Can i keg after one week in secondary?

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srl135

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Sat in primary for one week,the SG has dropped to below the recipe's FG so fermentation is probably nearly complete (came out to a little over 7%). It looks as if it is developing a sheen on the surface (but then again i am looking through contours of carboy) which have me concerned since i did top off with water and dont remember that from my previous batch. Not sure if that is a sign of containment/infection, but if so, i would like to keg it to stop anything from growing or ruining my beer.

Any adverse affects from kegging after 1 week rather than 2? Flavor, sediment issues? Is it even beneficial to leave it for 2 weeks prior to kegging?
 
I would leave it in the carboy, but if you're that concerned and you're absolutely sure that fermentation is complete, then you could keg it. I'd leave in the keg for at least 2 more weeks before tapping the keg tho. What kind of beer is it?
 
Not much is going to grow in 7% alcohol, and besides, there isn't much left for anything to thrive off of anyway.

You could keg it now. It will be more cloudy than if you wait. As long as your gravity readings are the same, go ahead. In the future, give it more time in Primary. I know it's hard but you'll be glad that you did.
 
how long should i leave it in primary? The directions i had called for 2-4 days, i was planning to follow the 123 method on here, did one week in the primary, planning on 2 in secondary and then 1 week in this case once i keg ad carb prior to drinking.

I am going to keep an eye on the secondary and if it shows changes between now and the end of 2 weeks, i will keg. Hopefully i can leave it in for the full 2 weeks.

It is a Honey Amber Ale btw
 
3-4 weeks in primary to allow yeast to clean up after themselves or even longer, then skip secondary unless you are doing it to make it clearer or dry hoping or adding fuit. It will still be clear if left in primary for a while. More risk for contamination when transfering to secondary and oxidization.
 
according to a couple different ABV calculators with temp taken into account.. yes 7.2-7.3 if you consider some human error somewhere in temp recording discrepancies

I chalked it up to being that high due to the honey content
 
http://www.defalcos.com/component/content/article/170.html

^That is the recipe; its from my LHBS. I used California V Ale Yeast

I followed the instructions exactly, all has gone well, just concerned now about what appears to be a slight film on the top in the secondary. The top off water was Ozarka, sealed gallon jug spring water so i figured it to be cleaner than my tap water.
 
^ yes the recipe calls out a 5.7%, but that is not what mine turned out to be. (OG=1.061, FG=1.006)
 
Regarding your OG reading...how hot was the wort when you took the reading as opposed to the temp for your FG?
 
my OG temp was at 77F and FG was 70F.

Kobain - Perhaps im wrong, but i thought that the honey can contribute to a dryness in beer?
 
something's not right. The California V Ale (WLP051) yeast has an attenuation of 70-75%, yet you were able to get 90%. There's something wrong with your hydro readings.

When did you take your OG? Before or after adding the top-up water? If you took the reading after the top-up water, did you mix it sufficiently?

I've got nothing on why the FG reading is low.
 
A4J said:
something's not right. The California V Ale (WLP051) yeast has an attenuation of 70-75%, yet you were able to get 90%. There's something wrong with your hydro readings.

When did you take your OG? Before or after adding the top-up water? If you took the reading after the top-up water, did you mix it sufficiently?

I've got nothing on why the FG reading is low.
Click to expand...

Pre dilution OG reading was my 2nd guess after uncorrected temps
 
I cant boil 5 gallons on my stove, boiled 3, mixed in the remaining water in the primary, i took the reading after i combined cold water with the wort. i stirred it in and aerated for a good 2 or 3 minutes prior to taking my OG reading so i had sufficiently mixed the wort. I stirred until i had an equal temperature throughout the primary bucket. I took two different OG samples to check it using a turkey baster. One was from 2" below the surface, the other from ~6" inches below the surface and both came out to the same reading. Temperature readings were taken at multiple depths and locations to ensure i had a uniform temp, which would imply (at least to me) a uniform mixture since the wort was warm and water had been in the fridge.

Edit: I was just following the directions, step 5 of the directions on the recipe i posted.

Is that wrong?
 
srl135 said:
I cant boil 5 gallons on my stove, boiled 3, mixed in the remaining water in the primary, i took the reading after i combined cold water with the wort. i stirred it in and aerated for a good 2 or 3 minutes prior to taking my OG reading so i had sufficiently mixed the wort. I stirred until i had an equal temperature throughout the primary bucket. I took two different OG samples to check it using a turkey baster. One was from 2" below the surface, the other from ~6" inches below the surface and both came out to the same reading. Temperature readings were taken at multiple depths and locations to ensure i had a uniform temp, which would imply (at least to me) a uniform mixture since the wort was warm and water had been in the fridge.

Edit: I was just following the directions, step 5 of the directions on the recipe i posted.

Is that wrong?
Click to expand...

Sounds textbook to me (the noob)
 
I did test it out last night when i was scratching my head on what i could have done differently. I used tap water from the faucet that was ~70F. The hydrometer read 0.999 which i understand would be 1.000 with the temp correction from 60F to 70F.

The only thing left that i could question is the effects of adding Bru-Vigor when i pitched my yeast. Could that have had anything to do with the difference?
 
It's possible the hydro readings are correct. Like he said, honey will ferment out more than malt and remember that the hydro reads "apparent attenuation" meaning the alcohol contributed by the honey (and other fermentables) will make the attenuation appear more than what was actually achieved. I've gotten some batches down to 1.006 in the past.
 

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