When people are exploring brewing beer, they often ask “how long does it take to brew beer?” The best answer is that it depends. There are many recipes, brewing methods, and fermentations. In most cases, how much time you need will also depend on the type of beer you are brewing. For example, those with higher alcohol content will take longer.
How long does it take to brew beer from start to finish?
Generally speaking, it takes 2 1/2 to 8 weeks from raw materials to finished ready-to-drink beer, with 3-4 weeks being the most common. Many factors can affect the brewing time, which is why there is such a range.
The main factors that affect brewing time are:
- Beer style
- Brewing equipment
- Brewing method
The time it takes to brew is much shorter than the time it takes to wait to enjoy a glass of beer. First, you can prepare a batch in a few hours, but the second fermentation can take weeks or even months.
Most homebrewers give their beer some time to mature and reach a full-bodied taste. Keep in mind that it takes a long time for the yeast to convert all the sugar into alcohol after it has completed the technical part.
3 Steps to Brewing Beer
How long does it take to brew beer?
The basic steps involved in the beer brewing process are consistent and usually take about 4-8 hours from start to finish. The schedule depends on the equipment and brewing method. Once the beer is brewed, you have wort. Wort is pre-fermented or unfermented beer, which brings us to the next step: fermentation.
How long does it take for beer to ferment?
Brewer’s yeast is added to the wort and the fermentation process begins. The time required for fermentation here depends on the yeast/beer style. Typical fermentation takes two weeks when making ale and four to eight weeks when making lager. Once primary fermentation is complete, you will have a beer, but it will be bland, which brings us to the next step, carbonation.
How long does it take to carbonate beer?
Depending on the beer equipment and method, carbonating a beer using the forced CO2 method can take as little as 30 minutes, while via the bottle process it can take up to two weeks. And kegging (forced CO2, brite tanks, unitanks) can take anywhere from 1 hour to 2 days.
Changes in Brewing Methods
There are several brewing methods, with varying equipment requirements and duration. Below are the two most common methods.
Can be extracted without soaking
The fastest way to make beer is to skip steeping, boil the grains for an hour, and use a wort cooler. When the liquid is ready, add the yeast, clean everything up and wait for fermentation. This makes the entire process less than three hours.
Soak extraction
Most brewers believe that waiting for the water to heat and the grain extract to steep will pay off. In this case, the entire brewing process takes about four hours, but everyone can notice the difference in flavor compared to a non-steeped beer.
whole wheat beer
Finally, we have the all-grain beer boil. This step takes the most time as the entire process takes 6 to 8.5 hours to complete. While you can use grain extract to make the process easier and shorten the time, doing this will give you the opportunity to control the outcome of your beer.
Tips for quick brewing
The first way to speed up your brewing is to pay careful attention to what you are doing and not let it sit idle and get distracted by other things. For example, when the strike water is ready, add the grains and start mashing.
Use fast fermentation yeast
If you want the clean, crisp flavor profile of beer yeast, but speed is also a priority, there are two shortcuts you can take to achieve both goals. The first is to use high-temperature beer yeast. The second method is to use a pressure fermenter. This allows any type of brewer’s yeast to be fermented at room temperature with good results. This slows down the yeast’s ester production, allowing it to do its job without creating a ton of weird smells.
Skip change
Sometimes adjustments are needed to achieve the desired flavor. At best, young beers can be a bit harsh, depending on the style, and may take a week or two to mature. Worst case scenario, an odor may develop that will take time to go away.
Packing barrels before bottling
If speed is a priority but the beer must be bottled rather than kegged, the carbs can be put into the keg and then transferred to the bottle without the need for more sugar and natural carbonation.
Asked Questions
What is the difference between ale and lager?
If you are a beer lover, I am sure you have heard of beer and lager. These two types of beer differ in their fermentation and carbonation.
Ales have a lighter flavor and are ready to be opened four to six weeks after bottling. Beer, but, ferments more , so it can take up to two months before you can enjoy a bottle.
Which takes longer: brewing or waiting?
Speaking, beer brewing is a process that requires a lot of patience. You’ll spend most of your time waiting for the process instead of spending a lot of time working.
On average, the brewing process only takes two to four hours, but you’ll need time to wait for the beer to cool, ferment, and carbonate. That being said, it’s clear that waiting takes longer than gestation.
What if I want a beer with a higher alcohol content?
If you want to brew your own beer and want it to have a higher alcohol percentage, you have to remember that you’ll need to let it ferment on its own for months or a year to even get that rich flavor. The longer a beer waits and ferments, the higher its alcohol percentage will be.