Racking to Secondary Concern

My friend and I racked our Irish Red Ale to a secondary fermenter yesterday.
We waited one week between primary and secondary. We planned on straining it from the primary to the secondary by siphoning it through a strainer and a funnel. This now seems like it was a bad idea, mostly because I'm afraid we aerated the beer. How would this affect the beer? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

well one straining wont really do much for you. the yeast are to small to get caught in the strainer. next time just use an auto siphon with a stand off on the bottom (looks like a little cup that fits on the cane end). if you guys did what i think you did yea you aerated your beer. lots of splashing and dripping? you most likely oxidized your beer and it will quickly develop a cardboard flavor and smell. if this has happened there is nothing you can do except chock it up to a learning experience and not do it again.

+1 on just holding the auto siphon off of the trub. if a little gets into your secondary, no big deal. you'll be able to siphon off of the top of that at bottling time, leaving you with pretty much no sediment in your final product.

Definitely not something you should do as a matter of habit in the future. Your beer will clear on its own as things settle out in primary and in secondary. Next time just be careful not to slosh the beer in the primary/secondaries as you rack. I bet you'll be fine this time, though. Worst case scenario your beer will taste a bit like wet cardboard. But hey, it's still better than BMC

I had a feeling that would be the case. Thanks for the reply.

CoryJM said:

I had a feeling that would be the case. Thanks for the reply.

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I wouldnt let it get you down. There is still a good chance your beer will be fine. Those guys are giving you the worst case. So relax let it do its thing finish the process and then try it. Even if it tastes slightly off its still beer that YOU made.