Noob Secondary Question

Howdy,

Brewing my first batch. I filled the fermenter Sunday afternoon after using John Palmer's instruction tweeks to the Brewer's Best English Brown Ale Kit.

I did a search of the forum so I know that no bubbling can be okay at this point (48 hours), but all of the instructions on when to transfer to the secondary fermenter seem to be predicated on when the bubbling slows/stops.

Like a dope, I didn't take a starting SG (didn't have the right type of beaker) so I'm not sure if a reading right now will help me.

Thanks for any advice.

Doc

Take a reading now. Take a reading in three days. If its the same (and within style range) rack to secondary. Or do what most people here do, don't rack at all. Leave for two, three, dare I say four weeks. Then bottle.

Disclaimer: I am an UberNoob. Wait for more experienced replys. But I bet I'm right.

Leave alone for 2-3 weeks. I leave all mine minimum of 3 weeks. Take 1 reading each day for 3 days. If numbers don't change, do what you want next. I secondary if brew will ferment longer than 4 weeks.

1510 hit the nail on the head, about the gravity not changing over a three day span, it doesn't really matter if you took an og reading or not.

BUT if you are an extract brewer, your OG will be what the recipe instructions say it will be, IF your volume that went into the fermenter is what the recipe calls for. If it's a 5 gallon batch, and you ended up with 5 gallons, then your gravity is what it says it will be. It's almost fool proof.

Leave it in your primary for 2-3 weeks, then bottle. What's the matter with you?

Heed the words of wise Revvy... :rockin:

Once you have a confirmed FG, TASTE IT... That will tell you when to bottle (no need to rack to 'secondary' for a brown ale, or ~95% of what people brew) it. If it doesn't taste great, give it more time. If it tastes 'yeasty' give it more time in primary. If it tastes solventy (alcohol flavor), leave it in primary. I wouldn't even look at it for at least 2-3 weeks.

After my first two batches, I've been using the long primary model. Going 4+ weeks for everything. Higher OG brews get more time on the yeast. Since doing that, every batch has been excellent. Of course this does mean you'll need more primaries, but that's not an issue, right?

Looking back, I WISH I had this advise on my first two batches... If I only knew then what I know now...

Thanks for all of the excellent advice. If I were to distill of the advice (ha ha) it would be to leave it alone.

From the Simpsons:


Moe: I got this deep fryer on loan from the US Army. It can flash fry a buffalo in 40 seconds

Homer: 40 secoonnds... but i want it nooow

That beer was also my first try at home-brewing. I do not ever remember seeing any bubbles in the airlock. I let it set in primary for 3 weeks took a gravity reading and it was exactly where it should have been. Beer turned out great, Drank all but the last two bottled trub (hops) in those : (

Yup - I'd just cover it, and forget it for a few weeks, then check the FG.

B

FifteenTen said:

Or do what most people here do, don't rack at all. Leave for two, three, dare I say four weeks. Then bottle.

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I want to see the gallup poll!!

PHillBrewCo said:

I want to see the gallup poll!!

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Only if there's options beyond 4 weeks... :rockin:

sizemj said:

That beer was also my first try at home-brewing. I do not ever remember seeing any bubbles in the airlock. I let it set in primary for 3 weeks took a gravity reading and it was exactly where it should have been. Beer turned out great, Drank all but the last two bottled trub (hops) in those : (

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Good to know!

Update:

Checked SG yesterday. It is 1.010. Had a taste. It tastes like warm, flat beer, but a good warm flat beer. I think if it was cold and bubbly it would be pretty good.

It's pretty muddy or murky. Will that clear? The plan is to bottle next weekend and drink 2-3 weeks later.

I put my second brew, a Midwest pumpkin ale in the fermenter yesterday. It's bubbling nicely. I plan to drink it with family on Thanksgiving. I can't wait to get the brown ale into bottles so I can brew my holiday ale kit for Christmas.

Do I have some kind of weird brewing sickness now?

Give it another week or two (or more) in primary and it should clear up nicely. Absolutely no need to rack to another vessel JUST to get it to clear up.

The sickness you have isn't that weird, well not to us at least... I would go and get another primary so that you can brew the next batch and not rush the other two. The more primaries you have, the more brews you can have going at the same time without needing to rush any of them along...

Strangelove said:

U I can't wait to get the brown ale into bottles so I can brew my holiday ale kit for Christmas.

Do I have some kind of weird brewing sickness now?

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Yes, you do have a weird brewing sickness - great isn't it?
Get more fermenters!!!:rockin:

Bottles are the rate-limiting step at the moment. I have 3 cases of empty and clean Grolsch bottles. I have a case in the fridge and case on deck. The wife and I are drinking it as fast as we can.

Hard to believe everybody wants $27 for 12 Grolsch-type bottles, new, when I get a case of bottles (with beer in them) for $36.