How Long?

Bear in mind that everyone hear is giving good estimates of long beers take to finish, but they are estimates, and there will be variation around those estimates. Same goes for instructions that come with any kit that you buy that tells you to rack to secondary on a specific day and to bottle on another specific day. You need to use a hydrometer and your sense of smell and taste to evaluate if when the beer is ready to transfer and package. It will help to spend some time at Howtobrew.com learning about hydrometers and gravity, and off flavors and aromas (for example, those typical of immature beer) and well, how to brew beer.

 

True, most is probably too broad a generalization. I have read many a post from BA where the brewers won't drink until the beer is pitched and put away. I personally, will enjoy a couple sessionable beers during a brew session, but I am definitely not going to start with a DIPA during the mash and keep filling my pint glass as I go. I, personally would keep to the Don't Drink til Done for the first couple batches until comfortable with the process, but that is just me.

 

Yeah, that's not a bad policy.