1st fermentation
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feinbera
Well-Known Member
Whether to secondary at all is a hotly-debated subject, which I will not try to sway on one way or the other.
If you are going to secondary, yes, it is possible to transfer too early -- of course, you don't want to move off the yeast while you're still fermenting, but even after active fermentation has slowed down, the yeast are still metabolizing various by-products which can leave off flavors if you don't give the yeast time to clean up after itself.
The best way to know when you're done fermenting is to take two hydrometer readings a couple days apart; if you get the same SG, you're probably done (but you probably still wanna give the yeast several days to "clean up" before you transfer).
If you are going to secondary, yes, it is possible to transfer too early -- of course, you don't want to move off the yeast while you're still fermenting, but even after active fermentation has slowed down, the yeast are still metabolizing various by-products which can leave off flavors if you don't give the yeast time to clean up after itself.
The best way to know when you're done fermenting is to take two hydrometer readings a couple days apart; if you get the same SG, you're probably done (but you probably still wanna give the yeast several days to "clean up" before you transfer).
masterfool101
Well-Known Member
Most kit instructions will tell you to do a primary for 5-7 days, then secondary for a week or two . . . it's based on outdated information on how yeast works. It's also based on their desire to sell you more kits (if you shift and bottle faster, you'll have more room freed up to brew more).
The truth is, beer operates on a bit slower schedule, and you just can't rush it. 3 weeks is pretty normal for a good fermentation . . . even after you've reached your FG, your yeast are still working to "clean up" your beer, eating all those secondary and intermediate compounds they produce on their way to making alcohol.
Also, yeast operate on their own schedule . . . some beers will reach FG in just a few days . . . others a week. Sometimes it takes a month. The only way to REALLY know if fermentation has finished is to take a gravity reading with your hydrometer.
Generally, I start testing for FG at about 2 weeks. I take one sample at 2 weeks, then another 3-4 days later. Provided those samples are the same gravity, I know I'm done fermenting . . . and I generally schedule my bottling for the next weekend (more time in the fermenter won't hurt your beer! Bulk aging helps, almost always!).
The truth is, beer operates on a bit slower schedule, and you just can't rush it. 3 weeks is pretty normal for a good fermentation . . . even after you've reached your FG, your yeast are still working to "clean up" your beer, eating all those secondary and intermediate compounds they produce on their way to making alcohol.
Also, yeast operate on their own schedule . . . some beers will reach FG in just a few days . . . others a week. Sometimes it takes a month. The only way to REALLY know if fermentation has finished is to take a gravity reading with your hydrometer.
Generally, I start testing for FG at about 2 weeks. I take one sample at 2 weeks, then another 3-4 days later. Provided those samples are the same gravity, I know I'm done fermenting . . . and I generally schedule my bottling for the next weekend (more time in the fermenter won't hurt your beer! Bulk aging helps, almost always!).
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