From Grain to Glass

[GuingesRock]

I see Big Spruce has a new website, but the "unfiltered" blurb has me confused:

We refuse to filter the goodness out our beer, so each of our batches takes a minimum of 18 days to brew, ferment and condition while the cloudiness gently disappears. This is at least 3 times slower than other craft breweries and it results in a slow produced beer that is wonderfully full of flavor from our fermentation stage.

Really? Other craft breweries are generally serving beer in 6 days or less after brewing?

http://bigspruce.ca/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So Big Spruce has a minimum of 18 days. The real ale breweries in the UK I visited were 2 weeks. Paddys in Wolfville is 2 weeks. My homebrew gets 2 weeks. What does everyone else do here? What do other craft breweries do? Can it be done well in less time?

[Jimmy]

I like to drink mine on the day of pitching. It gives wonderful flavors from the boil stage

...I mean my typical homebrew turnaround is 2-3 weeks.

[LeafMan66_67]

Mine are 2-3 weeks in the fermenter, and usually another 30 days in a keg to prime and settle, or 1-2 weeks on CO2.

18 days doesn't seem odd to me, but stating that it is 3 times slower than other craft breweries seemed out of place.

[GuingesRock]

I wonder if that's right though. Some craft breweries might be doing it in six days.

Before someone mentions the word diacetyl ...some craft breweries have that also.

[RubberToe]

With the right yeast and good control of fermentation tempurature, you can do 6 - 10 days. Of course this is style dependant as well. There's no 7 day dry hop schedule there.

This is one reason a lot of the microbreweries use Ringwood - it's fast. However when it's rushed they get diacetyl.

Other quick yeasts are WLP007 (used by Stone) and Pacman (used by Rogue). I think Conan is up there as well.

[Jimmy]

I wonder if that's right though. Some craft breweries might be doing it in six days.

Before someone mentions the word diacetyl ...some craft breweries have that also.

I'm sure some do push beer out in 6 days, but that doesn't mean it's the normal practice among craft brewers. I'm guessing 2-3 weeks would be the norm for the craft beer industry.

[AllanMar]

I'm sure some do push beer out in 6 days, but that doesn't mean it's the normal practice among craft brewers. I'm guessing 2-3 weeks would be the norm for the craft beer industry.

They probably say it's 3 times fresher then other craft breweries!

[Jimmy]

I'm sure some do push beer out in 6 days, but that doesn't mean it's the normal practice among craft brewers. I'm guessing 2-3 weeks would be the norm for the craft beer industry.

They probably say it's 3 times fresher then other craft breweries!

"We ferment our beers hot to help accelerate the fermentation stage, shortening the production cycle to 6 days - to provide a fresher product for you, the drinker"

[mr x]

I can't imagine a beer ready in 6 days to drink unless you are using a form of sequential continuous fermentation system.

[NASH]

It's not that uncommon for production breweries to put out 5% abv (somewhat flavourless) filtered beer in as little as seven days, the norm is more like 8 - 10 days. 3 day ferment, 1 day rest, 3 day crash, filter, carb, package and send off to market on day 8, 9 or 10. Nothing wrong with that, delicious beer can be made in that time-frame by a knowledgeable brewer with properly setup brewing equipment. For the most part the more flavour beer has the longer conditioning time it needs to meld so bigger beers take more time. Regardless, I don't think anybody really cares how long it takes so long as it tastes good. Other than that it's all cannon fodder and or an attention grab; 'look at me, my shit's better than everyone else's because I ______'.

[GuingesRock]

It's not that uncommon for production breweries to put out 5% abv (somewhat flavourless) filtered beer in as little as seven days, the norm is more like 8 - 10 days. 3 day ferment, 1 day rest, 3 day crash, filter, carb, package and send off to market on day 8, 9 or 10. Nothing wrong with that, delicious beer can be made in that time-frame by a knowledgeable brewer with properly setup brewing equipment. For the most part the more flavour beer has the longer conditioning time it needs to meld so bigger beers take more time. Regardless, I don't think anybody really cares how long it takes so long as it tastes good. Other than that it's all cannon fodder and or an attention grab; 'look at me, my shit's better than everyone else's because I ______'.

Interesting! If you can make a good beer in a short time, why take a long time? Are there any other tips? If anyone has aspirations to brew commercially, they should be focussing on this at the homebrew stage. This even makes sense for homebrewers?

[Jimmy]

Interesting! If you can make a good beer in a short time, why take a long time?

I'm going to say so that you can get a great beer

You'll notice his timeline didn't include dry hopping...that'll add some time, brew a larger beer, that'll add some time...etc.

Sure, you can crank out a lawnmower beer in a week, but a good beer will take longer.

[GuingesRock]

I thought RubberToe's post was very interesting. He mentioned some great beers that use fast yeasts. A brewer that takes his time and doddles around will make half the profits. Especially if his beer isn't any better.

Regardless, I don't think anybody really cares how long it takes so long as it tastes good.

[GuingesRock]

Fast worker Review by JRdaSconnie
Used Wyeast 1469 for a 6 day grain-to-glass English Mild on my first no-sparge brew. Six days + 1 hour after cold crashing and a slam n bang carbonation it turned out great. Malty, lightly fruity, and delicious. Fermented from 1035 to 1010 in 5 days and floculated nicely.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/wyea ... -2008.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mr x]

Regardless, I don't think anybody really cares how long it takes so long as it tastes good. Other than that it's all cannon fodder and or an attention grab; 'look at me, my shit's better than everyone else's because I ______'.

The big breweries think people care how long it takes. I can think of 2 at least that go to significant effort to promote the 'slowness' of their beer.

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[voltage]

Last two partial boils I did were 5 Days in the primary, then 15 in the secondary. I wait until the airlock is crawling but not stopped. So I am a little closer to the 3 week side, 2.5 to bottle would be a quick brew for me. (Paint it black IPA, Mangrove Jacks Mild, Festa's Cream Ale etc)

[jtmwhyte]

Last two partial boils I did were 5 Days in the primary, then 15 in the secondary. I wait until the airlock is crawling but not stopped. So I am a little closer to the 3 week side, 2.5 to bottle would be a quick brew for me. (Paint it black IPA, Mangrove Jacks Mild, Festa's Cream Ale etc)

beware the airlock as a judge of fermentation...


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[TimG]

'look at me, my shit's better than everyone else's...

Pfft, I take that challenge!



I love this forum, haha