damo

Recipes 

i have an ale down at the moment in primary do i need to add anything to the secondary fermentation besides the beer and is a regular fermenter fine for secondary?

Iordz

Recipes 

You don't have to add anything to the fermenter, just make sure to properly sanitise it, siphon the beer into it and let it sit for a couple of weeks.

ndhowlett

Recipes 

Although... it depends on what your brewing. You said Ale so I'm assuming clarity will be a small factor. But if it's not, you're ready to bottle. Aging is another factor.

Many homebrewers want their first batch in the bottle quickly. If time is not an issue throw it in the secondary and let it age and better clear. If time is an issue and clarity is not than it's time to bottle.

Good luck.

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Primary: All Chinook IPA
Primary 2:
Secondary:
Secondary 2:
Keg 1: Bone dry
Keg 2: Begging for beer

damo

Recipes 

so i cant just let it run through the tap? if i siphon it in that will pick up alot of the sediment in the bottom wont it?

ndhowlett

Recipes 

Sanatise anything that comes in contact with the beer prior to moving to the secondary, and sanatise the secondary well. Keep the siphon of the bottom of the primary and you'll be fine. Siphon the beer all the way until you reach the sediment.

__________________
Primary: All Chinook IPA
Primary 2:
Secondary:
Secondary 2:
Keg 1: Bone dry
Keg 2: Begging for beer

shafferpilot

Recipes 

If you're bottling right away, don't be afraid to sacrifice a little beer to avoid picking up the sediment. If you want to use the spigot on the bucket, that's fine, just open it slowly and drain the first pint or so into a glass (great for testing the gravity) or into the sink to avoid the little bit of sediment that may be disturbed by the moving fluid. But once you are in transfer mode be sure to avoid splashing by using a tube to gently move the beer into the bottling bucket.

If you're going to use a secondary (clearing) vessel, don't worry about the tiny bit of sediment as it will settle out in a few days. edit: but always, avoid splashing

__________________
A great man knows that he knows NOTHING

damo

Recipes 

so you saying it ok just to put the secondary fermenter straight under the tap and letting it run into it?

Yooper

Recipes 

NO, don't do that! Use a tube from the spigot to the bottom of the new carboy/bucket so it doesn't splash at all. You never want to have it splash after it begins to ferment.

Even when you bottle, use a piece of tubing or a bottling wand so it doesn't splash into the bottle.

See this: http://howtobrew.com/section1/chapter11-4.html

Actually, that whole howtobrew.com is valuable reading.

__________________
Broken Leg Brewery
Giving beer a leg to stand on since 2006

damo

Recipes 

yeah i have a tube that runs from the tap it has a valve on it so it doesnt let any beer through uness it is touching the bottom of the bottle.... if i run a regular garden hose from the tap to the bottom of secondary would that be fine? just as long there is no splash yeah?

shafferpilot

Recipes 

you got the idea. Clean the crap out of that hose first and sanitize it. open the valve a little at first to keep the splashing down.

__________________
A great man knows that he knows NOTHING