When to transfer to Secondary - Belgian Golden Ale

I have a Belgian Golden Ale that has been sitting in a primary for almost 3 weeks.

I plan to transfer it to a secondary soon. Should I take 3 days of readings prior to the 3 week mark?

(OR)

Should I take 1 reading on the day of the 3 week mark and if it falls in the FG range on my recipe, I should secondary it?

SIDE NOTE: Just checked the carboy and it still bubbles once a minute or so.

There really isn't a need to secondary it al all. What is the temp now? Belgian yeast likes to be warmed up as it finishes, then just condition it in the primary for a couple weeks, then bottle/keg

helibrewer said:

There really isn't a need to secondary it al all. What is the temp now? Belgian yeast likes to be warmed up as it finishes, then just condition it in the primary for a couple weeks, then bottle/keg

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Hate to say it but I don't have a thermometer on the better bottle. I keep forgetting to buy one at my LHBS.

If you can get it into a 70F room that would work fine

helibrewer said:

If you can get it into a 70F room that would work fine

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how long should I keep it in the primary? It's been 3 weeks. Won't that yeast cake create off flavors if the beer sits on there longer than a month?

What was your SG?? You only need to take the readings subsequent days in a row for bottling. You wont get any off flavors from it sitting on the cake for and extended period of time. If SG was over 1.070 just leave it alone for another month or two!!! No need for secondary.... You really should pick up a few thermometers I know they are not the most accurate but I have them on all my buckets and carboys, I even have them on 2 1-gal jugs that I make my starters in, well worth the $2.50ea..... My big beers I just leave alone and let them be, I keep an eye on ferm temp and adjust accordingly.... I have a Strong Golden Ale in primary for 6 weeks now and I don't plan on bottling for another 2-3 weeks and looking at bottle conditioning for 2-3 months, hopefully time well spent.....

Won't that yeast cake create off flavors if the beer sits on there longer than a month?

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Not a problem. I often leave my bigger beers in the primary for a couple of months.

Thanks for your input!

I made the mistake of filling my carboy past the 5 gallon mark by just over a quarter of an inch. My starting gravity was 1.066.

The room I am fermenting in is 63 degrees, unfortunately I have no other rooms to ferment in.

I am fermenting in a 6 gallon better bottle, is that extra headspace a problem for an extra long fermentation?

You might want to rig a blowoff tube just to be safe.