no fermentation on secondary

Hi everybody! I am new to homebrewing and on my 3rd batch of ipa I have no fermentation on the secondary. I have even added another batch of yeast and arriated with no signs activity. Should I just scrap this batch or is there a way to revitalize it. Temp has been about 72 degrees and it has been sitting 3 weeks before and 3 days after I added 2nd pack of yeast. I am afraid to bottle and have sugar cause explosions. HELP

Secondary does not usually have fermentation. All of the sugars normally fermented out during the primary. Secondary is to allow the yeast to "clean up" and particles to settle and help clear the beer.

I assume you had it in primary for a couple weeks?

As far as adding the 2nd pack of yeast, I'm not sure how that'll work out, but it can only eat whatever sugar you give it, so I assume there would be no problems when you bottle unless you add too much sugar.

Did you take any gravity readings before racking to secondary?

Yeah, secondary isn't for fermentation, it's for clearing and aging, if anything at all. I think it's kinda silly that they're called secondary "fermenters". They're not fermenters, but clearing vessels, aka "brite tanks" using industry terms. All fermentation should be finished and terminal gravity reached before a beer hits a brite. You should see no activity, other than maybe some co2 off gassing, after terminal gravity is reached, regardless if it's in primary, secondary or tertiary vessels.

Fermentation should be completed in the primary and definitely before you rack to secondary. Take a gravity reading. That's the true test. You should take several gravity readings before you rack to secondary and only rack after 2-3 days in a row of the same gravity reading. Better yet... let it sit 2-3 weeks, take a reading, if it's around your estimated FG, rack to secondary.

My final gravity was only at 1.015 when I racked into secondary. I guess I should check where it is now. Maybe I should just stop doing a secondary transfer? My first 2 batches had activity after moving from first into 2nd. Sorry I am such a noob, but I do appreciate comments and suggestions.

NordeastBrewer77 said:

Yeah, secondary isn't for fermentation, it's for clearing and aging, if anything at all. I think it's kinda silly that they're called secondary "fermenters". They're not fermenters, but clearing vessels, aka "brite tanks" using industry terms. All fermentation should be finished and terminal gravity reached before a beer hits a brite. You should see no activity, other than maybe some co2 off gassing, after terminal gravity is reached, regardless if it's in primary, secondary or tertiary vessels.

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He hit the nail on the head.

I see a couple of problems. One you aerated after the brew has been fermenting for a couple of weeks. It is good to aerate before fermentation starts but not afterward. You may get some oxidation for this brew.Second you added extra yeast that was really not needed.

The only way to tell if a brew is done is to take a hydrometer reading. Once it stabilizes for a few days then you are good to bottle.

There are a lot of brewers that do not even bother transferring to a secondary. I very rarely do anymore.

newbeerby said:

My final gravity was only at 1.015 when I racked into secondary. I guess I should check where it is now. Maybe I should just stop doing a secondary transfer? My first 2 batches had activity after moving from first into 2nd. Sorry I am such a noob, but I do appreciate comments and suggestions.

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Activity as in krausen? Or was the airlock just bubbling? When you rack, co2 will come out of solution and can cause the airlock to get going again. If it's rekrausening or gravity is still dropping in secondary, you're racking too early.

beergolf said:

There are a lot of brewers that do not even bother transferring to a secondary. I very rarely do anymore.

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I don't really use a secondary anymore either, unless it's a really big dry hop or I'm adding something post fermentation like oak, cocoa or even brett or bugs as a secondary strain. Other than that, I hit FG, wait for it to begin clearing and go straight to the keg. For guys that bottle, I do see a point of a short time in secondary to get the beer bright before bottling. But by short time I mean long enough for the yeast to drop, few days, week maybe.

For guys that bottle, I do see a point of a short time in secondary to get the beer bright before bottling. But by short time I mean long enough for the yeast to drop, few days, week maybe.

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I mostly bottle and if you just leave it in the primary everything just clears up. No problems. I wil do a secondary for something that needs some age. Like anything that needs more than 2. months.

beergolf said:

I mostly bottle and if you just leave it in the primary everything just clears up. No problems. I wil do a secondary for something that needs some age. Like anything that needs more than 2. months.

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True that, when I was bottling I often went from primary to bottle. I'd just have to leave it for a few weeks. Now I go 10, maybe 14 days (assuming terminal, which is almost always the case) and then onto the keg. I kinda use them like a pub or taproom would used their brites; a conditioning and serving vessel. The only things I bottle anymore are high gravity brews that get aged in secondary long term and wild brews that have either gotten a long secondary or been in the carboy for so long that the cake is packed like concrete.