How long in the secondary??

My Irish Red is in the secondary and there is little to no activity in the airlock and no krausen. It has only been in there for 3 days at a sg of 1.016 (on 9/25), just wondering if I should bottle now or wait the extra 4 days?

I'd just let it sit for the 4 days (if not longer) just to let things settle out and bulk age, but it sounds safe to bottle to me.

I usually let my ales sit in the secondary for 14 days before bottling, sometimes longer. I know, it's tough to muster up that much patience, but it's worth it. It makes for a better tasting ale, IMHO.

You wont see any activity in your secondary the majority of the time. Its mearly for aging and settling. Your beer will clear up expecially important for the beers with a lot of ingrediants. I leave mine in from 7-14 days.

My last Irish Ale was in the secondary for 60 days.

And mighty fine it came out!

Where did you come up with 60 days? Did you see changes between 30-60?

gaelone said:

And mighty fine it came out!

Click to expand...

Thanks for the good critique, Rich. I think you were a bit too kind, but then again, I always judge my brews more harshly than others might. Me, I don't have to be too kind to myself. I can take it.

Have you and Jocelyn had the second one yet?

BTW, I just finished writing up the notes from that batch. If you send me your email again (I never put it in my address book) I'll email it to you: [email protected].

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OWM: Not any real changes, just small ones like the bitterness subsided and became more mellow, beer was clearer, etc.

I'm on the road a lot for work, 16 weeks so far this year, so I can't always bottle when I want to.

If I can remember it all I've been to or through and to work in: IL, IN, OH, PA, NJ, KY, TN, GA, FL, SC, NC, VA, IA, SD, WY, MT, WA, OR, UT, CO, NE, AR, LA, MI, MS, WVA, AL, 2 weeks in Germany in July, and I'm going to Korea for 2 weeks in Oct. I think my calendar is open until next year come Nov. since I'm not deploying to Afghanistan or Iraq.

In all that is home improvements and I managed to brew 16 batches of beer.

I have 3 in the secondaries right now waiting to be bottled. And I really want to brew something this weekend. I also manage to play one of my 5 guitars every day.

Oh, yeah, and I'm a lazy cuss too (if you can believe it).
I can hardly wait to retire in 4 years.

I just wrote you...definitely send the recipe/notes. You're nuts to critique this one harshly.

Had one of mine tonight--was looking for a porter today. Yours is being saved for Saturday's brew day.

gaelone said:

I just wrote you...definitely send the recipe/notes. You're nuts to critique this one harshly.

Had one of mine tonight--was looking for a porter today. Yours is being saved for Saturday's brew day.

Click to expand...

So, I'm nuts! Thanks. Recipe is on it's way.

I know I already told you, but if you drink the KIA with just a slight chill and add the yeast (like you would a weizen) this beer is much better.

But then again, after living in Germany for 9 years I kind of like my beer at room temp to a slight chilled. Any more then that you're just numbing your tastebuds. But, hey, many Americans love ice cold beer.

I've been to a lot of bars in my time, I always ask them to place my beer in a microwave on high for about 30 secs to get the chill off (if they don't have any warm ones in the back).

i'm with you on that one, HB. After I came back to the US from Deutschland I started asking for warm beers at the local bar. They got so used to me doing it that they always made sure to leave a 6'er of my favorite brew sitting under the bar unrefridgerated.

-walker

Same here, I lived in England for 5 years and have pretty much shunned Ice cold beer since. I'll have all the labels peeled off before I can drink it down.

It's nice to know I'm in good company!