Low Original Gravity and when to rack

[nunnlife]

I just started a Russian Imperial Stout yesterday. It's bubbling a lot after 15 hours at a stable 65 degrees. I took the OG and got 1.062 and should have been around 1.076-1.080. Is this a significant difference?
Also how long do people recommend before I rack to secondary? I'm adding oak chips and maple syrup at secondary.

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

That's not that drastic a difference. If you hit 1.078 at 100%mash efficiency that would make your 1.062 right around 80% efficiency which is better than average. As for racking to secondary I'd give it 1.5-2 weeks to ferment. Then once you've reached your FG I'd rack to secondary then. I wouldn't rack before reaching your FG as you don't want a stuck fermentation.

 

[nunnlife]

Another new finding... Some beer came through the airlock and is continuing to bubble really fast. Is this a problem?

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

You should replace the airlock with a blowoff tube during active fermentation. If the airlock becomes clogged it can build pressure and cause the lid to blowoff the bucket or worse if in glass. Just replace the airlock with a length of tubing and run the other end into a gallon or equivalent size container and fill halfway with water and or sanitizer. Then submerge the other end of the tubing into the water/sanitizer. Basically making a larger airlock that will allow the fermentation to release pressure keeping your beer in the bucket where it belongs.

Some even just attach a piece of tubing to the center post of a three piece airlock or if using a carboy I believe a 1"tube will fit directly in the top of the carboy without a stopper.

 

[nunnlife]

Thanks for the blow off tip. I put together what you described and it's bubbling away. I attached the end of a pen cap to the lid hold with a 1/2" tubing and put the other end into a half gallon of sanitizer. Could I just leave this on for the remainder of the primary fermentation?

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

Yeah you can leave it that way as long as you'd prefer. I usually switch out to a standard airlock after the first few days when the krausen starts to settle down, just so the blowoff water doesn't start to get funky. You could however, go the entirety of your fermentation with the blowoff in place.

You might want to sit the blowoff jug in the floor as you don't want the chance of back pressure when fermentation ceases and the temp of the beer falls to suck the jugs water into the fermenter. Small chance but I'd rather be sure to avoid it if possible.

 

[freisste]

You might want to sit the blowoff jug in the floor as you don't want the chance of back pressure when fermentation ceases and the temp of the beer falls to suck the jugs water into the fermenter. Small chance but I'd rather be sure to avoid it if possible.

+1. I've heard multiple people complain about some of their blowoff water getting into their brew (brew contracts when it cools and it will cool when fermentation settles down - contraction leads to a "negative" pressure in your fermenting bucket). If your blowoff jar is above your fermenter, you are asking not only to pull a little in, but also to create a siphon and get all of it in.

What you did is good. No worries. Just move the blowoff jar on the ground the next time you are near it and switch back to an airlock in a couple days (especially if you notice signs that your fermenter is sucking). Airlock a take roughly 5 seconds to install .