Real noobe here w/ a couple of questions

[Bikerbrewgal]

Howdy my brewing buds I've read up on alot of stuff and had discussions with my brewing pals, but found this site and am happy I did. Seem the more I read sometimes the more confusing some things become due to the diversity of brewing techniques. Anyhow, here's my ???:

Last wk. I brewed my first ever batch of beer (Mackinac Red). I did a partial boil using LME. The process went without incident. The beer is now fermenting in a plastic brew bucket. Within the 1st 12 or so hours I noticed the airlock percolating. 3 days later it stopped. I'm assuming it's still fermenting even tho no noticible action in the airlock. I plan on doing a secondary fermentation to a carboy. Would it be better to let it sit in the bucket for 2 wks. before transfer to carboy or would I be better served transferring it after 1 wk. and letting it set in the carboy for 2 wks? (or should I let it set longer??

I have a corney keg. After I transfer to the keg and do initial carbonating, should I immediately put in the fridge while carbonating? How long should it sit/carbonate before I can sample? What temp should the beer (it's a red) be for optimal drinking/carbonation?

Thanks for your time and patience!!

 

[badhabit]

First I am assuming that you mean that you did a partial mash not a partial boil??? Should have boiled for 60 mins or so. I like secondary and use them most of the time. Did you take a SG reading to see if the fermentation had slowed to the point that you were ready for the secondary? In general need to have no real drop in SG for a couple days to be ready for secondary. In truth it sounds like that is where you are. If so move to secondary and let it sit a couple weeks, then keg. Read up on carbing, there is more than one technique. Some require refrigeration some do not. I carb without refrigeration, bring CO2 pressure up to 30 psi three days in a row, bleeding off each day with only slight agitation to the keg. You can cool the beer and drink at that point if you want, I give mine at least a couple weeks before drinking and bring pressure down to serving level at that point, about 5 psi. If there is too much carb you can bleed off pressure each day until you have what you want. If under carbed do another 30 psi day and check it.

 

[gr8shandini]

The whole subject of whether or not to secondary or leave it in the primary is a bit of a contentious subject here. This thread has all the debate (https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/aging-beer-facts-myths-discussion-84005/), but I'd say its a matter of personal preference. Others will disagree.

If you do decide to go with a secondary, there's no reason not to just do it in the keg. It's one less transfer and lets you get the beer back under a CO2 blanket immediately. As for carbonation, you could add priming sugar like you would for bottling, or just leave it hooked up to CO2 at the serving temperature / pressure for a couple of weeks. There are ways of carbonating faster, but they're less reliable.

Finally, the temperature is up to you. I have an Irish red that I like to serve at about 48F, but if you like your beers "American cold," I'd set it at about 36-38F. Whatever you decide, make sure you adjust your CO2 pressure accordingly using a chart like the following:

http://www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table.php

Most folks go for 2.5 volumes of CO2, but anywhere from 1.8 to 2.8 would be appropriate depending on the type of red you have. I would start at the low end (maybe 2.0) and then crank up the pressure and wait another week if it's not bubbly enough. Getting the gas out of an overcarbed beer can be a bit of a pain.

Sorry I couldn't give more specific advice, but what it comes down to is that there's no "right" answer for any of your questions. It's your beer, so any way you like it is the "right" way. That's the beauty of homebrewing.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I'd say primary for at least three weeks and only secondary if you're adding something after fermentation like dry hops or other flavorings. But it's a matter of preference whether or not you secondary your beer.
As far as temps for carbonating, I always cold crash my kegs to around serving temp (based on style) before I put gas on it. I've found my beers carbonate quicker and the co2 dissolves faster when the beer is chilled. After cold crashing, I set psi to 30 for a few days, no shaking or anything, I always get foamy results from blast carbing and shaking. After a few days, I back off to 10 psi. I tend to crack my kegs after five or six days and have good beer, but it really starts to be great beer after a week or two. It's all just personal preference, and this is what works for me.

 

[CidahMastah]

I do 3 weeks in primary fermenter, then if dry hopping I rack to a keg and dry hop for 10-14 days. If not dry hopping, keg it (or bottle it if you don't have a kegging set up).

I think you will generally find here that many people go by the 3 week in the primary fermenter method. I can honestly say my beer is better since I started to allow it to rest on the trub for three weeks.

For your keg, I would put into the refridge directly and start the carb at about 55-60PSI for 24 hours immediately (no shaking, etc). Then dial the PSI back to 10-12 based on your carb preference and let it it 3-4 more days an you should be good to go.

You will have to sort of find out your own methods for your equip - but this is how I do it.

 

[Bikerbrewgal]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I'll keep her in primary for 2wks (want to free it up for another brew), then transfer to secondary for 2 wks for clarifying, then to keg. Think I'll try CydahMastah's method of keg carbonation as I've read that many folks do it this way with much success.

**my primary is in the basement. I saw active fermentation fornthe first 3 days- now nothing. The temp on the primary read 67. Is this okay or should I put a towel or something over it to warm it a tad? If I bring it upstairs I'm afraid it would be too warm (75-80). I was talked out of using my hydrometer by 2 people who were assisting me-(they really didn't know how to use them properly) bit I'm bummed that I didn't use it now. next batch I'm going to attempt to use it. Will read up on them in the interim.

Cheers!

 

[Gduck]

67 should be a fine temperature to let it sit at while it continues to sit in your fermenter. You wouldn't want to see it too much higher than that so you're sitting pretty good right now.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

67 should be a fine temperature to let it sit at while it continues to sit in your fermenter. You wouldn't want to see it too much higher than that so you're sitting pretty good right now.

Agreed. 67* is a great temp for most ales.

Ya know, bikerbrew, you're the second person on the site who recently posted about the friends who taught him or her to brew telling them to NOT use a hydro.... Bad advice, as I'm sure you realized. A hydrometer, or refractometer, is the only way to really gauge fermentation. W/o gravity readings, it's all just guesswork.

 

[CidahMastah]

I just a note on the refractometer (if you go that route). refractometers only are accurate for wort prefermentation. Yes there are calculators online that can help approximate a refactometer reading after ferment, but they are approximate.

I like to think of my refract. as the brew day reader, check first wort runnings, preboil gravity, post boil gravity etc. The hydrometer is best for after brew day ends.

Lately though I must admit that I have pretty much switch back to 1 hydro reading right before I put into fermenter and one hydro at kegging time.

When you use your hydrometer, remember to have your temp around 68F. Otherwise the hydro will read lower gravity when hot, higher gravity when cold.