Secondary temp

[grevengrevs]

Here's a situation that I have not run into until today and had never crossed my mind. At what temperature should secondaries be kept at?

I have an IPA in the fermentation chamber that I will be racking to secondary this weekend to dry hop. I also want to brew again right after that but my ferm chamber can only hold one fermentor. Question - is it okay to leave the secondary at room temperature (74-76 degrees) as it dry hops or should I leave it in the ferm chamber?

 

[C-Rider]

How long has it been in the fermenter?
If you have more than one fermenter do the dry hop in it.
If your beer is indeed "finished" then that 74-76 degrees should be fine for the dry hop.

 

[RM-MN]

1. You don't need to use a secondary to dry hop. The only reason for doing so is that you only have one fermenter and want to brew again. This is a poor reason because for only about $15 you can get a second fermenter (bucket with lid and airlock) and avoid the problems that can come from using a secondary.
2. Your beer only needs to be in the fermentation chamber while the beer is actively fermenting, probably 3 to 4 days. That's when any off flavors will develop and once the ferment slows down, room temperature is fine and actually preferred because the yeast will work a little better at the warmer temp and get you a lower FG.

 

[JustLooking]

And to further answer your questions, if you plan to bottle this beer, you'll have to keg it in order to make great beer like I do.

 

[eadavis80]

Why can't he make 'great beer' by bottling?

 

[grevengrevs]

Thanks everyone for responses. It will be done fermenting by the time I dry hop. I just want to move to secondary to clear it up but more so to harvest the yeast without getting all the extra hop trub.
And I do keg my beer

 

[grevengrevs]

Forgot to say that it has been in the fermenter for a week, brewed 9 December.

 

[JustLooking]

Over time I think you'll find that, with good racking skills, clarity is actually better if you leave your beer in the primary for the extra time it would have spent in a secondary, but yeast harvesting and dry hopping are good reasons to transfer. Sure, you can use yeast from a primary dry hopped beer, but there may be some residual flavor and aroma carried over and the hop matter will have to be estimated to determine cell density. Also, there's a synergy between the yeast and hops that changes the hop character. Some like it one way, some the other. It's your call.


edit:
glad you understood the winky.

 

[RM-MN]

Why can't he make 'great beer' by bottling?

He can but if he wants to make great beer "like I do" he has to keg it because the person that said that he has to keg it to "make great beer like I do" also kegs. You just aren't reading the response correctly.

 

[eadavis80]

Ah, I get it now. I thought you were implying the only way to make great beer was to have it in a keg.

 

[SeeMont]

I often transfer into my keg after 10 days and dry hop. I have done both, leave the dry hops in the keg and transfer to another keg by pushing with CO2 and a jumper hose. Good Luck