Primary to Secondary question

[RookieBrewer55]

Hello everyone!

Looking to see if someone can help me with knowing when to transfer my beer from my primary to secondary (carboy). It's been sitting in the primary for 72 hours and is looking pretty good. any help would be appreciated.

 

[Pkrd]

You generally don't need to secondary at all. You beer will ferment out fine in the primary.

 

[RookieBrewer55]

That's what I've heard but I'm going to anyways just because I'm following the instructions since it's my first brew. Do you know when I would know to rack it to the carboy?

 

[skw]

Don't follow the instructions on that step, it's not necessary.

However, should you insist on a secondary anyway: You rack it when primary fermentation is over, that is when the gravity of the beer is low enough and stable over about three consecutive days.

Do not rack it when it stops bubbling, do not rack it when the yeast has dropped and the surface is clear. Those signs are not an indication of a finished fermentation.

Then again: Don't rack to secondary. There is no need for that, and this being your first brew, don't make it any more complicated than necessary.

 

[GrogNerd]

Don't follow the instructions on that step, it's not necessary.

However, should you insist on a secondary anyway: You rack it when primary fermentation is over, that is when the gravity of the beer is low enough and stable over about three consecutive days.

Do not rack it when it stops bubbling, do not rack it when the yeast has dropped and the surface is clear. Those signs are not an indication of a finished fermentation.

Then again: Don't rack to secondary. There is no need for that, and this being your first brew, don't make it any more complicated than necessary.

agree with skw on every point he makes here

good luck with this and all future brews & welcome to the obsession!

 

[RookieBrewer55]

Don't follow the instructions on that step, it's not necessary.

However, should you insist on a secondary anyway: You rack it when primary fermentation is over, that is when the gravity of the beer is low enough and stable over about three consecutive days.

Do not rack it when it stops bubbling, do not rack it when the yeast has dropped and the surface is clear. Those signs are not an indication of a finished fermentation.

Then again: Don't rack to secondary. There is no need for that, and this being your first brew, don't make it any more complicated than necessary.

if the gravity readings are correct on the chart I have for the specific beer that is when I can rack it? thanks for your help

 

[RookieBrewer55]

agree with skw on every point he makes here

good luck with this and all future brews & welcome to the obsession!

sorry for all the dumb questions. I don't really understand why it says I need to rack it to the carboy if I don't really have too. will it ruin the beer by opening the primary and racking it or something? I also have to put the airlock on it as I don't have a space for it on my primary bucket. If I do end up racking it do I siphon all of the liquid except for the bottom layer? I heard you don't want the sediment from the bottom of the primary.

 

[eadavis80]

To rack or not to rack...that is the question.

Don't we all remember our first brews? Don't we remember the anxiety making sure everything went according to the directions printed with the kit? Don't we remember being confused because advice on beer forums often times contradicted the instructions on the beer's kit?

I rack all my beers, but it's not necessary like others say. There is a CHANCE for oxidation when you rack. However, as long as you're careful not to splash the beer around, that shouldn't happen. Racking has a few benefits: 1) it opens up the primary so you can BREW AGAIN - one of the few things everyone on this forum will agree is always a good thing 2) Many claim racking will help clear your beer. Now non-rackers will say leaving the beer in the primary for 3-4 weeks will allow the yeast to clean up after itself and that will result in a clearer beer as well. This very well might be true. As I have stated, I have never NOT racked. However, when I do rack, every time there is a layer of stuff left in the primary that you would not want in the bottled beer. And, when you bottle and transfer your secondary's contents to the bottling bucket, you'll again leave a bunch of nasty stuff you would not want in your finished beer. So, I just feel it helps promote a "clean" beer. Is it "cleaner" than a 3-4 week primary beer? I honestly don't know, but I'm happy with the results.

Many will claim they never go to secondary unless they're dry hopping, adding fruit or adding some other kinds of additions.

In short, you'll find what works for you. And everyone on here is cool and just posts what works for them.

Brewing beer is like a golf swing - everyone has their own way of doing things and no two techniques are really identical. Yet, everyone tries to help each other out.

 

[RookieBrewer55]

Thank you very much for your reply.

 

[skw]

if the gravity readings are correct on the chart I have for the specific beer that is when I can rack it? thanks for your help

I understand you're impatient. I had that with my first brew, and I still have it with my current brews. I haven't pitched yeast yet, but I want it bottled and carbonated right now!

Patience helps. I haven't had any beer go bad because I took too much time, but I've made beers that didn't reach their potential because I rushed them. 72hrs you say? In general, I take the first gravity reading not before 4 days after pitching, then the second reading 3 days later, which means I don't move a beer before a least a week has passed (assuming gravity hasn't changed between the two readings). Especially if your secondary doesn't have much head space, don't move too early, as sometimes you can get a second layer of foam come up after racking.

Whether to secondary or not, that's up to you. In my limited experience, it does help clearing the beer a bit faster, but you can reach the same clarity without the secondary. Whatever can settle, will settle eventually - in primary, in secondary or in the bottle. I doubt there's anything that happens to beer only in a secondary fermenter that would not happen to the beer in the primary or bottle.

 

[RookieBrewer55]

Everyone is so helpful on here! This brewing stuff is exciting and I agree patience is key. I'll wait for a couple more days before I do a gravity reading

 

[Puddlethumper]

To rack or not to rack...that is the question.

Brewing beer is like a golf swing - everyone has their own way of doing things and no two techniques are really identical. Yet, everyone tries to help each other out.

+1 to an excellent post.

I use a secondary vessel quite frequently, but not in the traditional "secondary fermenter" role. After getting better acquainted with the practices of professional brewers I have chosen to try to follow their ideas and have been very happy with the improvements in the finished beer.

Once the initial fermentation has completed, as indicated by gravity readings, I will almost always move the beer to a secondary vessel. This gets the beer off of the yeast cake. I think that leaving the beer on the yeast too long tends to dull the flavors. And the longer you leave the beer on the yeast the more impact it has on the finished flavor of the beer. So getting the beer off of the yeast helps preserve the brightness of the flavors.

The secondary vessel is where I'll dry hop and/or cold crash and/or add finings. The beer that is then racked to the keg is as clear and free of sediment as possible. But this technique only works if you have excellent control over fermentation temperatures. If the beer got a little warm during fermentation you may need another week or so to let the yeast clean up the off-flavors those warm temperatures created.