First Porter - quick question

[tu22mike]

Put a Scuttlebutt porter clone in the secondary fermenter last Saturday (7 days ago). Didn't check it for the first five days or so, but I've seen no bubbling in the airlock at all. Gravity was 1.020 when I transferred it to the carboy after three days. So the question is, should I keg it and let it condition cold in the fridge? Or let it condition in the carboy? I'm hesitant to open it up and check the gravity, but I have a feeling that's what I should do!

 

[BBL_Brewer]

So it's only been fermenting for a total of 10 days? If so I would let it condition for a couple more weeks before you keg it up.

 

[Calder]

Why transfer at 3 days? You really should leave it a week, probably more like 2 weeks minimum before touching it.

I suspect it was still working when you transferred. It is probably done now, but you should leave it alone to clear a bit.

 

[tu22mike]

I transfer it once the fermentation slows way down, usually about three days in the primary fermenter. This is the first porter I've done, so I didn't know if it's typical for the fermentation to complete quicker than most other types. I did a Red Ale a few months back that bubbled every few minutes for three weeks in the secondary fermenter.

 

[Calder]

I transfer it once the fermentation slows way down, usually about three days in the primary fermenter. This is the first porter I've done, so I didn't know if it's typical for the fermentation to complete quicker than most other types. I did a Red Ale a few months back that bubbled every few minutes for three weeks in the secondary fermenter.

Why do you do it? It is not necessary. Generally you will be fine doing it that way since you will be carrying across a lot of the active yeast with the beer, but if the beer stalled due to low temperatures (and you thought it done), you would be leaving the yeast behind, and end up with a stuck fermentation.

There really is no reason to transfer the beer so quickly.

 

[Bierliebhaber]

Why do you do it? It is not necessary. Generally you will be fine doing it that way since you will be carrying across a lot of the active yeast with the beer, but if the beer stalled due to low temperatures (and you thought it done), you would be leaving the yeast behind, and end up with a stuck fermentation.

There really is no reason to transfer the beer so quickly.

+1

Especially with porters and stouts, you would be good leaving them in primary for a month+. They usually have a good amount of funk for the yeast to scrub out. The more yeast working on it the better.

 

[bleme]

That is a very interesting technique. I think i remember reading that Anheuser Busch does something very similar, moving to a bright tank as quickly as possible to free up the fermentor for another batch.

 

[Wreck99]

That is a very interesting technique. I think i remember reading that Anheuser Busch does something very similar, moving to a bright tank as quickly as possible to free up the fermentor for another batch.

That explains alot.

 

[tu22mike]

Great advice! Like I said, it's my first porter. Temp not an issue, it's in my hall closet, it's always a nice even 70 degrees. I plan on putting it in the keg after 14 days total, then chilling/carbonating in the kegerator and letting it sit for another 14 days. I tasted it when I transferred it to the carboy after three days, it was fantastic. I hope can hold out that long! Hopefully it'll turn out fine.

 

[jonnyp1980]

My porter is about a month and a half in bottles. I try one every week. It's great but it keeps improving s time goes on.

 

[mamonteiro]

I've been looking for the recipe for Scuttlebutt Porter clone. Can you post the recipe you used or a link to it? Thanks!