input from more experienced brewers. Thanks !

[secur8eguy]

At what temperature was the beer fermented at? If it was 24c or above, that would be about normal.

[fretlessman71]

Welcome to the site! Here's what little I know...

If you use a hydrometer and test the batch, you'll know when the yeast is done doing its thing by taking readings every few days. When you get identical readings a few days apart, the yeast is done, and you're ready to bottle.

This of course is oversimplified... there are other brewers here on the site that I'm sure are ready to jump right in! We're all very friendly here, so take my advice below...

[mmmBeer...]

I have found that fermentation with dry yeast is faster to finish than liquid (with no starter)…I think it has to do with the cell count, dry yeast has more cells in the package than liquid. But I could be wrong!

When I brewed 2 batches the same day one with dry and one liquid the dry was finished much faster.

[NewBrewMeister]

I brewed the batch around 22° C. I guess this combined with the fact that I used a dry yeast made the process happen faster. Next batch...I'm going to send for one of the liquid yeasts and try brewing a lager. I have a spare refrigerator that I can earmark for cold fermenting. Thanks for your tips....and the warm welcome to brewing.

[Fast_Eddy]

Originally posted by NewBrewMeister
I brewed the batch around 22° C. I guess this combined with the fact that I used a dry yeast made the process happen faster. Next batch...I'm going to send for one of the liquid yeasts and try brewing a lager. I have a spare refrigerator that I can earmark for cold fermenting. Thanks for your tips....and the warm welcome to brewing.

Just be aware that using a hydrometer or refractometer is the best way to go. You're just assuming(and probably rightly so, in this case) that the yeast is done but that assumption could cause you to end up with bottle bombs or under-fermented beer(cloyingly sweet).

[Asahikun]

Did you bottle after 30 hours of fermentation? I've never had a beer finish that quickly when using dry yeast regardless of the temperature. In my experience, active primary fermentation stops after a day or two and then it continues to ferment much more slowly for another 4-6 days.
I hope you are right and it had finished. Maybe I misunderstood your post. Has anyone else had fermentation finish this quickly?

[noby]

I used the same Muntons dry yeast on friday night.
It was the same active fermentation all through saturday. But by Sunday morning, although it had settled down I was still getting bubbles every 8-10 seconds through the airlock
I'd go along with Asahikun, it'll probably ferment much slower for the next few days

[NewBrewMeister]

I wasn't clear about the total fermentation time that I allowed for the batch....I did not bottle until after a full two weeks had passed in the fermentor. I have tasted the brew (albeit a few days early), and I can't believe how good the taste is. I went with a kit that required steeping crushed malt grains and the addition of bittering and finishing hops. Results: One fantastic tasting beer !!