2 weeks fermenting, 3 inches of krausen, ok to move to secondary?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

TkmLinus

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2018
Messages
265
Reaction score
229
Greetings and happy Saturday everyone!
I normally don't do a secondary, but this is a big beer (Tripel IPA at 1.084SG) and the instructions call to secondary for four weeks after two weeks in primary. My first attempt at this style as well. Well we are at 2 weeks and the krausen is still crazy high. I used Belgian Ardennes yeast. Do I wait for the krausen to fall or go ahead and transfer to secondary? Thanks in advance!
 

Attachments

  • image000000 (6).jpg
    image000000 (6).jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 27
I would leave it be for another week or two. The beer will tell you when it is ready. If it doesn't drop by then, take a hydrometer reading, and if it is finished, or close to it, rack it off. Sometimes just the act of a transfer will jog the particulate matter loose from the co2, and it will clear up faster.

It appears you have it in some sort of temp control. Yeast slows down in cooler temps, so don't rush it. By now, you could move it into room temperatures without any issues, as the majority of yeast activity is over.

I've had Belgians, (Westmale strain) that will finish, but the krauzen never falls out with out a bit of rousing. Tip it around a bit and swirl the beer some to shake it loose. With the airlock on this will not let any O2 in and could speed up clarification.
 
I would leave it be for another week or two. The beer will tell you when it is ready. If it doesn't drop by then, take a hydrometer reading, and if it is finished, or close to it, rack it off. Sometimes just the act of a transfer will jog the particulate matter loose from the co2, and it will clear up faster.

It appears you have it in some sort of temp control. Yeast slows down in cooler temps, so don't rush it. By now, you could move it into room temperatures without any issues, as the majority of yeast activity is over.

I've had Belgians, (Westmale strain) that will finish, but the krauzen never falls out with out a bit of rousing. Tip it around a bit and swirl the beer some to shake it loose. With the airlock on this will not let any O2 in and could speed up clarification.
Thanks! I have my next brew warming up to boil as I write this so either way this one was going to get taken out of the fermentation chamber. I'll give it another week before I worry about checking gravity.
 
If your ideal fermentation temperature is about room temperature and things have slowed down enough, you can probably move it out of your fridge to make room for the next batch.
 
I never secondary no matter what the OG is. I have left 1.090+ beers in primary for up to a month before kegging. What are your reasons for using a secondary other than the instructions said so?
 
I never secondary no matter what the OG is. I have left 1.090+ beers in primary for up to a month before kegging. What are your reasons for using a secondary other than the instructions said so?
The OP says he doesn't normally secondary, but is having problems with floculation and clarification. Rousing, Transferring, cold temps and time are all ways to achieve these goals. Whether you secondary or not, is not the Issue. I have also left beer in the primary for a month or more, but with a problem beer that will just not clear, Transfering and cold will almost always clear it in just a few days. It is must be, IMHO, the movment and activity that knocks the CO2 out of solution, leaving the fine particulate mater nothing to latch on to. Also, sometimes the Krausen remains after the yeast is done. Activity and rousing will allow this to drop.
 
I never secondary no matter what the OG is. I have left 1.090+ beers in primary for up to a month before kegging. What are your reasons for using a secondary other than the instructions said so?
Basically since the instructions called for it, and I wanted to see what the deal with using a secondary is, figured this was the beer to try it on. Also I need the larger carboy for an upcoming brew, so I figure since headspace won't be an issue I can age the beer in my empty 5 gallon carboy.
 
The krausen dropped yesterday and my Tripel is now hanging in my 5 gallon carboy. My large carboy is now ready for the big brew day on May 1st!
 
Back
Top