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Please help a newcomer to homebrewing....
Im new to home brewing and Im out of town quite a bit. I started my first batch about a week ago. It has been fermenting since then in a 6 gallon glass Carboy with an airlock. Most guys I talked to say I can't let it ferment more than 10 days before I bottle it...is this true? Can I leave the beer in the carboy for a longer period of time or will it go bad? Reason being is that I will not be home within these 10 days...when I arrive home it will be closer to 2 weeks...Thanks for your help
No worries.. beer can sit in the fermenter for up to 4 weeks before being bottled or racked to another carboy. Some people even go longer than that. I've never heard anything about not letting it ferment for more 10 days. There isn't any set times as to how long to let your beer ferment or when to bottle or anything like that. Your beer is done fermenting after the yeasts have done eaten all the sugars. You'll know when your beer is done after you've had the same Final Gravity for 3 consecutive days. Any more time in the fermenter allows the yeast to clean up any by products and for the beer to clear. After 2 weeks, the beer has probably fermented completely and is ready to be bottled - just make sure to take a gravity reading.
Yeah, you'll be fine. I've left my beer in the primary fermenter for up to 6 weeks without any adverse effects. Leaving your beer in the fermenter for 2 weeks will likely ensure that fermentation has gone to completion and like FirePit said it will be ready to bottle when you get home. Cheers!
You should be just fine. I have left batches in the primary for up to four weeks ( those that don't use a secondary fermenter do this regularly) . The extra time will allow the yeast to do their job, clear the beer some and improve the flavor.
I regulary don't get around to getting the beer out of primary as soon as I should too.
4 weeks/6 weeks generally not a big deal. Might not be idea but its been fine.
Lies! 
I think we all have either gotten too busy or too tired and let things sit longer than the norm. I've never had any brews suffer any ill effects...
Jen wrote:
Lies!
I think we all have either gotten too busy or too tired and let things sit longer than the norm. I've never had any brews suffer any ill effects...
Why does there always have to be one amongst us who has a conscience??ha! 
CSJames32 wrote:
Most guys I talked to say I can't let it ferment more than 10 days before I bottle it...
No that's not true, not even close. Mine always go for a minimum of 2 weeks, if not 3, before kegging.
And as for time frame, I have let my beer sit in a glass carboy for 6 MONTHS before drinking it. No problems. My maximum for a plastic bucket was 1 month.
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