Secondary question

nikrich · 01-13-2012, 05:56 PM

Hey everyone just joined the site and i can already tell this is a good thing. Im relatively new to the game and have a question. I started a batch of beer (brew house kit) did all the first stages blah blah. racked it to the secondary after a week applied the bung and airlock and its been about 3 days now and no bubbles. I'm actually doing a coopers pale ale at the same time and the air lock is bubbling like crazy and there's a few little bubbles on the surface so im confused why the brew house batch isn't bubbling is there something wrong i know you have probably seen this 100 times but i did try to search this and couldn't find anything before i posted bare with me and thank you if your respond.

BrewStache · 01-13-2012, 06:03 PM

Most of the fermentation happened when it was in the primary. Racking it into the secondary is mostly just to get most of the sediment out to make the beer clearer, and to condition the beer.

**frazier** · 01-13-2012, 06:03 PM

You say "racked it to a secondary after a week" - it's quite possible that active fermentation has finished, so you won't be seeing much airlock activity. Also, airlock activity is not a reliable indicator anyway. Check the gravity to know where you stand.

**geer537** · 01-13-2012, 06:04 PM

Bubbling air locks are not the only way to tell if you have an active fermentation. If you have reached your target final gravity and it stays stable for 3 consecutive days then your fermentation is complete.

Also read up on skipping secondary. Many don't use it unless dry hopping or racking onto fruit etc. You can decide but the longer time in a primary vessel has really helped the flavor of my brews.

**bkorver** · 01-13-2012, 06:04 PM

No bubbles does not mean your yeast is not actively making good beer. It means no co2 is escaping the fermenter. Let the yeast clean up a little and you will have better beer in exchange for a little patience.

TheWall · 01-13-2012, 06:07 PM

A bubbling air lock does not mean you aren't fermenting. Your beer could also be almost done or completely done fermenting (very green beer tho) after a week. Don't worry, your beer is fine. Unless you are adding more stuff to the beer (i.e. - oak, fruit, etc.), you can skip out on secondary. Just leave it and check the gravity in a couple weeks. Make sure you have a few gravity readings that are similar and you are all good.

Yup... That's all I got.

nikrich · 01-13-2012, 06:34 PM

sweet thanks everyone for the quick responses

**3PegBrew** · 01-13-2012, 07:20 PM

A lot of people get confused about the whole fermentation process. Once you move your beer off that cake, you pretty much end fermentation and move straight to clearing.

**NordeastBrewer77** · 01-13-2012, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3PegBrew

A lot of people get confused about the whole fermentation process. Once you move your beer off that cake, you pretty much end fermentation and move straight to clearing.

i think 3Peg nailed it. if it was still fermenting when it's racked off the cake, it's probably not 'fermenting' anymore. common mistake people make is to think of secondary as a 'fermenter'. it's not, it's a conditioning vessel, what the pros call a 'brite tank'. no fermentation should happen in a brite tank, FG should be reached and stable before racking the beer off the yeast into another vessel.

**birvine** · 01-13-2012, 08:09 PM

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I would say if there are no more fermentables then it would not be fermenting anymore. Fermentation takes place in my bottles when I add priming sugar.

That being said, you might consider leaving the beer on the yeast cake for the entire fermentation process (other than conditioning) next time for the yeast to make the best beer. Then bottle from there without a secondary. I have brewed a number of those kits (very good, too, I must say) and have left them in primary for 3-4 weeks.

B