BulldogBrewer

Recipes 

I've got a Dos Equis clone that has been in the primary for two weeks. There is a nice layer of foam on top and it seems to be doing very well, no funky smells or anything like that.

Do I wait until that foam drops before moving to the secondary? Or can it be moved anytime?

Thanks!

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Primary: Hophead Summer Ale, Watermelon Wheat
Secondary: Empty
In the Keg: Red IPA, Centennial Blonde, Hophead Summer Ale, Pliny Clone
Bottle: Apfelwein, Cranegranate Apfelwein
On Deck: Sweet Stout

Tilldeath

Recipes 

K so from my understandin there are 3 schools of thought on this. 1. Transfer about 1/2 a 3/4 finished fermenting to get off yeast cake as quick as possible. 2. Transfer 1 week after fermentation is complete, to allow time for the yeast to finish cleaning up the beer. 3. Don't use a secondary at all. I tend to go with option 1 cause I feel my only real risk in transfering to secondary is oxidation, I'm very careful about sanitation. Since oxidation is more likely in my mind to happen to a fully fermented beer I think the oxidation that I might possibly pick up from transfering to secondary gets eliminated in the remaining fermentation. It's really inthe end up to you though

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“If we will disbelieve everything, because we cannot certainly know all things, we shall do much what as wisely as he who would not use his legs, but sit still and perish, because he had no wings to fly.”

MarsColonist

Recipes 

Nice layer of foam on top usually means its still doing something. (If) when the bubbler stops bubbling, use a hydrometer and a sanitized wine thief and see if its done (at least in gravity range for the style). If it is close to your expectations, test again the following two days. If it doesnt move over the course of a few days, its done (which might be a little late to completely deal with oxygen introduced during the transfer.. careful handling can minimize this)

Im assuming you dont have a CO2 tank, nor the ability to crash cool. If you are almost done (or done done), you could just fill the secondary container with CO2 and not have any real worries about oxidation. You could just crash cool to ~34°F for a day or two to clean it up and not really need a secondary. I dont do one anymore unless I dry hop or I make a fruit beer.

If you really need to secondary, Id wait till its almost all the way done (within a couple of points of your desired finishing gravity) and try not to make bubbles when transferring. The remaining yeast in suspension can consume the oxygen that youve introduced; just dont take it off the cake until youve gotten close. A stopped bubbler doesnt necessarily mean anything.

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Cheers!
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"Luck is when opportunity meets preparation" - Seneca

Austin Zealots

Vorsicht709

Recipes 

A secondary fermentation is for clearing so normally people will transfer it to secondary once fermentation to be finished. Alot of people arounf HBT advocate leaving it in the primary for 2-3 weeks to let the yeast clean up their own by products.

According to "How To Brew" by John Palmer

"Leaving an ale beer in the primary fermentor for a total of 2-3 weeks (instead of just the one week most canned kits recommend), will provide time for the conditioning reactions and improve the beer. This extra time will also let more sediment settle out before bottling, resulting in a clearer beer and easier pouring. And, three weeks in the primary fermentor is usually not enough time for off-flavors to occur."

If you havent read this I would, just google "How to Brew"

I hope this helps.

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Hättet Adam Bier besessen, hättet er den Apfel nicht gegessen.

Translation: If adam had possessed beer, he would not have eaten the apple

BulldogBrewer

Recipes 

Thanks! That's what I figured, but wanted to double check before I made a mistake.

__________________
Primary: Hophead Summer Ale, Watermelon Wheat
Secondary: Empty
In the Keg: Red IPA, Centennial Blonde, Hophead Summer Ale, Pliny Clone
Bottle: Apfelwein, Cranegranate Apfelwein
On Deck: Sweet Stout