Well after a week I racked my first batch (Irish Stout) into the secondary. Aroma and taste are awesome. I am really looking forward to the finished product. However, there is something I am worried about. It only fermented from 1.044 to 1.026 in that week and it doesn't seem like it is fermenting anymore (no bubbles). I know I need to wait and see how it turns out. It is still early, but I am just really hoping everything turns out cuz I have a feeling it is going to be a really tasty stout.
First Batch Update
- Thread starter EzMak24
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Well, a week isn't really a long enough primary stay. Given your gravities, you'll likely get more fermentation in the secondary. Don't base it on bubbles. A lack of them tells you nothing. Leave that sucker in the secondary for another couple of weeks and then take gravity readings. I'll bet you'll be closer to your expected FG.
Good luck.
Good luck.
I'm far from an expert, but the consensus round here is generally three weeks in primary at minimum. Most here don't use a secondary.
Your best gauge is a hydrometer, if you have one. After a couple of weeks in primary, take a reading. If it's near your expected final gravity and stays the same for a few days straight, you're ready to bottle.
Leaving it in primary for an extended period allows the yeast to do its job.
Either. I use both.
ifishsum
Well-Known Member
I use secondaries on most of my brews, but I wait 10 days in primary and then check the gravity before racking. If it's not finished, I wait until it is before moving to secondary. Then it's 2 weeks in secondary and 3 in the bottle.
Both and the advice is good for either. Three weeks in primary is good. It allows for the yeast to finish fermenting, then clean up it's waste and off flavors, then clear your beer. Taking it off the yeast cake too soon doesn't give it enough time to do all that.
Midwest, although they have good instructions, is giving you the time frame for drinkable beer made fast. Fast is not really something to consider for good beer.
do u use a secondary or is it straight from the primary to the bottle? and if you do what is your typical time in the secondary?
I do both. Sometimes I leave it 4 to 6 weeks in primary and bottle, sometimes I rack to secondary after the 4 to 6 weeks. It really depends on whether I'm in the mood to containerize. I have been known to leave beers in the secondary for months. Our pipeline hasn't been empty for 4 years so there is really no need to hurry and it's a great hobby for a procrastinator.
Our longest time in the primary with a beer is been 3 months and the longest we've had something in the secondary is 18 months. Both beers came out very good BTW.
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