Gravity racking from primary to secondary

[BeerDuck]

For the last two batches I've done, I've been feeling that my gravity readings are way too high from primary to secondary. I haven't bottled either, yet, but something's definitely up.

I did an ESB, O.G. 1.045 (right on target), Primary to Secondary gravity 1.025.

My latest, a Dunkelweisen, did the same thing. O.G. was smack on the nose, but "racking gravity" was 1.027.

Am I doing something wrong, or is this normal and I'm freaking out about low ABV beer for nothing?

Duck

 

[rockfish42]

Don't rack until you reach terminal gravity. Some british brewers do a drop fermentation early on, but for most of us you want to stay in contact with the bulk of the yeast until it's actually finished out.

 

[BeerDuck]

And at what point do I consider it "finished out?" When I reach target FG or close enough to it? My concern is that I've been doing something wrong that's negatively impacting the beer; but I can't figure out what it is. I use a bucket of starsan for my blowoff tube to sit in, so I can be reasonably certain it isn't contaminated, but past that, I'm scratching my head at the fact that by beers just aren't finishing themselves properly.

Maybe you're right. Maybe I need to do a month, minimum, in primary for all beers, and be damned what the recipe reads.

Duck

 

[rockfish42]

You might need to examine your mash temp, ingredients or your yeast pitching rate. Would you mind posting the recipe etc.?

 

[BeerDuck]

Recipe: As-Yet-Unnamed Dunkelweizen
Brewer: Devon Bain
Asst Brewer:
Style: Dunkelweizen
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 7.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.056 SG
Estimated Color: 18.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 12.7 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.00 lb Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 50.51 %
2.75 lb Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 23.15 %
2.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 16.84 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 4.21 %
0.50 lb Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 4.21 %
0.13 lb Carafa II (412.0 SRM) Grain 1.09 %
1.00 oz Hallertauer Hersbrucker [4.00 %] (60 min)Hops 12.7 IBU
1.10 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Weihenstephan Weizen (Wyeast Labs #3068) [Yeast-Wheat


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 11.88 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 14.85 qt of water at 169.4 F 154.0 F


Notes:
------


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BeerSmith Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: British Leyland Premium Bitter
Brewer: Devon Bain
Asst Brewer:
Style: Special/Best/Premium Bitter
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 6.62 gal
Estimated OG: 1.046 SG
Estimated Color: 7.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 37.5 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 75 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 74.29 %
1.25 lb Corn, Flaked (1.3 SRM) Grain 14.29 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 5.71 %
1.25 oz Northern Brewer [7.30 %] (60 min) Hops 34.9 IBU
1.00 oz Styrian Goldings [5.40 %] (2 min) Hops 1.7 IBU
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (2 min) Hops 0.8 IBU
0.50 lb Sugar, Table (Sucrose) (1.0 SRM) Sugar 5.71 %
7.00 gal Atlanta, GA Water
1 Pkgs London ESB Ale (Wyeast Labs #1968) [StarteYeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 8.25 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 10.31 qt of water at 158.7 F 145.0 F


Notes:
------
Based off the 1968 recipe for Fuller's London Pride.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[kpr121]

How long are you letting these sit in primary now?

 

[rockfish42]

Seems like your thermometer might be off and your mash might be too hot? The recipes seem like they'd finish much lower. How long are you leaving your beer in the primary now and what is the ambient temp?