Ready for Secondary??

bockman · 03-06-2010, 03:08 PM

Hello all, I've been enjoying my 1st batch of homebrew while keeping an eye on my fermenting 2nd batch and had a question.

Beer style is what the recipe calls a dark strong Belgian ale.
OG was 1.070
White Labs Abbey Ale Yeast WLP530
Fermenter bucket sitting in water at about 66 F
Fermentation started between 30-40 hours after pitching.
Lots of percolation activity for about 3 days before slowing down

It's now been 2 weeks in the primary and still showing signs of fermentation. CO2 is still bubbling out of airlock but much slower than before. Not that I'm worried about my beer. I know those yeasties had a lot of work to do and need time to do their thing. My question is should I wait till the bubbling stops before racking to a secondary? I'm willing to wait, but I'm ready to start my 3rd batch to get a "pipeline" going and want my primary back.

dukeredhair · 03-06-2010, 03:12 PM

Have you taken a hydro reading? I like to leave my beer on the yeast for at least 3 weeks. Just my 2 cents but I would wait a bit longer.

bockman · 03-06-2010, 06:50 PM

Haven't touched it since brew day. I want it to stop fermenting before I do.
Has anyone else used this kind of yeast? Is it just slow at that temp with the heavier wort?

I'll wait longer.

jjones17 · 03-06-2010, 07:10 PM

Or..... forget the secondary and brew your next beer now.

Nothing against folks who like using secondary, but since I stopped using it I would never look back. its just so much easier.

Unless you are doing a BIG GRAVITY beer (barleywine, Imperial Stout etc), save your stress and drop the secondary altogether.

Just my 2 Cents

**Nurmey** · 03-06-2010, 07:45 PM

1.070 Strong Belgian ale is a pretty big beer that could stand some secondary time to improve. Take a reading and if it is where it should be, rack that baby. Bubbling will not tell you if it's finished, only a hydrometer will.

HomerJR · 03-06-2010, 09:50 PM

I don't have any personal experience with that yeast, but it's not uncommon to have about 3 days of really active fermentation, then a slow-down. I'd take a hydro reading if you're curious.

And I'm with the Duke, I've been leaving my beer alone for about 3 weeks, then bottling or kegging. No messing with secondaries!

**McCuckerson** · 03-06-2010, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bockman

Hello all, I've been enjoying my 1st batch of homebrew while keeping an eye on my fermenting 2nd batch and had a question.

Beer style is what the recipe calls a dark strong Belgian ale.
OG was 1.070
White Labs Abbey Ale Yeast WLP530
Fermenter bucket sitting in water at about 66 F
Fermentation started between 30-40 hours after pitching.
Lots of percolation activity for about 3 days before slowing down

It's now been 2 weeks in the primary and still showing signs of fermentation. CO2 is still bubbling out of airlock but much slower than before. Not that I'm worried about my beer. I know those yeasties had a lot of work to do and need time to do their thing. My question is should I wait till the bubbling stops before racking to a secondary? I'm willing to wait, but I'm ready to start my 3rd batch to get a "pipeline" going and want my primary back.

A strong belgian is your 2nd brew?!?!?!?!!??! They clank when you walk don't they?

bockman · 03-07-2010, 05:52 AM

Thanks for the responses. I'm gonna wait a few more days.

Jonesy & JR,
I've read some of the discussions about secondaries and decided to give it a try it in the interest of clearing up the beer. I want to share my brews with friends and don't want to have to give them a lesson about how to pour a beer without also pouring out the yeast at the bottom of the bottle.

As for the strong Belgian being my 2nd batch, I guess I just want to brew the kinds of beers that I love most. I'm trying to work up to a brewing a dopplebock. As my handle may suggest, that's my favorite and is also my goal.

Cheers!

JimFowler · 03-07-2010, 01:03 PM

I was debating a secondary on my (pending) second batch, which is an IPA. From what I'm gathering, there's no major benefit to that other than clearing it up a bit? My brews are only shared with a couple of guys who have done some homebrewing also, so they know and don't care about a bit of sediment.

I like the idea of starting a 3rd in the other fermenter...

Bottom line, though, is clarity / sediment reduction the main benefit of secondary?

HomerJR · 03-07-2010, 02:45 PM

You're right, the main reason (usually) for a secondary is for letting the beer clear a bit. If you're drinking it yourself or sharing it with homebrew friends who don't care, then skip it.

Some use a secondary for dry hopping or oaking. Personally, I dry hop in the primary between days 14 and 21.