English Brown ale to keg without secondary.

[kvess]

I have had a brown ale that has been in the primary for 7 days and I took a reading and was at 1.012 which is the target finishing gravity. The sample looked very clear in the tube. My question is can I rack this to the keg, cool it and add gelatin and let it sit for a week carbing. Im trying to skip the secondary. The sample tasted awesome!!!!!!

Thanks
Brian

 

[theonetrueruss]

Skipping the secondary is fine though I would leave it in the primary for a few more days at least to allow the yeast to do some cleanup. Then cool it down as fast as you can in your fermenter (crash cooling) for a day or so, then keg it up. Gelatin is optional but won't hurt anything.

At the very least you need to sit a couple days and take another reading just to be sure it is really finished and not going lower. 7 days is a pretty short fermentation.

 

[kvess]

Thats great. I was wondering if there needed to be anymore time for cleanup. I do plan to use the gelatin. Heard mixed reviews about using gelatin on darker beers.

 

[smokinghole]

What yeast did you use? I have found that SO4 will appear to be finished after 7 days but it will go another 2-4 gravity points over a weeks time. I have bottled two SO4 fermented beers after a week time and both ended up carbed much higher than the sugar addition allowed. So this time with my ESB I'm letting it ferment a week and then I'm just racking it to a cask on day seven and letting that provide my carbonation. I might even rack it on day six.

 

[kvess]

I used s04 in one carboy and 1099 whitbread in the other. The s04 actually reads 1.009. I will let it sit for 5 more days. The whitbread reads 1.012 which was the estimated finishing gravity.

 

[Dr. Francois]

At the very least you need to sit a couple days and take another reading just to be sure it is really finished and not going lower. 7 days is a pretty short fermentation.

Good advice overall, but I find the Whitbread Dry strain does better without this "cleanup" allowance. It drops clear so fast, the extra time clears desireable flavors and creates a much more neutral profile, leaving the finished product much closer to Chico. I suppose it depends on what flavor you're after.

I recommend crash cooling shortly after FG to "lock in" the English flavor profile.

YMMV

 

[phoenixs4r]

Taste it. If its good, keg and drink.

 

[kvess]

It tastes really good and it was clear in the hydrometer tube. I think I might rack it tomorrow.

Thanks
Brian Vess

 

[kvess]

Here is a pic of my beer. IT was crystal clear without gelatine and very tasty.

 

[boscobeans]

Some English "REAL" ales are kegged when they are about 1 or 2 points above expected final gravity and delivered to the pubs that way. The landlord or pub owner (cellar master) tends to the final finish if any is needed before the brew is "pumped" at the bar.

bosco