My extract/steep grain IPA has been in the primary for around eight days now and had a very enthusiastic 4 days of fermentation. The top 2.5 gallons are very clear, but the bottom has been holding on to a haze. Is this because of the yeast cake? If I rack to a secondary for dry hopping, will this clear up?
Should I rack to a secondary?
- Thread starter tpurnick
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oach
Well-Known Member
Have you taken any gravity readings to see if the gravity is stable for a couple to three days? If so, you are ready for secondary and dry hopping. If not, start taking readings (be careful to be sanitary while doing so).
scottyg354
Plant Based Homebrewer
The only things I ever secondary are huge beers and wine. Just saying.
If your gravity readings are at final gravity and are stable you can dry hop right in the primary and avoid any more chance of oxidation or infection that you might get by moving the beer to secondary.
zeg
Well-Known Member
As you'll see, whether to bother with a racking is something not everyone agrees about. The convention around here, at least, is generally not to bother. The studies I've seen on the matter suggest that it's not necessary---the off flavors that used to be reported are mostly mythical---but that it does impact the flavor to some degree, even for a moderately short fermentation time. The result was different, and some people preferred one or the other. If you're at all uncertain of your sanitation / low-aeration racking abilities, eschewing a secondary clearing stage would be wise.
Because of how my pipeline works, I usually do rack to a clearing stage. However, this doesn't happen until at least about two weeks after pitching. On most of my ales, the fun stuff is over after 3-4 days, but I still let it sit to finish any quiet fermentation. At that point, I don't usually bother checking the gravity before racking. If you want to rack sooner, I would advise checking to see that it's done or very nearly done.
Because of how my pipeline works, I usually do rack to a clearing stage. However, this doesn't happen until at least about two weeks after pitching. On most of my ales, the fun stuff is over after 3-4 days, but I still let it sit to finish any quiet fermentation. At that point, I don't usually bother checking the gravity before racking. If you want to rack sooner, I would advise checking to see that it's done or very nearly done.
Probably wise, and certainly won't hurt, to let it sit for another week or two, before deciding whether to rack to secondary. Lets the yeasties clear up byproducts of the vigorous fermentation, and lets things settle down.
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