Active Fermentation again in secondary

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schoellhorn82

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I have a pale ale that i brewed 10 gallons of. Danstar Windor yeast is what i used. In the past, when using this yeast, i have had very quick and active fermentation. This was true with this batch. After about 3 or 4 days primary fermentation ended and about a week later i racked to secondary into 2 gallon glass fermentors and dry hopped using pellets. One of the secondaries is clearing up nicely. So was the other until tonight i checked and the other was forming a small krausen and it looks like its actively fermenting again. I am a sanitation freak and have never had an infected batch (50 plus batches). I did not do a gravity reading from primary to secondary so that wont give you anything to work with. It is bubbling away and the smell is nothing but hops so far. I dont want to open up the fermentor and use a thief just to taste due to increased risk of infection in the basement, but in others experience, am i dealing with a half infected batch? Please advise. Both beers fermented at 70dF and are both sitting at 70dF inthe secondary. No real drop in temp.
 
From my experiance, I have had fermentation start up again during secondary. At this point, your biggest concern should be on oxidation, which is not hard to control.
 
Also (now reading ALL of your post) I brew in my basement too, using plastic containers and only rely on airflow coming out of the containers. I have not yet had a infection. I think your brew should be just fine. If it starts smelling like something other than hops, beer or alcohol, then you have a problem.
 
Oxidation isnt my concern. I neverr splash my transfers. I have noticed that the other half batch is settling out more and has more yeast at the bottom. Most of the bubbles that are coming off the batch in question is coming from the yeast cake. The dry hops are floating at the top of the fermentor so i cant tell if there is a film or mold developing. Does Brett or mold form a film? How does brett look as it ferments after the yeast do?

Should i just let it ferment out and see what happens or should i rack to kegg and cold crash to prevent any further infection fermentation?
 
Does the stuff at the bottm look like muck? Also are you doing a full mash brew?
 
I would leave it be. Even with a partally infected batch, there will be unpleasent off tastes.
 
Did you take a gravity reading? You don't mention it. You have no idea if primary fermentation was done if you don't take a gravity reading. Are you aerating the wort good before pitching the yeast?
 
To answer a few questions from previous replys: As stated in the first post, no i did not take a gravity reading on the transfer and i usually aerate well. I am doing full mash brews. And so far the stuff at the bottom looks like a typical secondary yeast cake.
 
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