Should I rack into the secondary yet?

Pizza Man · 01-19-2007, 12:04 AM

I am fermenting a belgian wit and it has been in the primary for almost two weeks now. I started out with a sg of 1.055. About a week ago it was at 1.030. Three days ago it was at 1.025 and today it seems to be at about 1.024. It still bubbles about once every 45 to 60 seconds. It does not taste very sweet any more, maybe just a little. I am using the Wyeast 3944. It has been at temps between about 62 - 68. Also as I test the sg, I notice that there are a lot of suspended particles and it is very cloudy. Could this efect the sg? Is it still too early to rack over to the secondary? Thanks!

trinitone · 01-19-2007, 02:56 AM

Do you know what your target final gravity is?

Pizza Man · 01-19-2007, 03:14 AM

Target is 1.08 - 1.010

trinitone · 01-19-2007, 03:40 AM

I'd swirl the beer around in your fermenter (gently so as not to aerate) and give it a couple more days.

homebrewer_99 · 01-19-2007, 04:08 AM

It's not ready for racking until it drops another .010 points.

You might have a stuck fermentation because you are at the low end of the temp range. Your yeast needs a bit more warmth.

Suspended particles and cloudiness are a good thing at this point.

Pizza Man · 01-19-2007, 04:34 AM

Is there any chance I might need to get a new pack of yeast and repitch?

Lord Sterrock Hammerson 8 · 01-19-2007, 04:41 AM

Yes adding more yeast to fix a stuck fermentation is one solution.

Quote:

Cause 1: Too Cool This situation is commonly referred to as a "stuck fermentation" and can have a couple causes. The simplest cause and probably the most common is temperature. As previously discussed, a significant drop in temperature can cause the yeast to go dormant and settle to the bottom.
Cure: Moving the fermentor to a warmer room and swirling the fermentor to stir up the yeast and get them back into suspension will often fix the problem.

Cause 2: Yeast The other most common cause is weak yeast. Referring back to previous discussions of yeast preparation, weak yeast or low volumes of healthy yeast will often not be up to the task of fermenting a high gravity wort. This problem is most common with higher gravity beers, OGs greater than 1.048.
Cure: Add more yeast.

Cause 3: Low Attenuating Extracts Another common cause for extract kit brewers is the use of extracts high in dextrins. Two brands are known to be high in unfermentables, Laaglanders Dry Malt Extract (Netherlands) and John Bull Liquid Malt Extract (UK). These are not bad extracts, in fact they are high quality, but their use is better suited to heavier bodied beers like strong ales, porters and stouts, where a high finishing gravity is desired.