First IPA - several questions

[biker2035]

I made the recipe seen here. Though with different liquid yeast.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f69/hop-juice-imperial-ipa-24919/

I put into the primary fermenter, 5 gal carboy, and within 12 hours it was gushing, so figured out I needed a blow off tube. All went well. It has been 10 days now and I still get bubbling every 15 seconds. I have not made beer in many years and it seems that it is kinda the norm to not use a secondary.

Several questions- Is it ready for the secondary fermenter or wait longer for the bubbling to stop? I didn't know what I was doing with the gravity readings, so I took it with just the cooled wort. I know this is wrong now,(it read potential 18%), should I take it now to get an idea of the reading? Right now it is in the glass 5 gal carboy. If I put into the secondary bucket, how do I add the bottling primer to the mixture and not mix up the stuff that will inevitably be on the bottom? SHould I leave it in the primary? And if so, should I wait on the dry hopping until a couple of days before bottling?

I have not made any beer in over 10 years and have forgotten most of what I knew, thanks so much for the help

 

[Bowtiebrewery]

I made the recipe seen here. Though with different liquid yeast.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f69/hop-juice-imperial-ipa-24919/

I put into the primary fermenter, 5 gal carboy, and within 12 hours it was gushing, so figured out I needed a blow off tube. All went well. It has been 10 days now and I still get bubbling every 15 seconds. I have not made beer in many years and it seems that it is kinda the norm to not use a secondary.

Several questions- Is it ready for the secondary fermenter or wait longer for the bubbling to stop? I didn't know what I was doing with the gravity readings, so I took it with just the cooled wort. I know this is wrong now,(it read potential 18%), should I take it now to get an idea of the reading? Right now it is in the glass 5 gal carboy. If I put into the secondary bucket, how do I add the bottling primer to the mixture and not mix up the stuff that will inevitably be on the bottom? SHould I leave it in the primary? And if so, should I wait on the dry hopping until a couple of days before bottling?

I have not made any beer in over 10 years and have forgotten most of what I knew, thanks so much for the help

If you are dry hopping I typically do not dry hop for longer than 1 week, so What I would suggest is to do this... Take a gravity reading now... See where you are in respect to anticipated Finishing Gravity. If you are 10 days in there is really no harm in keeping it in there for a few more days.

Secondly, Secondary is not necessary even with Dry Hopping. If you have the headspace and your timing works out, just throw your dry hop additions into your primary and raise the temperature ever-so slightly... If you are at 64 maybe go to 70 degrees. for 5 days and then cold crash for 2 days.

If you don't have the headspace, go ahead and transfer to a secondary fermenter and rack the beer ontop of the hops. Do above steps.

Then when you are ready to bottle transfer to your bottling bucket and add priming sugar.

Either method will ensure that you don't have dry hop matter (or large amounts of it) in your bottling bucket, but the first method requires an additional carboy/fermenter that is not your bottling bucket.

Cheers.

 

[mrgrimm101]

I let my beer go for 3-4 weeks in primary, then dry hop (if at all), then bottle. I do not transfer to secondary anymore, but ever brewer has a different preference with transferring to secondary. It's not a "secondary fermenter", as fermentation would be complete before transferring it. Rather it is just a secondary vessel.

I dry hop for 7-10 days. It is said that too long and the hops will impart a grassy, plant-like aroma and flavor.

When you bottle, you have to transfer your beer to a bottling/priming bucket that has a spigot on the side of it. DO NOT just pour the beer in..you have to use a racking cane or autosiphon. Add your priming solution to the bottom of the bottling bucket and then coil your hose in the bottom of the bottling bucket, and then rack the beer to the bucket so that it goes in a swirling motion to get mixed up.

Lastly, everyone suggests cold crashing, but what if you don't have a fridge with room for a 5-6.5 gallon bucket or carboy?!

 

[biker2035]

Thank you for the help and suggestions. They are perfect. I am just gonna keep it in the primary which will be 2 weeks tomorrow, dry hop this weekend and then bottle next weekend. It is very hazy right now still, is that likely to clear after another week? Cold crashing - I don't have the capability to do this, though it sounds like it would clear it nicely. Any other techniques to clear it?

 

[mrgrimm101]

Time in primary is said to help clear it up. It gives the yeast more time to settle. Plus time in the bottle. You still may end up with hazy beer but i bet it will taste good :beer: