Brewed an India Black Ale last weekend and now have questions.

[Rys06Tbss]

This is my second batch of beer. The first being an American Pale Ale. I just bottled that on 12/16. The batch of beer in question was made on 12/9. I need to transfer to a secondary and dry hop 2 oz of hops. I was planning on doing this sunday. The question I have is should I wait for it to stop bubbling. As of right now, my air lock burps every 5 seconds still. Im sure that will change by Sunday, but do I need to wait? I also have a line at top which appears to be yeast?

I should wait for this to fall out before I do anything else right?

 

[DonMagee]

Check your gravity with a hydrometer. If the gravity reading has not changed in 3 days of testing, your fermentation is complete and you can move it to a secondary container.

 

[jkendal]

This is my second batch of beer. The first being an American Pale Ale. I just bottled that on 12/16. The batch of beer in question was made on 12/9. I need to transfer to a secondary and dry hop 2 oz of hops. I was planning on doing this sunday. The question I have is should I wait for it to stop bubbling. As of right now, my air lock burps every 5 seconds still. Im sure that will change by Sunday, but do I need to wait? I also have a line at top which appears to be yeast?

I should wait for this to fall out before I do anything else right?

Yes, give it 10 days at the very least. Two weeks in primary is even better.

 

[Rys06Tbss]

But I should wait till fermentation is done? Does that mean no air lock activity too? 2 weeks will be Sunday. Hopefully everything is done by then. I would like to get this transfered before the madness that is christmas begins.

 

[SavoryChef]

The only way to tell if fermentation is complete is checking your gravity, as stated above. Yes wait until fermentation is done to rack.

 

[DonMagee]

But I should wait till fermentation is done? Does that mean no air lock activity too?

Air lock activity is not a sign of fermentation, it is a sign of CO2 gas being expelled which is a symptom of fermentation.

The only way to know fermentation is complete is to check your gravity with a hydrometer. When you get a stable reading for multiple days you will know fermentation is complete.

A cheat would be to just wait 3 weeks as most beers will be more than finished by that time.

 

[jkendal]

I just realized you brewed this exactly 10 days ago. If it's still actively fermenting then wait until it slows down. Once it slows down, give it a few more days. I let mine go for 2 weeks at the very least - sometimes 3. Don't forget to take gravity readings.

 

[jkendal]

Air lock activity is not a sign of fermentation, it is a sign of CO2 gas being expelled which is a symptom of fermentation.

The only way to know fermentation is complete is to check your gravity with a hydrometer. When you get a stable reading for multiple days you will know fermentation is complete.

A cheat would be to just wait 3 weeks as most beers will be more than finished by that time.

What Don said.....

 

[C-Rider]

When is stabalizes you can dry hop in the fermenter. no need to move to secondary unless you need the fermenter.

 

[n00b]

Air lock activity is not a sign of fermentation, it is a sign of CO2 gas being expelled which is a symptom of fermentation.

The only way to know fermentation is complete is to check your gravity with a hydrometer. When you get a stable reading for multiple days you will know fermentation is complete.

A cheat would be to just wait 3 weeks as most beers will be more than finished by that time.

If the fermenter does not have a spigot, is it okay to quickly unscrew the top and siphon some beer into a test jar to use the hydrometer or will that ruin the batch? I'm trying to figure out how to test the gravity of the beer with my hydrometer without risking ruining the batch.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Rys06Tbss]

If the fermenter does not have a spigot, is it okay to quickly unscrew the top and siphon some beer into a test jar to use the hydrometer or will that ruin the batch? I'm trying to figure out how to test the gravity of the beer with my hydrometer without risking ruining the batch.

Any help would be appreciated.

I used a wine theif for my last batch. Works great

 

[the_trout]

I use a wine thief also but I suppose a siphon would be ok. Just make sure you sanitize anything that is going to come into contact with your beer. Also, dont pour your sample back in. Its not worth the contamination risk. I always taste my samples to help understand how the beer develops.

 

[rodwha]

I just give my IPA's 3 weeks before I transfer for dry hopping the last week.
Curious, is it called an IBA or black IPA?

 

[dickproenneke]

Curious, is it called an IBA or black IPA?

I'm no expert but I think it's called American Black Ale...
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/175

I brewed up a black IPA, CDA, ABA, whatever ya wanna call it on 12/5 and it's still fermenting away 14 days later. In my case, I'm probably gonna leave it in the primary for 4 weeks and then DH for 7days.

Let us know how yours turns out! Cheers

 

[Rys06Tbss]

India Black Ale. Or American style India Black Ale. Or Cascadian Dark Ale. I really dont care what its called as long as its damn good!

 

[dickproenneke]

I really dont care what its called as long as its damn good!

Words to live by :rockin:

 

[rodwha]

Indeed!

 

[jkendal]

I'm no expert but I think it's called American Black Ale...
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/175

I brewed up a black IPA, CDA, ABA, whatever ya wanna call it on 12/5 and it's still fermenting away 14 days later. In my case, I'm probably gonna leave it in the primary for 4 weeks and then DH for 7days.

Let us know how yours turns out! Cheers

I thought the 'official' name was Cascadian Dark Ale. That's what I read in BYO magazine, anyway.....

 

[jkendal]

India Black Ale. Or American style India Black Ale. Or Cascadian Dark Ale. I really dont care what its called as long as its damn good!

True...

 

[D_Nyholm]

If you don't want to use a siphon or don't have a wine thief, just use a sanitized turkey baster. It will take a few dips to fill up your hydrometer test jar, but it works. I used one for my first 10 or so batches before getting a wine thief.

 

[jkendal]

If you don't want to use a siphon or don't have a wine thief, just use a sanitized turkey baster. It will take a few dips to fill up your hydrometer test jar, but it works. I used one for my first 10 or so batches before getting a wine thief.

Just make sure that the end of it will reach the liquid. It's easy if you use buckets for fermenting - not so easy for carboys.....

 

[Biffs_Brew]

If the fermenter does not have a spigot, is it okay to quickly unscrew the top and siphon some beer into a test jar to use the hydrometer or will that ruin the batch? I'm trying to figure out how to test the gravity of the beer with my hydrometer without risking ruining the batch.

Any help would be appreciated.

Anything that touches your beer should be sanitized. Air exposure is a very minor threat. So sanitize the siphon tube or whatever you are going to use to retrieve the beer from your fermenter and do not return the liquid to the batch after your test. You will use a very small amount of beer for the test if you use a graduated cylinder.

 

[Effingbeer]

I think it's worth mentioning that "secondary fermentor" is a confusing term to a lot of people. The instructions in kits do people a misdeed because a short jump in logic is: moving to secondary is adding a second fermentation step. In fact, moving beer out of primary actually HALTS fermentation. I wish they would change the term to "bright tank" or "clearing vessel"
Sometimes yeast rip through a beer and drop out clear; sometimes even the same strain can take much longer. PLUS: when you think it's done, wait a couple more days! You will be glad you did.

 

[JordanThomas]

I thought the 'official' name was Cascadian Dark Ale. That's what I read in BYO magazine, anyway.....

I thought it was "Beverage that has alcohol and hops and malted grain and looks dark in color and is usually carbonated and chilled"

To each his own.

 

[n00b]

I think it's worth mentioning that "secondary fermentor" is a confusing term to a lot of people. The instructions in kits do people a misdeed because a short jump in logic is: moving to secondary is adding a second fermentation step. In fact, moving beer out of primary actually HALTS fermentation. I wish they would change the term to "bright tank" or "clearing vessel"
Sometimes yeast rip through a beer and drop out clear; sometimes even the same strain can take much longer. PLUS: when you think it's done, wait a couple more days! You will be glad you did.

I know this is going to be a dumb question, but i'm new to this. Can you give me a high level explanation of secondary fermentation? The kits that I have use only use a primary fermenter and then go straight to the bottle. I've seen a lot of videos and other post that move beer from a carboy to a secondary fermenter and I'm not sure of the benefit or when you would do this.

Thanks!

 

[rodwha]

I'll let someone more knowledgeable than I explain the thought on autolysis.
Many believe that it's not necessary to do a secondary unless you plan on aging your beer for a while to possibly when adding fruits or dry hopping.
It's also thought to help clear your beer too if I'm not mistaken.
The only time I do a secondary is when i dry hop an IPA or when I'll be making a barleywine.
If you choose to do a secondary then you'd want to wait 2 or more weeks when fermentation is done.

 

[Effingbeer]

Some people will transfer beer to a clean vessel and add things like fruit or honey. This provides additional sugar to ferment. Unless you filter, there are still a lot of yeast in a clear beer. the yeast wakes up and gets back to work. Now you have a secondary fermentation. Also, I often transfer to a clean vessel to dry hop (but no fermentation occurs).
Racking to a secondary on "normal" beers is mainly to allow you to get the majority of the beer off of the spent yeast and left over trub.
Many folks find that there is no need to secondary unless you are adding something to the beer (Fruit, hops, spices) another advantage is that there is one less chance to contaminate your beer with bacteria, wild yeast, or oxygen.

 

[jkendal]

I thought it was "Beverage that has alcohol and hops and malted grain and looks dark in color and is usually carbonated and chilled"

To each his own.

Smart ass.



"Well, my ass DID go to school with the rest of me..."

 

[dickproenneke]

I thought the 'official' name was Cascadian Dark Ale. That's what I read in BYO magazine, anyway.....

I like the term "Cascadian Dark Ale". It's quite poetic and really rolls off the tongue nicely... Here's a list of styles from this year's GABF - #63, American-style black ale. Crumby name but it tis what it tis.

 

[Rys06Tbss]

So should I transfer to a secondary or not. I was going to make a wine tonight in my glass carboy. I do have a bucket though that I can secondary in

 

[n00b]

So should I transfer to a secondary or not. I was going to make a wine tonight in my glass carboy. I do have a bucket though that I can secondary in

From the videos I watched and from all the feedback, I think a secondary is only needed if you are adding hops, spices or fruits into the beer and even then, it is not necessarily needed, the same can be done in the primary fermenter as long as you ensure the yeast has settled out.

 

[rodwha]

I don't know if it is necessary or not, but the thought is that it's a good idea when dry hopping. If you'll be doing so I'd say do it as it certainly won't hurt. Or you can try it without and report your findings to us!

 

[rodwha]

Dry hopping seems to be the one time (along with adding fruits and whatnot) that nobody seems to say it's not worth the effort.

 

[BGBC]

So should I transfer to a secondary or not. I was going to make a wine tonight in my glass carboy. I do have a bucket though that I can secondary in

Why not make the wine in the bucket and let the beer continue sitting in the carboy?

 

[Effingbeer]

Do NOT secondary in a bucket! They do not seal well. Your beer is now more sensitive to oxygen than ever. I promise if you put it in a bucket for a couple weeks you will have carbonated Band-aid flavored beer. Or cardboard.
Buckets are great primaries for both beer and wine. This is because the massive amounts of CO2 released protects it. Always transfer to something air tight with the smallest volume of air left over in the top that you possibly can. (No "headspace")

 

[Rys06Tbss]

I'll just make the wine in the bucket then. I wasn't sure if there was a reason to secondary in glass or now. I do have an extra better bottle. But I kinda wanted to reserve that for another batch of beer

 

[rodwha]

"Do NOT secondary in a bucket! They do not seal well."

Is it possible they seal well enough?

I've only dry hopped a couple of times, in a bucket with several inches of head space, and I haven't noticed anything terrible. Not to say it couldn't have been better...

 

[Effingbeer]

Yes. It is possible to get a good seal. But buckets can be inconsistent this way. A good example is the popular HBT quote: "air lock activity is not a sign of fermentation" often because gas escapes from the lid and not forced through the lock.
One of the great things about beer is that it CAN be a very forgiving process. But why take the risk? I don't want to dismiss individual experience, but there are many easy and FREE "best practices" that can make the difference between a good beer and a great beer.

 

[abrix]

Seals aside, plastic is permeable to oxygen, so there is some risk of beer hanging out in a bucket to slowly oxidize, even if the lid seal is great.

 

[rodwha]

"But buckets can be inconsistent this way. A good example is the popular HBT quote: "air lock activity is not a sign of fermentation" often because gas escapes from the lid and not forced through the lock."

I have one that won't bubble the airlock. After several days I pulled the bung and looked. It was certainly fermenting despite never having bubbled. I won't be buying another of their buckets...(I like the bubbling!)