Ready to move to secondary?

[Rkuhns]

I personally don't think so but looking for opinions. I have an IPA fermenting in my primary right now. I am still getting bubbles through my airlock about every 30 seconds. The recipe says to move to secondary after 2 weeks but I think it should stay in the primary a bit longer. I know I don't have to transfer it at all,but it is something I like to do. Just looking for some different opinions here.

 

[Jtk78]

Most brewers here, especially the veterans, do not secondary at all unless it is getting an addition such as fruit (I even do this in the primary), or will be bulk stored for an extended period of time, like months.

So the answer you'll probably get is it's never ready for secondary, only packaging.

 

[jschein]

Check the gravity, if it is at your expected FG than wait 3 days. Take another reading and if it is what you expected and the same as 3 days prior than you can package or secondary, your choice.

 

[Vedexent]

It's really personal preference.

If it's bubbling, it's still fermenting. You can move it to a secondary if you like - and you point out in your OP that it's a part of the process that you do like to do - but set it up with an airlock / blow-off tube as before.

Of course, lack of bubbling doesn't mean it's not fermenting - only steady gravity readings over several days will tell you that for sure.

 

[bleme]

Bubbling can mean it is still fermenting, but not always. Often it is just CO2 coming out of suspension. Any movement or change in air pressure will cause this. Bubbling is fun to watch but is completely meaningless on its own.

 

[patthebrewer]

Personally..I don't secondary...ever. But everyone has their own way they do things As others have said when the gravity or plato is stable over a few days then your ready.

 

[NorthwestBrewman2013]

I'd say leave it in primary a little while longer. If you can safely, and sanitarily, take a reading on the beer to see if it's finished fermenting (reached FG) then do so. Otherwise, nothing will be an issue with keeping it on the trub a little longer. The yeasties will clean most of the potential off flavors up.

 

[C-Rider]

this question comes up about once a week. Can someone who writes well do a "sticky" covering the topic?

 

[RM-MN]

It's really personal preference.

If it's bubbling, it's still fermenting. You can move it to a secondary if you like - and you point out in your OP that it's a part of the process that you do like to do - but set it up with an airlock / blow-off tube as before.

Of course, lack of bubbling doesn't mean it's not fermenting - only steady gravity readings over several days will tell you that for sure.

Bubbling means there is an exchange of gasses. That can come from the excess CO2 of fermentation, the CO2 being expelled from the beer, or a change in atmospheric pressure.

Fernentation produces CO2 when the yeast are eating the free sugars and that should stop after a few days, usually less than a week. Anything after that it will be the outgassing of excess CO2 dissolved in the beer.

 

[Vedexent]

this question comes up about once a week. Can someone who writes well do a "sticky" covering the topic?

Given the nature of human beings, this would possibly reduce but not eliminate the instance of "repeat questions" - any more than the existence of a search function does.

Same for books. Same for FAQs, etc.

Some people are just "social learners" and need to talk to other people.

It's the beginners forum - people are going to ask beginner questions, and there's a finite number of those questions.

 

[brandonlovesbeer]

Most brewers here, especially the veterans, do not secondary at all unless it is getting an addition such as fruit (I even do this in the primary), or will be bulk stored for an extended period of time, like months.

So the answer you'll probably get is it's never ready for secondary, only packaging.

Agreed!!