When to change to secondary

I know the rule of thumb is to rack your beer to the secondary after 1 week. This is the first time ive used the liquid wyeast and im still getting a bubble in my airlock once every 4 seconds. Its been exacly one week, shoud I put it in the secondary tonight?

I'd probably let it go longer in the primary. Let the bubbles slow down a bit. Has it got a good layer of sediment formed now ? If so, it might be time to rack. All mine bubbled occasionally at the end of the week. Never had one like that. Don't worry. Somebody else will post soon.

I always wait until the bubbles slow down to < 1 per minute. But that's just me. Or maybe it's a lot of people...

That sounds about right with what I've been doing, but I've never had one so active after a week in the primary. What was your OG, OWM ?

I usually let it go until the kreusen falls no matter what style it is.

I also do not take any readings until I am ready to rack to the secondary. No sense in getting in there too many times.

Glad you checked in, Bill. I humbly defer to your advice and reccommend that Other White Meat follow it.

I think im going to let it go a few more days. I havent cracked the lid to look at it or take any readings yet. I was just concerned becuase i read another person saying its not good to leave your beer sitting on the trub too long. Tell me not to worry and ill be fine.

Heres some spacifics on the beer:

American Pale ale
.5lb steeped grain
6lbs dme
3 diffrent hops
wyeast

Too long on the trub is like 4 weeks...don't worry, be happy, have a brew.

Don't worry, you'll be fine. The beauty of what we do is that you can drink your mistakes. Nobody's gotta know. In truth, I've never made a bad beer. Some were just better than others. Keep on brewin' !

Thanks guys. And pistol, havin a brew on you, although its a Michelob pumpkin ale. Unfortunutly I dont have any homebrew ready. I bought an assorted box that just hit the store.

El Pistolero said:

Too long on the trub is like 4 weeks...don't worry, be happy, have a brew.

Click to expand...

I REALLY do understand yours and OWMs concern about getting it off of the trub ASAP, but I left a batch in a plastic primary for 32 days when I had a heart attack. (I'm certain you may have read this already because I mentioned it several times).

That batch won Best of Style (German Hefe Weizen) and Best of Show and beat out over 100 other beers. So who's to say?

I'm not saying you shouldn't want to get it off the trub ASAP, but sometimes, just sometimes, it shouldn't matter.

I'm certain that you will continue to do as you feel is right for your brews. That's all that really matters.

It's just after midnight. I just got out of my garage. I have to change 2 spring coils on my '99 Grand Am. I just changed out the brooken one. It broke on me the other day as I started pulling out of the garage. Very strange. It's not rusted or anything. It just cracked. But, I have to change them out in pairs.

So now, I'm drinking my Dim Wit (a light Wit with some ginger for extra flavor). I made it in March. It's very good. Cheers!

Im sure that all applies to the type of beer your making too. Maybe the flavor that the beer gains for being on the trub was benificial to that spacific beer but could easilly wreak another type. Like you said, whoes to say.

OtherWhiteMeat said:

Im sure that all applies to the type of beer your making too. Maybe the flavor that the beer gains for being on the trub was benificial to that spacific beer but could easilly wreak another type. Like you said, whoes to say.

Click to expand...

Exactly.

I leave my batches in the primary for 7-14 days. Occasionally longer. I usually look for activity to slow to a crawl before doing so. Then I leave the beer in the Secondary for at least 14 days to clear.

Be patient and let the beer do it's thing. I wouldn't get bent out of shape if the beer sits in the Primary for a few weeks, It will turn out just fine.