ThaBrewFather06

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I have a red ale that I brewed last Monday, 7 days ago. Is it too soon to move beer to my secondary fermenter and if I do transfer should I add anything to it? Is it better for me to just leave it in the primary another week then transfer and bottle? When I put my priming sugar in how should I do it? Do I dissolve it in water? Then do I stir it in with a spoon or just shake it up? Sorry about all the questions I'm a newb and need help.
Thanks

BrewPharm

Recipes 

Only transfer to a secondary if you want to. It is a matter of personal preference. I usually do because I want the clearest final product I can get. But each time you mess with it you increased the chance of contaminated beer. If you are going to go from primary to bottling bucket you usually want to wait a minimum of two weeks to allow the beer to clear. The priming sugar is typically dissolved in 2 cups of boiling water. Boil for about 5 minutes. Allow to cool. Put this solution in the bottling bucket then rack your beer into the bottling bucket. No shaking. You don't want to add oxygen at this point. Gentle stirring with a sanitized stainless spoon or paddle is fine if you wish.

cancerousbull

Recipes 

Rack into secondary for 7 days. Take gravity, when it reads the same three days in a row time to bottle. Dilute priming sugar in water add into bottling bucket rack beer on top and bottle.

BrewPharm

Recipes 

Nothing in the secondary unless you are aging on oak chips, dry hopping or some other technique for flavor.

histo320

Recipes 

There is lots of advice on racking to secondary. Personally the only time I think you need to rack to secondary is if you are adding flavorings. It will help clarify the beer if you do chose to move to secondary.

7 Days is definitely not long enough for a beer to ferment. I use the 21-21 rule. Ferment for 21 days, bottle, then let age for 21 days.

For bottling, a bad rule of thumb is 3/4 cup of priming sugar in 1 pint (2 cups) of water, boil for a few minutes (I do 5 minutes), let solution cool to temp of beer, pour in bottling bucket, rack beer in a circular motion.

I hope this helps.

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ThaBrewFather06

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how do i go about taking the gravity? i have a hydromoter but i dont know the process. Thanks again!!!

BrewPharm

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Need to take reading before the priming sugar. Can place hydrometer in bucket and read. Or use a sanitized baster to transfer into a clear graduated cylinder. I use the graduate as it also allows a sample to be evaluated for clarity, smell, taste, etc at each reading.

EPS

Recipes 

If its a 5 gallon batch take about a cup of water and boil it with 5oz of priming sugar (corn sugar/Dextrose) if thats whats your using for priming. Then what i do is add it to the bottling bucket then rack the beer from primary straight to bottling bucket. Stir gently with siphon and bottle. I usually just keep mine in primary for 3-4 weeks then bottle. Theres really no need for secondary unless your dry hopping or adding fruit etc.. I feel like secondary adds risk for infection and oxygen. Whatever u do make sure you boil water with your priming sugar before adding it. And make sure anything that comes in contact with your beer is sanitized thats most important. Sanitize your bottles, caps everything. And heres a good site that will tell you how much priming sugar 2 add TastyBrew.com

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ThaBrewFather06

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This was super helpful thank you!!!!

ThaBrewFather06

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This also helped thanks guys for the advice