second fermentation QUESTION?

I am new to brewing and transferred to a carboy for second fermentation. There doesn't seem to be any action. I haven't seen any bubbles coming out of the airlock although the air is right at the edge of the inner piece. Does this seem right? Is it ready to bottle?

Hi Mac. Secondary fermentation is a confusing label, because for most beers, there isn't an active fermentation going on. The exception is if you add fruit or some other fermentable to your secondary and a "second" fermentation will kick off.

Many people here do not use a secondary at all for most beers. It's a matter of preference.

Whether you use a secondary or not, a good rule of thumb is to wait to bottle your beer for at least three weeks after your brew day. While you can safely bottle as soon as active fermentation is done, your beer will often be better if you give it a little time.

Cheers!

I did a hydrometer reading on day 7 and day 8 and the readings were the same. From what I've read I thought thats when you go to second fermentor. Did I jump the gun or was it done fermenting? There was a bubble every couple minutes in the airlock. Should I go to the bottle now? Could I add some honey or something to activate the yeast again?

Secondary fermentation isn't really a visible process. As a general rule, like Pappers said, unless you're adding something else in the carboy you really won't see anything going on.

The airlock only bubbles when your fermentation is venting excess co2. Just because your airlock isn't doing anything doesn't mean the yeast isn't working! The yeast is now cleaning up off-flavors that it produced during the active fermentation. Leave it in the secondary for about two weeks (or more, can't hurt) then bottle.

Like Pappers and others have said, secondary fermentation is a misnomer, since no fermentaion SHOULD happen in the secondary. The secondary is to clear your beer, though many of us no longer use a secondary, but instead opt for the long primary, leaving our beers in primary to clear up, and feel that our beer is much better for it.

You really shouldn't see any airlock activity unless you've racked too soon which folks who don't use a hydrometer (Kudos for you for using it), or you are adding additional fermentables, orit is off gassing co2 from the trub, or due to a change of atmospheric pressure or temp. But normally in secondary your beer should just sit there and settle, very boring.

Read this to understand this better.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/multiple-questions-about-secondary-fermentation-140978/#post1601829

Many of us no longer secondary at all for normal beers, just for beers that need months of bulk aging time, or oak, and this is where some of the latest info is on the subject;

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/secondary-not-john-palmer-jamil-zainasheff-weigh-176837/

I am no expert, but have brewed a few batches over the past 18 years - sometimes I rack to the secondary "too soon", sometimes "too late". Sometimes I leave the brew in the secondary "too little" or "too long"... in general, RDWHAH.

B

Cool thanks for the info so far! If anyone else has input on this I would love to hear it!

MRmac said:

Cool thanks for the info so far! If anyone else has input on this I would love to hear it!

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What other input do you need? We gave you the info. I even gave you links to MORE info, including both of the common ways of looking at secondary. What else would you like?

Your right Revvy! I guess I meant any tips and tricks for the new brewer and not just on this subject. When I come with the questions I shall ask!

MRmac said:

Your right Revvy! I guess I meant any tips and tricks for the new brewer and not just on this subject. When I come with the questions I shall ask!

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You want more tips and tricks? Read the fourm, especially the stickeys in the beginner's, sanitation, and equiptment sections, you'll find more information than we could ever give you in one thread.

The beer should be completely done before moving to a secondary. Generally speaking there is no need to move an ale to a secondary. However, if you're brewing a partial and dump the hot break and hops into the primary a secondary helps to drop more of this material out before bottling.

PT Ray said:

However, if you're brewing a partial and dump the hot break and hops into the primary a secondary helps to drop more of this material out before bottling.

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I've never seen the need for doing a secondary for that either. After a month whatever is in the trub is pretty compact, and the beer is clear.

Actually, John Palmer talks about secondary fermentation in this article.

You need to be an AHA member to see the article, but he has a new view on secondary fermentation

LaurieGator said:

Actually, John Palmer talks about secondary fermentation in this article.

You need to be an AHA member to see the article, but he has a new view on secondary fermentation

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Actually the article has been posted throughout the forum over the last few days.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/s...inasheff-weigh-176837/index5.html#post2409568

Thanks, Revvy. Since that was part of the "you need to pay to see it" site on AHA, I was hesitant to post the article...