Racked to secondary too early...now what?

I brewed a batch of Brewers Best Imperial Nut Brown a few days ago and got antsy...so I racked after only 4 days...I know now that I should have not...what are the implications, suggestions to adjust, expected outcomes?

Hi,

Welcome to the forums. The best place to ask these questions is the beginner's forum.

In regards to your questions. It's probably a little to early to tell, what's happening, but after a little while, take a gravity reading and see where you are at. Go back to your recipe and find out what your OG is an expected FG and we will have to wait and see if you are still fementing. More than likely, there is enough yeast to continue fermentation, but don't be surprised if it slows down or sticks. It's kind of a waiting game now.

Just let it go for at least to more weeks in the secondary. Everything will be fine. There are enough yeast in suspension when you transfer.

Warped04 said:

Hi,

Welcome to the forums. The best place to ask these questions is the beginner's forum.

In regards to your questions. It's probably a little to early to tell, what's happening, but after a little while, take a gravity reading and see where you are at. Go back to your recipe and find out what your OG is an expected FG and we will have to wait and see if you are still fementing. More than likely, there is enough yeast to continue fermentation, but don't be surprised if it slows down or sticks. It's kind of a waiting game now.

Click to expand...

Thanks so much!...will do! Yea it was a fast and vigorous ferment for a couple days, then slowed big time!

What do folks do if the fermentation sticks?

There are a couple of things to do. Mostly swirl the carboy and try to get the yeast in suspension, you can repitch, do a search for "stuck fermentation" and you can gather experience and insight from there. But more than likely you will be fine.

-Wally

I re-pitched and it is going again.

I did wait for several days, and and took further readings...for 3 days straight the Imperial Nut Brown was at 1.030, 5.1% ABV. It had good taste as well.

So I waited a few more days talked around and learned that I could stick with that beer, just sweeter and lower alcohol than I had planned for. But after talking to my local homebrew shop he suggested to re pitch with champagne yeast. After a couple of hours fermentation has RESUMED!! It has been about 20 hours hours since and it is still going. It is a slow ferment (about 1 bubble/minute).

So now that it is going again I am hoping that the final product will be good!

It will turn out ok. But let this be a lesson to you: be patient. 2-3 weeks in primary is the recommended minimum around here. And I don't even touch my beers until 10+ days in primary, and then it's just to take a SG reading, in preparation to take another one at the 2 week mark to see if it's done. If it's done at the 2-week point, I leave it for another 4-5 days, and then bottle.

thanks for the feedback...

1. So, many folks don't secondary..?

2. Now considering my initial primary for this Imperial Brown was started on 11/21/11, I transferred to secondary on the 26th then re-pitched on the 3rd. How long or what do I wait for now?

I don't use a secondary anymore, but I used to. If you re-pitched, I would wait another week and take a gravity reading then. Wait a few days, take another gravity reading and see if its the same. If there is no change, just bottle/keg, whatnot.