Primary Fermentation

jrabenhorst · 02-02-2006, 03:08 PM

So I have a question about fermenting in the primary. I don't really understand why you have to wait until all fermentation stops before racking to the secondary? I understand why you would want to wait before racking into bottles (exploding bottles), but if you rack into the secondary before fermentation has stopped then wouldn't fermentation just continue in the secondary? Sure you would lose the layer of yeast on the bottom of the carboy, but there should be sufficient yeast within the beer to continue fermentation until complete right? Any thoughts on this?

**Walker** · 02-02-2006, 03:17 PM

The whole point of racking it to a seconday is to get the beer away from the yeast cake. This helps clear up the brew and reduces the chances for off-flavors caused by the yeast.

If fermentation is still going on strong when when you rack, you are going to get another considerable cake of yeast forming in the bottom of the secondary as time passes, and this will defeat the purpose of racking it.

You will almost always have SOME yeast sediment in the secondary, but if you rack after primary fermentation has ceased, the amount will be minimal, and you get a cleaner beer going into the bottles.

-walker

**Baron von BeeGee** · 02-02-2006, 03:19 PM

The idea of racking to the secondary is to get the beer off the yeast cake which is spent yeast. If you rack too soon you'll nullify this benefit because you'll still have a lot of yeast falling out. The secondary is not really for fermentation...it's for clarification and bulk aging (flavor blending/mellowing).

**Baron von BeeGee** · 02-02-2006, 03:20 PM

What he said. Is this thing slow for everybody else today? It's throwing off my morning schedule.

**Walker** · 02-02-2006, 03:26 PM

VERY slow today. i'm not going to get NEARLY enough slacking-off done today at this pace. I'll probably have to take some of my slacking home tonight.

-walker

**Walker** · 02-02-2006, 03:39 PM

Woah! the site seems to have suddenly picked up the pace.

full steam ahead with irresponsibility!

jrabenhorst · 02-02-2006, 03:40 PM

Ah... It all makes so much sense now. Thanks guys. I ask this question because I racked over to a secondary a few days ago. It fermented for a week, then bubbles slowed way down. I took a gravity reading of 1.0100. Then racked. The smell was heavenly. And it didn't taste that bad either. A buddy of mine commented that it tasted like a warm beer that had been left out for a little while.

**Walker** · 02-02-2006, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrabenhorst

A buddy of mine commented that it tasted like a warm beer that had been left out for a little while.

Your buddy is very astute; it IS a warm beer and it HAS been sitting out for a while.

-walker

**Baron von BeeGee** · 02-02-2006, 03:44 PM

Sounds like you're in good shape...without looking at your recipe, 1.010 has to be pretty close to FG. Tastin' good at racking time isn't a sine qua non, but it's always a good thing in my book!

**Walker** · 02-02-2006, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeeGee

Tastin' good at racking time isn't a sine qua non, but it's always a good thing in my book!

Is that some fancy latin you're spouting there, BeeGee?