Do i have to wait till the hydrometer reads a final gravity to move to the secondary? or should i let the last stages of fermentation finish in there to come to a final gravity? i know the rule 1-2-3; 1 week in primary, 2 in secondary, 3 in bottles.
secondary transfer
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If you choose to secondary (Quite a lot of us don't bother and leave our beers alone in primary for 3 weeks to a month) you wait til gravity has stabilised (usualy by take readings over a span of three days.)
"Secondary fermentation" is a misnomer and a mistake many beginning brewers don't grasp at first looking at it(because the names are similar)....the secondary VESSEL has nothing to do with he process of "secondary fermentation" which is part of the normal yeast life cycles, one of the stages of fermentation.
The secondary we are referring to is also called a "brite tank" it is the carboy where people move their beer to clear, or to add fruit, or hops for dry hopping... and to let the yeast and other things fall down...It's to clear the beer....but if you leave your beer in primary for several weeks you don't need to worry...
Here's John Palmer's explanation of the Secondary fermentation Phase
It's easy to see how confusing the terms are...that's why we try to get outta the habit of saying secondary fermentation...and say secondary...or bright tank (mostly just secondary, dropping fermenter or fermentation, since fermentation should be finished before you rack it to the secondary.
If you do choose to use a "bright tank" it's best to wait til fermentation is complete, you know that by taking 2 gravity readings over a 3 day period. If the grav hasn't changed, then you can rack it without having a krausen develop...though sometimes it does anyway.
Many of us nowadays forgo a bright tank and just leave our beers in primary for 3-4 weeks, then bottle...We only use a secondary if we are adding something to the beer, such as fruit, dryhopping or oaking the beer, otherwise we just leave the beer alone and let the yeasts clean up the beer at their own pace. Or if we added fruit, like pumpkin in the boil and want to get the beer off the goop.
Hope this helps!
"Secondary fermentation" is a misnomer and a mistake many beginning brewers don't grasp at first looking at it(because the names are similar)....the secondary VESSEL has nothing to do with he process of "secondary fermentation" which is part of the normal yeast life cycles, one of the stages of fermentation.
The secondary we are referring to is also called a "brite tank" it is the carboy where people move their beer to clear, or to add fruit, or hops for dry hopping... and to let the yeast and other things fall down...It's to clear the beer....but if you leave your beer in primary for several weeks you don't need to worry...
Here's John Palmer's explanation of the Secondary fermentation Phase
It's easy to see how confusing the terms are...that's why we try to get outta the habit of saying secondary fermentation...and say secondary...or bright tank (mostly just secondary, dropping fermenter or fermentation, since fermentation should be finished before you rack it to the secondary.
If you do choose to use a "bright tank" it's best to wait til fermentation is complete, you know that by taking 2 gravity readings over a 3 day period. If the grav hasn't changed, then you can rack it without having a krausen develop...though sometimes it does anyway.
Many of us nowadays forgo a bright tank and just leave our beers in primary for 3-4 weeks, then bottle...We only use a secondary if we are adding something to the beer, such as fruit, dryhopping or oaking the beer, otherwise we just leave the beer alone and let the yeasts clean up the beer at their own pace. Or if we added fruit, like pumpkin in the boil and want to get the beer off the goop.
Hope this helps!
user 29674
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Should you wait until the grav is stable *and* the krausen falls? Or just rack out from under the krausen and try not to suck it up into the cane?
If the krausen hasn't fallen more than likely it's NOT finished fermenting...
I wouldn't even be taking a hydro reading if there was still a krausen...
That's why things like the 1-2-3 rule are faulty, and just basic rules of thumb and shouldn't just be used blindly (without taking hydro readings to make sure.)
For example we know that sometimes Fermentation can take 24-72 hours to start. So if it takes 72 hours for fermentation to actually begin, and you blindly rack at 7 days...there's a great possibility that you are racking mid fermentation.
That's why so many "is my beer infected" threads are by people freaked out because suddenly they have a krausen growing on it. And if you've never seen a krausen since it's in the bucket, it can look freaky in your brand new shiny brite tank. The new krauzen appeared because fermentation is still occuring.
And honestly the same with the 3 weeks in the bottle....That generally works for an average grav beer at 70 degrees if your place is at 65 degrees, more than likely they won't be carbed up....Mine in my loft right now are taking 4-6 weeks to carb up actually...
So as you can see things like 1-2-3s are just "rules of thumb" and are not etched in stone.
I wouldn't even be taking a hydro reading if there was still a krausen...
That's why things like the 1-2-3 rule are faulty, and just basic rules of thumb and shouldn't just be used blindly (without taking hydro readings to make sure.)
For example we know that sometimes Fermentation can take 24-72 hours to start. So if it takes 72 hours for fermentation to actually begin, and you blindly rack at 7 days...there's a great possibility that you are racking mid fermentation.
That's why so many "is my beer infected" threads are by people freaked out because suddenly they have a krausen growing on it. And if you've never seen a krausen since it's in the bucket, it can look freaky in your brand new shiny brite tank. The new krauzen appeared because fermentation is still occuring.
And honestly the same with the 3 weeks in the bottle....That generally works for an average grav beer at 70 degrees if your place is at 65 degrees, more than likely they won't be carbed up....Mine in my loft right now are taking 4-6 weeks to carb up actually...
So as you can see things like 1-2-3s are just "rules of thumb" and are not etched in stone.
user 29674
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I ask because the WLP400 I used took off like a rocket within 12 hours and I had to put a blowoff tube on it. Now, the remnants of the krausen is caked on the inside of the better bottle so thick I can't tell for sure where krausen stops and caked-on-gunk begins. I know fermentation is still under way because its bubbling and I can see the yeast churning away in the carboy. I've taken a couple readings to check its progress because of some temperature concerns and its getting close to FG, so I was just curious.
Mantis
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Sorry to bump/resurrect this long gone thread, but I have a question about this statement.
The krausen on my beer hasn't fallen and it has been 3 weeks in the primary.
Would it still not be advisable to take a gravity reading at this point?
THere's never a non advisable time to take a grav ready, krausen or not. Whenever you want to know what your beer is doing, THAT's when the right time to take one is.
Mantis
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Awesome, thanks guys!
Gravity reading will soon be taken. If it has finished, just rack from beneath krausen, correct?
Gravity reading will soon be taken. If it has finished, just rack from beneath krausen, correct?
that's correct, rack from beneath. Krausen has a bad taste to it.
Mantis
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lol, nice. Thanks.
alexdagrate
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I've always used a secondary vessel and I'm thinking of just using a primary from now on.
However, I dry hop ALL my ales. Is it possible to just dry hop on the wort in the primary vessel?
However, I dry hop ALL my ales. Is it possible to just dry hop on the wort in the primary vessel?
imaguitargod
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Ok, going to bump this because I have a question on the subject and it seems app for this thread.
I need to free up my primary fermentor for this Sunday. The beer is still fermenting (1.027 gravity reading) and has a slight krausen on it. I don't mind this beer taking a while to finish fermenting in the secondary. Think I'm fine to do this?
I need to free up my primary fermentor for this Sunday. The beer is still fermenting (1.027 gravity reading) and has a slight krausen on it. I don't mind this beer taking a while to finish fermenting in the secondary. Think I'm fine to do this?
Why don't you just but another fermenter? Buckets are cheap and you don't then have to rush one beer through it's process just so you can brew again?
That's how I have ended up with 9 fermenters.
imaguitargod
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Why don't you just but another fermenter? Buckets are cheap and you don't then have to rush one beer through it's process just so you can brew again?
That's how I have ended up with 9 fermenters.
Had an issue with my car and that basically flat lined my bank account. I've got enough to get the ingredients for the beer but that's it. I would delay the brew season, but one of my friends from the home brew club wants to see how all-grain brewing works and this Sunday's the best time for both of us.
I thought about lessing the recipe to fit into my 5 gallon fermentor, but I don't feel it's worth it at that point.
Grimtas
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Why don't you just but another fermenter? Buckets are cheap and you don't then have to rush one beer through it's process just so you can brew again?
That's how I have ended up with 9 fermenters.
Hehe I have 5x 6.5Gal and 4x 5Gal carboys and still find the need for more. I have 30 Gals fermenting now in various stages and wanted to do a double batch this weekend but only have two primary's left.
You can never have too many fermenters, and as I'm trying ot stock up my pipeline for the 12 tap keezer I'm building, I have a ton of brews to go
If it's a friend from your brew club borrow his fermenter....
imaguitargod
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I know he only has one right now, but I still am not comfortable with barrowing something like that.
So, think the beer will be fine if I transfer it?
Grimtas
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If you sanitize correctly it will be fine.
*Edit: If you already have a secondary and it's at least 5Gal just use that for this batches primary with a blowoff tube.
*Edit: If you already have a secondary and it's at least 5Gal just use that for this batches primary with a blowoff tube.
imaguitargod
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Ya, but it's only 5 gallons, and I was going to do either a 5.5 gallon or 7 gallon batch....
