"Transfer from primary at first sign of krausen"

So I was googling 2112 and this thread on an alternate brew site came up: The Hop Vine :: View topic - Wyeast 2112 California Lager primary

Apparently there is a "head distiller" from the Cayman Islands telling homebrewers to rack from primary at the first visible sign of fermentation. From what I can tell his reason is to avoid suspension of trub particles in the beer that may interfere with fermentation and taste.

Naturally this goes against everything I've ever learned about homebrew... Is there any science or practice behind this? Are there other people promoting this? It seems to me like that would just be an unnecessary step, and an oxidation and infection risk.

Could be the reason Stingray beer is (was?) so awful.

That practice is often used in lager brewing and is called a settling tank. I have always been too afraid to pitch first transfer later, but this is what Noonan suggests in "New Lager Brewing".

Boerderij_Kabouter said:

That practice is often used in lager brewing and is called a settling tank. I have always been too afraid to pitch first transfer later, but this is what Noonan suggests in "New Lager Brewing".

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The guy recommends it for all beers, though...

It would be fine for all beers. Basically it is a way to remove the trub before it can impart flavors to the beer. It would be more beneficial (I think) for lighter lagers, but it wouldn't hurt. I have been considering adding this practice to my brewday, but haven't done it yet.

Basically it is like having a conical without having a conical. I could see it being beneficial, but for my tastes it is too much work, and too much risk for any advantages it may have.

Whats the last good beer you've had from the cayman islands? Whats' the last good beer you've made? Take your pick

cubbies said:

Basically it is like having a conical without having a conical.

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Exactly. Most homebrewers don't equate the two and then we get in huge arguments about secondary fermentations...

Racking your beer is the same as doing a dump out of a conical, except we have to move the beer, not the trub.

Sorry to zombie this, but I'm about to do my first lager and I thought back to this technique I learned about over a year ago.

My question is if I chill the wort down to 52F, pitch two packs of S-23, monitor it over the next few hours until I see krausen forming, at which point I grab the sanitized autosiphon, and rack as carefully as possible into a new fermenter, would this benefit my beer in any discernible way?

Would I still need to transfer it to a third container after fermenting and before lagering?

It makes me think of my dopplebocks or imperial stouts - the big ones. I've used a second round of aeration within 24hrs of pitching to provide extra oxygen for fermentation of the extra sugars. I'm wondering if this might relate somehow. I can't imagine the oxygenation resulting in racking after 24, 36 or 48 hours would yield horrible amounts of oxidation flavors.

However, it does seem like a technique that would be style, or even OG dependent. For example, in bocks, stouts, etc. (more robust or bigger beers), they might allow for the possible masking of off flavors, whereas a more delicate style (pilsner, helles, etc.) might be less forgiving with respect to off flavors possibly produced by early racking (oxidation). Additionally, that aeration might benefit higher OG beers early on in the fermentation cycle.

As far as the reason that the trub "gets in the way", i'm not familiar with the mechanics of all that, so i couldn't comment as to whether the absence of trub after 24hrs would be beneficial or not.