The Krausen has fallen!

[onionz]

Looks like primary fermentation is over. However, the beer is pretty cloudy. When should I expect it to clear?

 

[RPh_Guy]

2-6 weeks? The length of fermentation depends on a lot of factors. Whatever recipe or kit you are using should give you an idea.

Brewing is exciting! However, patience is needed, so try to put it out of the way and forget about it for a while. Though I admit I check my fermentations almost daily.

Cheers!

 

[onionz]

I've read in the forum that I shouldn't rack to a secondary. Also, read not to leave it in the primary over 3 weeks. Do I have that right?

 

[RPh_Guy]

That depends on the yeast strain you are using.... For many yeast strains it's not an issue to leave it in the primary for 6+ weeks, but some strains develop off-flavors from autolysis if left for too long on the lees.

 

[burninator]

What yeast are you using?

 

[RM-MN]

Looks like primary fermentation is over. However, the beer is pretty cloudy. When should I expect it to clear?

Here's a little article that explains the life cycle of the yeast. It should give you a better understanding of what it going on in your beer.

http://www.brewgeeks.com/the-life-cycle-of-yeast.html

Once the fermentation stops the yeast will go dormant and that stops the agitation of the beer so that the break material settles, then the yeast. I've bottled beer at day 7 (lots of sediment in the bottles), at day 10 (clearer, much less sediment), and at day 60 (Yes, 60 is not a mistake)(Very clear beer, almost no sediment in the bottles).

There is no clear amount of time for the beer to clear. How long the yeast keep it agitated depends on a lot of factors such as the amount of fermentable sugars (more sugars take longer), the temperature of the ferment, and the amount of yeast used. To make predicting more difficult, different strains of yeast act differently with some settling quicker than others, and finally, the temperature during the settling changes how quickly the yeast settles. I'd probably take a hydrometer sample on about day 10 to see how clear the beer is and what the gravity reading is at that time. If the sample was clear and at the expected final gravity I'd take another sample on day 13 and if the readings matched I'd bottle it.

 

[kh54s10]

I've read in the forum that I shouldn't rack to a secondary. Also, read not to leave it in the primary over 3 weeks. Do I have that right?

Not really.

You don't have to do a secondary. I don't.

Most beers will be ready to bottle in 2 weeks, I used to leave all of mine for 3 weeks, now I just go about 2 weeks. Many will suggest a month or so but going longer will not hurt anything. I left a beer on the yeast for 5 1/2 months due to procrastination of kegging it. It was fine. I don't know what it would have been like fresh but it was still good.

 

[seabrew8]

Looks like primary fermentation is over. However, the beer is pretty cloudy. When should I expect it to clear?

How clear and how fast do you want to drink it? The reason i ask because chill haze was always an issue for me until i started cold crashing and adding gelatin. But if you have the patience you don't need to do those things. Like probably 2+ weeks sitting in the fridge if you do have chill haze after you bottled and carbed the beer.

So 10-14 days fermenting, 2 weeks carbing and 2 weeks in the fridge for a rough idea. This is my experience. I've had beer that would not clear either in close to 2 mths after bottling. I just drink them anyway at that point or drink them warm.

btw your beer will start to look darker over the next few days because the yeast is dropping out. Personally i leave it for maybe 3-5 days after that before bottling or kegging. Usually 10 or so days. I never understood this extended fermentation trend but i done it a few times, i could see no significant difference in taste. Maybe it would score you a few more points in a competition but i just want some good and in my case cheap beer. Beer is very expensive where i live.

 

[onionz]

What yeast are you using?

Omega Yeast Belgian Ale W

 

[jan_b19]

You can rack as many times as you want as long as you clean and disinfect EVERYTHING. If you plan to wait longer than a month, rack your beer! If you don't: don't bother

 

[oujens]

You can rack as many times as you want as long as you clean and disinfect EVERYTHING. If you plan to wait longer than a month, rack your beer! If you don't: don't bother

The other risk with multiple transfers is oxidation. Without a closed transfer system where the beer will be protected by co2, you will most likely oxidize your beer. This is another reason to not use a secondary.

 

[onionz]

How clear and how fast do you want to drink it? The reason i ask because chill haze was always an issue for me until i started cold crashing and adding gelatin. But if you have the patience you don't need to do those things. Like probably 2+ weeks sitting in the fridge if you do have chill haze after you bottled and carbed the beer.

So 10-14 days fermenting, 2 weeks carbing and 2 weeks in the fridge for a rough idea. This is my experience. I've had beer that would not clear either in close to 2 mths after bottling. I just drink them anyway at that point or drink them warm.

btw your beer will start to look darker over the next few days because the yeast is dropping out. Personally, i leave it for maybe 3-5 days after that before bottling or kegging. Usually 10 or so days. I never understood this extended fermentation trend but i done it a few times, i could see no significant difference in taste. Maybe it would score you a few more points in a competition but i just want some good and in my case cheap beer. Beer is very expensive where i live.

I would like it as clear as possible without sacrificing the flavor quality. I do have a wine filter contraption, but as I understand I want the yeast to balance the flavors by scavenging what it can.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

What style of beer is OP making? If you are not making a cloudy beer, such as a wit or heffe than cooling (cold crashing) will help the yeast to drop out.

 

[seabrew8]

I would like it as clear as possible without sacrificing the flavor quality. I do have a wine filter contraption, but as I understand I want the yeast to balance the flavors by scavenging what it can.

Honestly, i would recommend cold crashing and gelatin. I do it for all my beer. Its only simple to do if you can cold crash a fermenter or keg.

 

[kh54s10]

I recommend just letting it go for about 2 weeks in primary, check for final gravity and bottle it. Save all the clearing steps for a later date when you have all your other brewing processed down.

I have been brewing for 6 years and have never cold crashed a beer and used gelatin in a keg only once.

90% of my beers are mostly clear, maybe a little bit of chill haze. The other 10% I don't really worry about.

 

[onionz]

What style of beer is OP making? If you are not making a cloudy beer, such as a wit or heffe than cooling (cold crashing) will help the yeast to drop out.

I am making a Belgian Dubbel, 100% extract.

 

[jan_b19]

The other risk with multiple transfers is oxidation. Without a closed transfer system where the beer will be protected by co2, you will most likely oxidize your beer. This is another reason to not use a secondary.

Right, forgot about that... Haven't had that issue since i started pumping a healthy amount of CO2 in the target fermentation vessel. And being really careful of course.

 

[jan_b19]

I would like it as clear as possible without sacrificing the flavor quality. I do have a wine filter contraption, but as I understand I want the yeast to balance the flavors by scavenging what it can.

Just put it in a cooler environment for 1-2 weeks. For example, I put my beer in the basement at about 15°C. This causes most of the yeast to drop out of suspension. Just be careful you don't transfer the yeast cake to your bottling bucket.