Are we ready?

[RyanVTBrew]

Hey guys,
sorry for all of the noob questions. Also thank you for kind heartedly answering them all without judgement.
Here's a pic from beersmith I created, using my very first batch, and recipe. (5 gallon)

Arm I ready to rack to secondary, to begin dry hopping? It's been 7 full days fermenting, and the airlock is fairly inactive (4 bubbles a mintue) I also want to start my next batch asap.
I know this topic has been covered a million times over, but not for my specific recipe. The ultimate problem is temp. (Ive made a post like this already, so bear with me). The temp has been low. Real low for an ipa. 60 degrees max most of the time.
Would it hurt me in anyway to rack now? I have a thief coming on Monday, so I can use my hydrometer to tell you the FG. (Original is calculated at 1.072). Until then, should I start secondary? Or are my low temps slowing the fermentation so much, that I should give it another week?
Thanks in advance!!!!


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[RyanVTBrew]

Also, krausen has fallen to about 1/4-1/8 inch over the actual beer. Much lower, considering I had to install I blow off tube after 3 days. Not to mention, it smells delicious!


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[jdhasse]

Recipe looks good!

When I first started out homebrewing I would rack to secondary after a week and then dry hop for a week or more.

Now a days, after more reading of homebrew books and this wonderful forum, I don't rack beers to secondary at all, just dry hop in the primary. The extra time in the primary allows the yeast to clean up its own by products and limits chances of oxidation.

As far as temps, lower is better than higher for this recipe, IMO. It will ferment slower which is more of a reason to just dry hop in primary.

Additionally, the number of bubbles or length of time in primary is not the proper way to know if fermentation is complete. Consistent gravity readings for a few days is the best way to know for sure.

I made a beer similar recently and I let ferment for 2.5 weeks, then dry hopped in primary for 4 days before bottling.

Hope this helps, let us know how it turns out but I am guessing it will be good and u will enjoy it no matter what you decide to do.

Cheers!


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[RyanVTBrew]

I guess I knew that the bubbles were not a representation of fermentation.
Thanks for the answer, I'm obviously taking all tips very seriously at this point, and yours were very helpful. But I kind of lied. The thermometer near my carboy has read around 60 degrees since I started, but my fermometer reads around 50. So the temp I meant to state earlier was 50.
This HAS to be too low for an ipa. So right now I assume I should leave it in the primary longer, and then rack? It's hard to find a straight answer as to how long one should primary, and secondary, taking into consideration particular recipe, and temp during the fermentation process.


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[RyanVTBrew]

Also, reading this forum, I'd like to keep it in the primary. But I bought this alternative 5 gallon carboy for a reason!


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[MrHadack]

I would leave it alone completely in the primary for at least 2 weeks regardless of airlock activity. A beer with that high of an OG (over 1.070 as I see it) will require a good deal of time to finish the work and then clean up after itself as already mentioned by jdhasse. There is no need or rush to move it to the dry-hop phase or into a secondary. PATIENCE is one of the hardest parts in brewing-- especially during your first batch! Leave alone for two weeks, let it do its thing, and you'll be very happy in the end.

Just a note on the recipe,which may be along the lines of personal taste:

I see your beer up around 112 IBU total. But you have all of the additions at 30 minutes or before. I know you already brewed and it is too late to change it, but I am assuming you used Citra hops because you like the fruit-forward notes. I think you are losing way too much of that character by using them how you did. I just brewed an IIPA with Cascade and Citra hops and this was my hop schedule:

1.5oz Centennial, 60min (Bittering addition) (47.8 IBU)
1oz Cascade + 0.5 oz Citra, 20min (22.2 IBU)
1oz Cascade + 0.5 oz Citra, 15min (18.2 IBU)
1oz Cascade + 0.5 oz Citra, 10min (13.3 IBU)
1oz Cascade + 0.5 oz Citra, 5min (7.3 IBU)

Total IBU: 108.8

The later additions will add IBUs to the beer, but also retain the flavor characteristics you're probably looking for. It will also lend a little bit to the aroma. A 30 minute addition of Citra might give you some flavor, but the 45 and 60 will be bittering additions only. I'm not suggesting you follow my specific schedule-- but if you're looking for something more than bittering from your hops you should skew them toward the later side. I tasted mine out of the primary after 2 weeks and I had a strong, clean, bitterness but with a ton of fruit and floral flavors / aromas.

 

[calvey]

Your answer for when the beer is done is in the hydrometer - how close to your anticipated final gravity are you right now? If you're still high, your yeast has probably stalled. If you can warm the fermenter up somehow (bring it inside, heating pad, hot towel in the microwave ... something) I bet it will restart and finish out. If you're not high, it's done. As others said, don't bother with a secondary, just toss your hops in there (ideally in a hop bag) if you are going to dry hop.

 

[MrHadack]

The thermometer near my carboy has read around 60 degrees since I started, but my fermometer reads around 50. So the temp I meant to state earlier was 50.
This HAS to be too low for an ipa. So right now I assume I should leave it in the primary longer, and then rack? It's hard to find a straight answer as to how long one should primary, and secondary, taking into consideration particular recipe, and temp during the fermentation process.

Raise the temp. Is there someplace you can move the carboy to get that temp up to about 68F? By your username I'm assuming you're in Vermont. I'm in the Boston area, so I know the pains of trying to keep fermentations warm this time of year! I wrapped my carboy in a Red Sox snuggie and brought it upstairs to my living room to get it to the right temp.

As for the length of the fermentation, here's a process for determining when fermentation has completed:

1. Know your OG: Make sure you have an accurate measurement of your OG.

2. Know your yeast: WLP001 has an attenuation on average of between 73% and 80% (as found on their web site.) This means that the yeast will typically ferment up to 80% of the sugars in solution. Sometimes more, sometimes less. So if your OG was 1.070, and the yeast attenuated 80%, your expected finished gravity would be around 1.014 (70 * .20 = 14), or as high as 1.019. But that's the ballpark range.

3. After a week or two, check your gravity. Record it. Wait 2-3 days and check your gravity again. If it hasn't changed in a couple days, you're done. If it is still changing, let it go for another week and repeat.

4. The clean-up process of the yeast removing by products of fermentation will continue for a few days after it finishes fermenting. Just have patience and give it enough time.

 

[skiluvr03]

So glad I read this thread! I was in a bind and didn't know what to do until I learned it here. I made a batch the other day and a major cold front is coming and it was going to bring temps well below my fermentation temps. I can't bring it into the house from the garage cause the wife remembers the smells last time I had done that. But, I learned here to use a heating pad and that was an excellent idea. Thanks so much for that advice whoever said that (sorry, can't scroll back on my phone). My problem is solved. Love this Forum!


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[DocScott]

to the OP, do NOT move it yet!

You need to know the gravity is at terminal before moving a beer like this to secondary. The cold fermentation temps with 001 will give you a really nice clean fermentation but it likely will be significantly slowed (or stalled) if you were at 50*F. If you transfer early, you will leave much of the yeast colony behind which will further stall your fermentation and can leave you with an underattenuated IPA = not good beer.

As others have stated, warm that puppy up to at least mid 60s and take a gravity reading. If you're close to 1.014 or so, you could probably transfer it but my suspicion is you still have some way to go if you were at 50*F for the week. Even if you are near FG, giving another few days/week wouldn't hurt.

 

[RyanVTBrew]

You guys are great, thanks. That was the clearest advice yet, pertaining to my secondary, and temp.
I'd be totally stressed without you guys, and this forum!


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[RyanVTBrew]

Got it up to 65 even, and it is once again going to town! Went from bubbling every 15 secs, to every 3 like when I started. Thanks again fellas.
I can't stop smelling it through the airlock!! Those citra hops....


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[RyanVTBrew]

Raise the temp. Is there someplace you can move the carboy to get that temp up to about 68F? By your username I'm assuming you're in Vermont. I'm in the Boston area, so I know the pains of trying to keep fermentations warm this time of year! I wrapped my carboy in a Red Sox snuggie and brought it upstairs to my living room to get it to the right temp.

Exactly what I did. Only it was a Red Sox hoodie. I have seen so many New England brewers on this forum...I haven't tried anything craft from mass yet, have you had any Vermont beers? We're overloaded (of that's possible) with micro breweries.


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[RyanVTBrew]

Raise the temp. Is there someplace you can move the carboy to get that temp up to about 68F? By your username I'm assuming you're in Vermont. I'm in the Boston area, so I know the pains of trying to keep fermentations warm this time of year! I wrapped my carboy in a Red Sox snuggie and brought it upstairs to my living room to get it to the right temp.

As for the length of the fermentation, here's a process for determining when fermentation has completed:

1. Know your OG: Make sure you have an accurate measurement of your OG.

2. Know your yeast: WLP001 has an attenuation on average of between 73% and 80% (as found on their web site.) This means that the yeast will typically ferment up to 80% of the sugars in solution. Sometimes more, sometimes less. So if your OG was 1.070, and the yeast attenuated 80%, your expected finished gravity would be around 1.014 (70 * .20 = 14), or as high as 1.019. But that's the ballpark range.

3. After a week or two, check your gravity. Record it. Wait 2-3 days and check your gravity again. If it hasn't changed in a couple days, you're done. If it is still changing, let it go for another week and repeat.

4. The clean-up process of the yeast removing by products of fermentation will continue for a few days after it finishes fermenting. Just have patience and give it enough time.

^^^^^^^^^^^


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[MrHadack]

I haven't tried anything craft from mass yet, have you had any Vermont beers? We're overloaded (of that's possible) with micro breweries.

Sure! I've had Heady Topper quite a few times, and I have a friend who is a big fan of Shed. I'm very curious about Hill Farmstead Brewery. I hear they're doing some amazing things.

 

[RyanVTBrew]

Nice, I love toppers. Hill Farmstead is by far my favorite brewery. Shaun hill was once head brewer at the shed also. All of his beers are delicious.
I see your Gansett can, my brothers girlfriend worked for them as a "Gansett girl" for a while.


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