Rack it or let it ride?

Dopllebock ale. Because I'm not set up to lager. It has been two weeks in primary. OG 1.075. Tested at day 14. 1.045. Fermentation restarted after knocking down krausen while drawing a sample and it formed a new head. Should I let it ride another few days and retest? Or should I rack it into secondary and let it finish out? All this "Sitting on dead yeast" and "Off flavors" thing really freaks out us new guys.
Thanks

beerrun said:

Dopllebock ale. Because I'm not set up to lager. It has been two weeks in primary. OG 1.075. Tested at day 14. 1.045. Fermentation restarted after knocking down krausen while drawing a sample and it formed a new head. Should I let it ride another few days and retest? Or should I rack it into secondary and let it finish out? All this "Sitting on dead yeast" and "Off flavors" thing really freaks out us new guys.
Thanks

Click to expand...

That is less than 50% attenuation. What was the recipe and how did you go about it.

QUOTE=impatient;1055700]That is less than 50% attenuation. What was the recipe and how did you go about it.[/QUOTE]

Partial mash.

7.5 lbs pale Liquid Malt Ext.
1 lbs 60 deg Crystal,1 lbs DWC Carapils,.25 lbs Chocolate malts
2lbs Munich Malt
Tettnanger Hops
Irish Moss
Wyeast 1338 liquid smack pack
I have questioned the yeast and read that it was extremely sloooow.

Ferm. temp @ 68-70 deg.

Accordind to BeerTools.com you have a long way to go. How long before you pitched did the smack pack get busted. Did the pack swell up nicely?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
test
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General
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Category: Specialty Beer
Subcategory: Specialty Beer
Recipe Type: Extract
Batch Size: 5 gal.
Volume Boiled: 6 gal.
Mash Efficiency: 72 %
Total Grain/Extract: 11.75 lbs.
Total Hops: 1.0 oz.
Calories (12 fl. oz.): 284.5
Cost to Brew: $36.38 (USD)
Cost per Bottle (12 fl. oz.): $0.68 (USD)

Ingredients
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1 lbs. Crystal Malt 60°L
1 lbs. Belgian Cara-Pils
.25 lbs. American Chocolate Malt
2 lbs. Belgian Caramunich®
7.5 lbs. Liquid Light Extract
1 oz. Tettnanger (Whole, 4.50 %AA) boiled 0 minutes.
Yeast: WYeast 1338 European Ale

Notes
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Vital Statistics
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Original Gravity: 1.071
Terminal Gravity: 1.014
Color: 23.33 SRM
Bitterness: 0.0 IBU
Alcohol (%volume): 7.6 %

Yeast was dated Dec. 8. Used on Dec. 25. Activation time was 6 hours. And pack did plump-up nicely.
The sample I pulled was extremely sweat / malty / thick. Tasted good.

Swirl it a bit and let it ride you have a ways to go.

beerrun said:

Dopllebock ale. Because I'm not set up to lager. It has been two weeks in primary. OG 1.075. Tested at day 14. 1.045. Fermentation restarted after knocking down krausen while drawing a sample and it formed a new head. Should I let it ride another few days and retest? Or should I rack it into secondary and let it finish out? All this "Sitting on dead yeast" and "Off flavors" thing really freaks out us new guys.
Thanks

Click to expand...

Welcome! Your yeast sounds like it's taking it's time but since it never looks at a calendar, it doesn't know it. What temperature is your primary sitting at? It might be you need to move it to a slightly warmer area.

It's not a good idea to take an reading while you still have active fermentation (krausen) and it's sound like you still have plenty of that. Don't move your beer off the yeast until it's finished and at expected FG.

Your beer will be fine in the primary for many more weeks. Autolysis is NOT going to happen to your beer! Let your beer stay where it's at for a couple more weeks and take another reading. Honest, I wouldn't kid you, your beer will be fine (even better) for sitting on the yeast cake for a couple more weeks.

Partial mash.

7.5 lbs pale Liquid Malt Ext.
1 lbs 60 deg Crystal,1 lbs DWC Carapils,.25 lbs Chocolate malts
2lbs Munich Malt
Tettnanger Hops
Irish Moss
Wyeast 1338 liquid smack pack
I have questioned the yeast and read that it was extremely sloooow.

Ferm. temp @ 68-70 deg.[/QUOTE]




This is an extract recipe, not PM

KayaBrew said:

This is an extract recipe, not PM

Click to expand...

Well the Munich has diastatic enzymes, so given the right steeping temperature and volume, this could be a PM recipe.

KayaBrew said:

Partial mash.

7.5 lbs pale Liquid Malt Ext.
1 lbs 60 deg Crystal,1 lbs DWC Carapils,.25 lbs Chocolate malts
2lbs Munich Malt
Tettnanger Hops
Irish Moss
Wyeast 1338 liquid smack pack
I have questioned the yeast and read that it was extremely sloooow.

Ferm. temp @ 68-70 deg.

Click to expand...

This is an extract recipe, not PM[/QUOTE]

Had to mash the Munich Malt. Was not an extract. ?? But I,m as green as my beer is.

Thanks to all. Will let you know how it turns out.

beerrun said:

This is an extract recipe, not PM

Click to expand...

Had to mash the Munich Malt. Was not an extract. ?? But I,m as green as my beer is.

Thanks to all. Will let you know how it turns out.[/QUOTE]

You're correct- of course that is a partial mash recipe. I don't know why someone would post that it isn't????

Anyway, as everyone else said, let it take its time to ferment out. It's slow, but as long as it's fermenting, you don't have to worry about "dead yeast"- they aren't dead- they're fermenting your beer. Wait until ferment is completely done before racking.

Good luck!

All this "Sitting on dead yeast" and "Off flavors" thing really freaks out us new guys.

Click to expand...

I can only wonder why this keeps coming up. Your yeast are not dead if the fermentation is still going on AND for months afterward. Leave it in the fermenter.