How clear can I expect

[mattmuir]

Hi all, I just racked a American Cream Ale (first batch ever) to a secondary after 5 days under advice from my local store. I was very careful not to bring along the trub and the beer looks like apple cider now. How clear can I expect this to get? I was told to leave it in the BB for a week than bottle. I would like to say that I have the best intentions to not drink for a few weeks but that will never happen on the first batck.

I have a Blue Moon Clone ready to go today that my wife picked out. Thats why the rush to the secondary. All I read says keep the pipeline cranking.

Thanks, Matt

 

[cheezydemon3]

Patience young jedi.

How clear do you want?

I personally couldn't care less.

If you want to use gelatin and finings and filter and all of that, it can get fairly clear.

 

[JohnnyO]

Hey Matt,

Patience is your friend. It will clear up in the secondary, but you should leave it in there longer than a week. The rule of thumb is one week in primary, two in secondary and three in the bottles.

I would advise you to read more in the forums here, and listen less to the guys at the LHBS. His business relies on you coming back for more supplies. So, he is going to tell you to get it transferred quick so that you brew more.

At five days in primary, you may have achieved full fermentation but it is not likely. Let it sit for two weeks in the secondary.

That being said, I'm sure that your beer will turn out just fine. Just, when you be patient with it, it turns out even better.

 

[Captain Damage]

Many of us here will tell you that your local store told you to rack it way too soon. Most more experienced brewers leave their ales in the primary for 2-4 weeks, then either straight to bottles or move to "secondary" for up to a week first (it's really not a secondary in this case, it's a "bright tank,"). But it'll be okay. If fermentation is not finished, it will continue in your secondary.

You should use your hydrometer as your guide, not the guy at the store's arbitrary schedule. As a rule, you don't want to move or otherwise mess with your beer until it's reached terminal gravity. Even after that, most of us find the beer is improved if we leave it sitting there on the yeast for another week or two.

BTW, you'll probably have some chill haze in the bottles for the 1st 2 weeks or so. Just keep them in the fridge and the chill haze will eventually drop out.

 

[XXguy]

... when you be patient with it, it turns out even better.

Quoted for Truth. Especially if you like a nice clear beer, patience is the key.

The biggest thing I learned when I came to this forum was that I was pushing my beer along way too quick. Give it time, the beer will reward you.

 

[mattmuir]

6 weeks! I am sure that some green beer may be tasted or I will need way more buckets and BB'S

 

[Nurmey]

It might be best if you ask HERE before listening to your LHBS. Five days to secondary is terrible advice because you yeast was no where close to being finished with its job.

Fermentation is the first chore, then the yeast cleans up its waste (remove off flavors), then it starts to clear your beer. This process usually takes about 3 weeks at which time you can bottle. I leave all my beers AT LEAST 4 weeks in primary before bottling or moving to secondary but I like my beers conditioned before drinking.

This is the hardest process for a new brewer, particularly on the first batch. No, you didn't ruin your beer but it won't be as good as it could be. Trust me, we all understand your impatience but we want you to make beer that you won't be disappointed in and can brag to your friends about.

 

[northernlad]

You will need way more buckets and BB's.
At least a week in primary before you touch it. Being a Cream Ale, there is no reason to secondary, you should have left it and done the primary ferm for your next batch in what you transfered your Cream Ale to. 3 weeks total. If you are not dry hopping or adding fruit, etc, secondary is unnecessary.
I grew AG and use Whirlfloc. After bottle condtioning for 3 weeks or so and a week or so in the fridge I get commercial clear beer.
It is all about time. And fun. Make sure you have fun.

 

[mattmuir]

Thanks all. The local brew store said this was a very simple light beer that was perfect for the first batch. He also said that more complex brews would take much longer. He also said on the first attempt to leave the Hydro alone and to concentrate on keeping every thing clean. I know that the airlock is not the best way to judge fermentation but the bubbles were very very slow after 3 days of 1 per second or so. I have seen some activity (can now see in the BB) but no new krausen has formed. Smells great!

 

[Captain Damage]

It's really common for local stores to way under estimate how long your beer will take. A lot of it is they don't want to scare new customers away. But there's also an opportunity for them to sell you something to "improve" you beer, even though all it really needed was a little more time.

Once you taste what that extra time does to your beer, you'll know it's worth it.

BTW, I should have mentioned chill haze is purely a cosmetic issue. Your beer is good to drink while you're waiting for it to drop out.

 

[Captain Damage]

He also said on the first attempt to leave the Hydro alone

I know I'm not the only one who will say this is the 2nd piece of less-than-perfect advice he gave you. I'm certain that he means well and he's trying to ease you into the hobby and is probably wary of scaring you away with a lot of technical jargon and measurements . But your hydrometer is the only window you have into what's really going on. After the kraeusen falls, it's still fermenting - just not as vigorously as before. So you probably won't get a new kraeusen in your 2ndary. But

 

[mattmuir]

Captain, I think you are right about the KISS approach. He said I will certainly make beer and to really focus on the clean factor. He also said that if it did not turn out he would replace the kit for free. He wants all to have a positive 1st time. He did say to use the Hydro on the next try after I learned the ropes on the easy batch. I was informed that I would not need a secondary, it would help with clarity and to get the beer off the yucky stuff. His concerne was noobs have a hard time with the 1st pour/siphon of the wort and bring too much trub.

ps: I feel all grown up with all the real beer terms like krausen and wort

 

[Captain Damage]

Until just the past couple of years the conventional wisdom said to get the beer off the primary yeastcake as soon as possible. But recently we've gone back on that advice and we're finding that the yeast cleans up a lot of byproducts and imperfections if you give it an extra week or two - there have even been reports of batches left on the yeast for a couple of months and coming out fine. This is a really recent change in technique and it's a little controversial, but our results have been very consistent. It has to do with improvements in the health and quality of the yeast now available.

 

[northernlad]

One can see the LBHS dude's points but where it differs from common practice, at least around here, is:
1) You want to use your hydrometer to take 3 consecutive readings of your primary to make sure your FG is stable and your fermentation is complete. If you made an extract kit the OG is what it is and there isn't any reason to measure it so that may have been what he was saying when he told you not to worry about the hydro.
2) Genereally speaking, everyone around here leaves their beer on the yeast for 2-4 weeks. Nobody secondaries beer if they aren't dry hopping or adding something to it. And even then a secondary isn't critical. I just dry hopped my primary the other day. Clear beer comes with TIME.

The bubbles you saw after you racked to secondary were CO2 bubble being released from the beer.