Letting sediment settle after lifting fermenter before siphoning

[tiredofbuyingbeer]

I leave my fermenter on the ground, so I have to lift it on to the kitchen counter in order to siphon it into a bottling bucket. Though I'm careful, and it's not like trub just flies everywhere, I'm sure lifting the fermenter kicks up a little bit of sediment.

To those of you who lift your fermenters before siphoning and are at least moderately concerned with having clear beer, how long do you let the sediment settle out before you rack? Someone at my LHBS recommended waiting for 24 hours. I'm not going to do that, but I wonder if it's worth waiting an hour after I lift.

In my case, I've been using not particularly flocculant yeast (S-05). I'm planning on using Biofine Clear on this batch, but I don't have the resources to do a proper cold crash. I plan on throwing a lot of frozen water bottles into the fermentation chamber (I use one of those fancy lunchbox-style bags for temp control) 24 hours or so before bottling.

 

[schatzke]

Before I head to work in the morning I put my bucket on the counter. When I get home after work I transfer. Gives it time to settle and I have no choice but to get it done since the SWMBO will give me hell if I leave a 7 gallon bucket on the kitchen counter for more than 12 hours.

 

[m1k3]

I quit using US-05 until I could cold crash. Nottingham makes a nice firm yeast cake but it's not a clean as US-05.

Winter is coming... move the fermenter outside overnight?

 

[Auger]

I usually give it 5-10min after moving, then siphon into the keg. I generally fine in the keg while carbonating, so there's going to be a lot more stuff dropping out anyway so I don't worry about it too much.

 

[tiredofbuyingbeer]

I quit using US-05 until I could cold crash. Nottingham makes a nice firm yeast cake but it's not a clean as US-05.

Winter is coming... move the fermenter outside overnight?

I live in an apartment in Philadelphia without a balcony. Someone might take it.

Joke's on them if they get cloudy beer.

 

[brewing_wessels]

I lift mine up the night before racking. I think waiting an hour is better than nothing, and what have you got to lose?

 

[pepindavid]

I usually let it settle the time it takes so organize myself (sanitize everything, prepare the surroundings, line up my bottles, etc.). I don't mind that some sediment goes in the bottling bucket. First, I have the impression that it helps (or doen't hurt, at least) carbonation, with the yeast being slightly roused back in suspension. And everything just settles again in the bottle, if you let it condition a few weeks (which I now think is a must... I am always too impatient, but anything under 3 weeks after carbonation seems that the beer hasn't hit its stride yet).

 

[bigbeergeek]

I move my fermentor first thing in a kegging session. By the time the keg is washed/sanitized I'd wager the fermentor has had 20 or so minutes to settle. I move my fermentors as gently as I can.

 

[mongoose33]

I wait about 15-20 minutes, as I purge the keg and get other things ready.

I haven't noticed anything at the bottom of the fermenter being stirred up, but I always get some of the krausen that's stuck on the side of the fermenter to come loose. I just wait until it settles.

 

[petrolSpice]

Usually 20 minutes. I lift it up and then set up my other equipment while it settles back down.

 

[DaNewf]

Like others have said, lifting the fermenter (gently as possible) is the first thing I do when I begin a bottling session. By the time I sanitize the bottles and gear and get everything in order the fermenter should be fairly settled again. This gets counter acted slightly when I tip the fermenter a little to get as much beer as I can into the bottling bucket. I'm not to worried since things will settle out in the bottle afterwards.

Lately (last 2 batches) I have cold crashed and fined with gelatin (as per Brulosopher). Last night I bottled an English Bitter and I don't think anything stirred during the whole process. Getting the trub out of the fermenter during cleaning took noticeably more effort than it has in the past. Be worth it though if I end up with a nice clear bitter in three weeks time.

 

[brewcat]

It just sits for however long it takes to get the keg sanitized. Being in a keg for a few weeks will clear anything else.

 

[jwalk4]

Yeah I don't think there is any merit to the cloudy beer argument. It settles out in the keg or bottle with enough time in the fridge. I'm sure there is a brulosophy exbeeriment out there on this subject.

In my case, 2 weeks to crystal clear beer without the use of a clarifying agent (aside from whirlfloc, that is)