2 Days in the Secondary and No Activity. Is this Bad?

I put a batch in the secondary fermenter on Sunday. There was still activity in the primary fermeter, albeit slow activity. I checked it this morning and nothing. Airlock isn't doing anything, there a very thin layer of bubbles on top in the center and that's it. Is this something I should be concerned about or should I just let it sit or bottle or what?

The beer in question is described in this thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/couple-quick-questions-146247/

Thanks.

Relax, the reason why there was activity in the primary was because all of the yeast that was in there, by transfering to a secondary you are taking the beer away from the yeast cake. Are you planning on lagering or dry hopping? What was your gravity when you transfered?

Pretty much when you put a beer to secondary all visible fermentation is complete. It is just aging and the flavors combining and perhaps a few renegade yeast about cleaning up fermentation byproducts.

Most likely the activity you saw in the primary was from co2 that was still in solution that was slowly bubbling out. When you transferred you released most of this co2 which is why you see no activity in secondary. A few patches of bubbles is normal and is just the little bit of remaining co2. Sounds like all is well.

Nope, nothing to worry about. If you saw any bubbles in the secondary, it probably was some CO2 that was still in solution that came out (think shaking a can of pop and seeing it fizz).

You seem to have a common misconception of what a secondary fermentation vessel is for. This of course due to the fact that it is called secondary fermentation. It should be called a clearing vessel. When you rack away from the primary you are removing it from most of the yeast and sediment. Although there may be some small amount of continuing fermentation it will hardly ever be noticeable. A lot of people by this stage and go directly from Primary to either a keg or bottles. You stated that there was still some visual activity in your primary at the time you moved it. How long did you have it in primary to begin with and did you take a hydrometer reading prior to moving it? again quite a few people never use the secondary step while others will use this step because it helps to clear the beer and bulk condition it prior to kegging or bottling. I've used the secondary on numerous occasions and then not on others. When I do use it I let it sit for another 2 wks. at least to help further settle the sediment.

Feel free to bring the flame, but IMHO one day in secondary is bad, even with activity.

smizak said:

Feel free to bring the flame, but IMHO one day in secondary is bad, even with activity.

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Ok. I use a bright tank on most of my beers. But I wouldn't be so arrogant as to suggest that not using one was "bad" - it's my process, my choice.

smizak said:

Feel free to bring the flame, but IMHO one day in secondary is bad, even with activity.

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Secondary is neither good nor bad. It is a matter of choice and preference. I use a seconday as a clearing tank mainly to free up my primaries as I only have two, much the same way many breweries still operate.

Whoa doggy.

Me said:

In My Humble Opinion

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I'm not being "arrogant".

I have yet to have anyone give me a real reason to secondary. I just think it's unnecessary and a sanitation/oxidation/under-attenuation risk, ESPECIALLY for new brewers. I've tried more than a handful of first brews that have suffered because they were taken off the yeast after a week.

smizak said:

Feel free to bring the flame, but IMHO one day in secondary is bad, even with activity.

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Wow, as one of the biggest proponents of long primary brewing on here, even I'm not arrogant enough to say that.

As I end the uber post summing up both arguments for WHEN to rack to secondary should one choose to use it; https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/multiple-questions-about-secondary-fermentation-140978/#post1601829

But this is the important takeaway message...

The good news is that whatever method you choose, you will STILL make great beer. That's the amazing thing about this hobby. There is really no RIGHT way of doing things. There are literally dozens of ways to skin the cat here, and all that matter is integrating whatever methodology works best for you into YOUR OWN UNIQUE brewing process.

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As in most of brewing there is no BEST or Better way of doing things, it's only our preffered way. People who chose to use secondaries can make great or crappy beers, just like those of us who choose not to secondary can make great or crappy beers.

It is just what one prefers for THEIR individual process.

Now as to the original question.....If you are using the secondary for the purpose of clearing the beer, then you should have any more fermentation happening, and unless there is some trapped co2 breaking from the trub, you won't see any bubbling. Remember, airlock activity is really not that important in terms of telling you what your beer is doing. An airlock is a vent to belled off excess co2...NOT a calibrated fermentation gauge. Many of us have beautiful fermentations with nary a blip of an airlock. And other times the airlock bubbles. But if it doesn't bubble, either in primary or secondary, ir really isn't anything to be overly concerned about. There are other more reliable methods of letting you know what your beer's doing...the most reliable is with a hydromter, and of less reliability, but still important, our eyes telling up whether or not a krausen rose and or fell on the top of the beer. But not your airlock.

Hope this helps.

smizak said:

I'm not being "arrogant".

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Sure you were - but that's ok, it's the Internet

Pappers said:

Sure you were - but that's ok, it's the Internet

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yeah maybe.

I'm not gonna try to throw more gas onto the secondary vs. long primary fire. I've had people ask me how I filter my beer. I don't. I use whirlfloc and a hard boil and I wait until the yeast drop clear in primary. Careful racking, a week in the fridge->nicely clear beer. No need for a secondary.

My beef is that a lot of new brewers are told by their LHBS/Interwebs that it is necessary. Honestly, I think it's the last thing they should be worried about.

I'm getting conflicting information, which is part of my problem. The homebrew books I have say one thing and the instructions I received from my homebrew store says another. The simple fact is I don't have enough experience to be know which is right and which isn't. The instructions I got from my store said to transfer from the primary to the secondary when the airlock slowed, whcih I did, and then to wait until activity was almost stopped to move to bottling, but there is no activity. I just don't trust the instructions I have at this point (between this and the instructions that told me I needed somewhere less than a gallon to brew and I ended up with a wort the consistancy of molasses).

I guess the question I have at this point is do I bottle now, wait a week or so to bottle, or what?

smizak said:

My beef is that a lot of new brewers are told by their LHBS/Interwebs that it is necessary. Honestly, I think it's the last thing they should be worried about.

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Wholeheartedly agree!

StevenR said:

I'm getting conflicting information, which is part of my problem. The homebrew books I have say one thing and the instructions I received from my homebrew store says another. The simple fact is I don't have enough experience to be know which is right and which isn't. The instructions I got from my store said to transfer from the primary to the secondary when the airlock slowed, whcih I did, and then to wait until activity was almost stopped to move to bottling, but there is no activity. I just don't trust the instructions I have at this point (between this and the instructions that told me I needed somewhere less than a gallon to brew and I ended up with a wort the consistancy of molasses).

I guess the question I have at this point is do I bottle now, wait a week or so to bottle, or what?

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If you have any doubt about when to do it, wait another week. If you are still in doubt then, and a little worried, wait another week. It will do absolutely no harm to leave the beer alone in the secondary. Definitely get a hydrometer. Measure the gravity now. Wait a week. Check it again. If it's the same number, bottle it. No worries.

Edit: ^^^^He typed faster than me - do what he said!


It can seem confusing. Here's the approach I'd suggest to a brewer doing his first brew: Wait at least three weeks after brewing before thinking about bottling. Waiting another week or two will not hurt. Use your hydrometer to check the final gravity before bottling, if you are concerned that fermentation isn't completed. If you're not concerned, you don't have to take a final gravity reading.

Hope this helps.

StevenR said:

I'm getting conflicting information, which is part of my problem. The homebrew books I have say one thing and the instructions I received from my homebrew store says another. The simple fact is I don't have enough experience to be know which is right and which isn't. The instructions I got from my store said to transfer from the primary to the secondary when the airlock slowed, whcih I did, and then to wait until activity was almost stopped to move to bottling, but there is no activity. I just don't trust the instructions I have at this point (between this and the instructions that told me I needed somewhere less than a gallon to brew and I ended up with a wort the consistancy of molasses).

I guess the question I have at this point is do I bottle now, wait a week or so to bottle, or what?

Click to expand...

StevenR said:

I'm getting conflicting information, which is part of my problem. The homebrew books I have say one thing and the instructions I received from my homebrew store says another. The simple fact is I don't have enough experience to be know which is right and which isn't. The instructions I got from my store said to transfer from the primary to the secondary when the airlock slowed, whcih I did, and then to wait until activity was almost stopped to move to bottling, but there is no activity. I just don't trust the instructions I have at this point (between this and the instructions that told me I needed somewhere less than a gallon to brew and I ended up with a wort the consistancy of molasses).

I guess the question I have at this point is do I bottle now, wait a week or so to bottle, or what?

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Read this first....https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/multiple-questions-about-secondary-fermentation-140978/#post1601829

THEN I would wait at least a week....I mean after fermentation has ceased (determine that with your hydromter) this gives the yeast time to clean up the byproducts of fermentation.

Even Palmer says you should wait.

How To Brew said:

Leaving an ale beer in the primary fermentor for a total of 2-3 weeks (instead of just the one week most canned kits recommend), will provide time for the conditioning reactions and improve the beer. This extra time will also let more sediment settle out before bottling, resulting in a clearer beer and easier pouring. And, three weeks in the primary fermentor is usually not enough time for off-flavors to occur.

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Then next time if you want, tryt racking a beer to secondary....or not...

But you don't need to stress out about this stuff....As long as you don't bottle while fermentation is still going on (again you should take 2 gravity readings over 3 successive days and if the numbers are the same it's done) if you bottle prematurely then you run the risk of wasteful and dangerous Bottle Bombs.

So don't bottle until you establish whether or not fermentation is truly ceased.

smizak said:

Feel free to bring the flame, but IMHO one day in secondary is bad, even with activity.

Click to expand...

I use secondary a lot but only to make more room for more beer. I have two 6.5 gallon carboys and two 5 gallon carboys, I don't like to primary ferment in a 5 gallon because I don't want to have to worry about a blow off. I never put in a secondary until it's been in the primary for at LEAST three weeks. I have noticed that when I am transferring to keg, the beer that has been in a secondary always seems to be clearer going through the auto siphon, but other than the first glass or two pulled from the keg, it doesn't seem to matter in the long run, all of my beers that have only been in primary seem to be perfectly clear.