brewman988

Recipes 

I started my first home brew, a Bass copy, 7 days ago. The instuctions said to let the must ferment for 2 days then rack into a secondary for 5-14 days.
I missed the part in the instructions that said "rack after 2 days".
The must was in the primary for 6 days.
I then tried to correct my "mistake" and racked into a seconary on day 6.
I just realized (day 7) that I may have dumped out important yeasts etc. that may be needed to continue the fermentation.
Do I add more yeast or should I continue as normal and add the sugar when the fermentation stops for bottling?

CC

GearBeer

Recipes 

brewman,

I would take a gravity sample and compare that to the recipe. If you had a relatively vigorous fermentation then it very well could have fermented completely. At 6 days there is probably enough yeast in suspension to clean up the brew. I don't think there's much benefit to be had from repitching.

In the future I would recommend that you leave your beer in primary longer. I leave my beer in primary for at least 2 weeks and sometimes a month (or a hair over if I'm feeling exceptionally lazy).

__________________
Kyle

brewman988

Recipes 

A month? Will the yeast stay alive that long for the bottling fermentation to complete?
Is there any benifit to waiting instead of the 7-14 days?

Thanks
CC

whitemax

Recipes 

Yes, Yes, and Yes. You will get better beer (short answer)

phidelt844

Recipes 

As long as fermentation is complete (ie: duplicate gravity readings for 2-3 consecutive days), you can rack to a secondary. However, there is much debate on whether a secondary is worthwhile or not. Leaving it in the primary and skipping a secondary will still help with cleaning up/clearing the beer.

brewman988

Recipes 

Thanks for the info...I will let it age a little longer...I should still let it "age" a couple of weeks in the bottle..Right?
CC

irunxcjm

Recipes 

Leaving the beer on the yeast longer will help the yeast clean up some of the other, less desirable by-products of fermentation. This will lead to a cleaner tasting beer. I usually do 2 weeks in the primary, 2 in the secondary (if I do one, if not, I leave it in the primary a month or so).

Ernie3

Recipes 

I just brewed my first batch about 7 weeks ago. My LHBS said to leave it in the primary for a week, then bottle and condition for a week. Well after reading alot of posts here and asking alot of questions that scenario was out the window.

I kept it in the primary for 4 weeks then bottled and let sit for 2.5 weeks. and I have to say it was well worth the wait. It tasted way better than I ever expected, well carbed also.

So my advice is to be patient and you wont be sorry.

brewman988

Recipes 

The instructions said to rack after 2 days then let ferment for 5-14 day then bottle when the gravity remains constant for 2 consecutive days.
I only racked it after learning I was "supposed" to do it after 2 days.
I'm not sure if I should done it at all.
Do you guys leave it in the primary then bottle from the primary?

CC

phidelt844

Recipes 

I usually leave my beers in the primary for 3-4 weeks. I then rack to a bottling bucket, bottle from there, and let the bottles sit at least 3 weeks before drinking (aside from a few snuck down early here and there...).