[redrocker652002]

LOL.  Well, here goes.  I have seen a lot of talk about aging beer and leaving it in the fermenter for longer periods of time.  I have been doing as most instructions say and leaving the beer in the fermenter for about 7 days after dry hopping, then moving to keg and carbonating for a few days at normal carb pressure (usually 10 to 12 psi).  I just read where somebody aged their beer for 5 weeks or something like that.  I have only done IPA, so maybe I am ok, but am wondering what happens during that aging, and does it make the beer better?  Also, at about 70 degrees, how long can a beer be kept in a fermenter bucket in a closet?  I know, stupid questions maybe, but I am sitting here having my first cup of coffee and it just kinda hit me.  Thanks in advance for looking.  RR

[Kevin]

If you are making IPA's then you are doing fine. Although 7 days seems a bit arbitrary. Gravity readings will tell you when it's done. As for leaving in the fermenter for up to 5 weeks that depends on what style beer you are making. An IPA will stay in my fermenter for a week+ while a high gravity barley wine or stout might stay for a month or more.

[tommymorris]

What you’re reading is mostly people leaving beer in the keg for long times before drinking the beer. A lot of people have many kegs and they brew a batch, keg it, and then put it in line (their pipeline). It can take some folks weeks to get the beer on tap. Usually these folks are storing the beer cold (fridge temps). That time does positively affect lagers.  Some will say you can drink a lager quickly (2 weeks) as long as the yeast is totally flocked. I agree with that, but just waiting longer is a very easy way to go.

Hoppy beers don’t need to cold store so long. They are ready pretty quickly and and you want to enjoy the hop flavors while they are freshest.

Regarding when to keg/bottle after fermentation: 3 days past the beer getting to its final gravity (FG) is my minimum. A few extra weeks won’t hurt. You may or may not want to cold crash before packaging. I don’t since I have floating dip tubes. All the junk that falls in cold crash ends up safely at the bottom of my keg.

[EnkAMania]

I don't leave in the fermenter too long, as I only have one fermenter.  The only beer I've made that was good early was Brut IPA.  Otherwise, I usually start tasting at week 4.

[denny]

In my experience, you get better dry hop character with shorter times.  So you can cut at least a few days off of that part of the process.