Racking to a Secondary

[USAF_CAVEMAN]

I have a question...I recently brewed an American Pale Ale that one of my local brew shops recommended. They recommended that i allow it to ferment for 2-4 days and the gravity drops from 1.050 to 1.016 or less. I allowed the wort to ferment for 3 days and the gravity was below 1.016 so i racked to my secondary carboy. Before racking i noticed that my fermentation was almost non existent. I used a Wyeast pack....the 3 days it fermented it was fermenting like crazy and developed a nice krausen wring as well as a thick yeast cake on the bottom. My question is should i be worried about the fermentation? Did i rack to early? And will i have enough yeast in my secondary to all my bottles to carbonate? Thanks!

-Caveman

 

[RM-MN]

Yes, yes, and yes. You should be worried about off flavors if your beer fermented so quickly. That usually happens when fermented too warm (both items). Yes you racked too early. You removed the beer from the majority of the yeast before the yeast had a chance to clean up the byproducts. Although your beer may have been at the expected final gravity, the yeast may not have been done yet and you risk a stalled ferment. You also most likely had no need to rack to secondary at all.

With the kind of advice you got from you LHBS, you probably should look for a new LHBS.

 

[USAF_CAVEMAN]

How long do you recommend for a primary fermentation? I know this can vary...

 

[sfgoat]

How long do you recommend for a primary fermentation? I know this can vary...

I never secondary unless I am adding fruit or peppers or something like that. I usually just leave it in the primary for about 3 weeks or so and then bottle.

 

[USAF_CAVEMAN]

I def over thought this one...thus making some very fundamental mistakes...Live and Learn i guess...who knows it might taste half way decent...

 

[sfgoat]

I def over thought this one...thus making some very fundamental mistakes...Live and Learn i guess...who knows it might taste half way decent...

Eh, you made beer. They don't always end up great and your mistake may not necessarily effect the flavor too badly. RDWHAHB.

 

[BigFloyd]

How long do you recommend for a primary fermentation? I know this can vary...

Assuming that it's a medium gravity brew like yours, if you

1) pitched enough yeast - either an 11g packet of rehydrated dry yeast or a yeast starter if using liquid (plus oxygenated the wort if using liquid yeast) AND

2) pitched and fermented at an optimal temp for that yeast (in your case, probably 64-65*F)

then it will probably be done fermenting in about 10-15 days. The only way to know for sure is to take a gravity reading, take another a few days later. If they're the same and not way higher than the expected FG, it's done.

+1 on the above comments about the poor advice your LHBS gave. Primary until done and then bottle is a much better practice for almost all brews. It doesn't hurt at all to leave it in the primary 3-4 weeks (or even a bit longer).

 

[kh54s10]

I def over thought this one...thus making some very fundamental mistakes...Live and Learn i guess...who knows it might taste half way decent...

Instructions with kits are notoriously vague. You need to go by gravity, not time. Make sure the fermentation is finished by gravity readings over a period of three days. If the numbers are near the predicted levels and stable you can bottle.

I like to allow the yeast plenty of time so I ferment for 3 weeks before packaging. I also do not secondary unless there is a particular reason to do so.

I also suggest you control the temperature of the fermentation (the temperature of the wort) to the low end of the yeast's optimum range.

 

[USAF_CAVEMAN]

Thanks guys...Really wish i would have asked the question before i racked...

 

[Cider123]

Wow, they told you to rack to secondary after 2-4 days? I wonder if the person you dealt with was a brewer or a worker. Sometimes a place will hire someone to work the register and give them just enough information to make them dangerous. I saw this at one local place around here. The guy that started the business was very knowledgeable, but eventually he stopped working most hours and hired a couple of useless dudes who probably screwed up a bunch of newbies and ran the business into the hole. I don't go there anymore.

So live and learn. Enjoy your beer! Chances are it will be quite drinkable and enjoyable. Consider getting a copy of the book - Learn to brew by Palmer. A very good start for many of us. And keep browsing around here and in the archives. Have fun!

BTW +1 on letting it sit for 2-3 weeks in the primary. I go 3 weeks even though some may say that is longer than needed. It works well for me. Several of us don't even bother with a secondary. Don't consider bottling until your beer has had the same final gravity for 3 days in a row. A lot more goes on after the bubbling stops.

 

[USAF_CAVEMAN]

Cider thanks for the good advice...here is a link to there website and the brew instructions
http://www.defalcos.com/component/content/article/121.html

 

[Cider123]

Again, wow

They provide this advice too:
FERMENTATION: Single Stage - Allow wort to ferment for 7 days. Assuming your fermentation lock has stopped bubbling proceed to step #9, bottling preparations.

9. Check the specific gravity. This final gravity (F.G.) should read about 1.012 (or less). If it is more than 1.017, do not bottle until you call us!


So your expected FG is 1.012 and as long as you are between 1.012 and 1.016 they are saying you are all set to bottle after 7 days? I'm sorry, I find that to be completely irresponsible information to give new brewers. That is a shame.

 

[MaxStout]

Also beware the printed instructions that come with some kits. They tend to oversimplify the process, perhaps to make brewing appear easier and to attract new customers. I have seen many of them recommend "1 week primary, 2 weeks secondary."

As mentioned above, you need a good 3 weeks in primary to let the full amount of yeast do its thing and clean up the beer. Some strains ferment like mad for a few days and then appear to stop. But don't let that fool you into thinking it's done. It needs a few more weeks to do its job.

Most beers don't need to be racked to secondary at all.

Don't give up on your beer. It may not be perfect, but it may still be drinkable.

 

[USAF_CAVEMAN]

Thanks fellas...Also what thermometer do yall use? I used at digital therm with a probe in my mash tun and this thing seemed extremely inaccurate which i believe put me behind the power curve.

 

[MaxStout]

Thanks fellas...Also what thermometer do yall use? I used at digital therm with a probe in my mash tun and this thing seemed extremely inaccurate which i believe put me behind the power curve.

I like this one. Fast and accurate. Around $20 on Amazon.

 

[C-Rider]

I ferment for a min of 3 weeks. I never check SG during ferment. Many times I let it go 4 weeks and then when I"m ready to bottle I check for FG. Then it's 3 more weeks in bottles at 70*F. 3-3 is my general rule. I just did an Imperial Stout that sat in fermenter for 7 weeks, cold crashed for another week and bottled it today. I cold crash everything for at least a week at about 38*F just to settle the trub and keep it out of the bottles.

 

[millsbrew]

Thanks fellas...Also what thermometer do yall use? I used at digital therm with a probe in my mash tun and this thing seemed extremely inaccurate which i believe put me behind the power curve.

Thermapen. Worth the price especially if you grill as well.

 

[Beaverplt]

Hello all, Lurker here. I know this thread is a month old, but I thought I'd chime in. I've found it fascinating that many brewers don't rack to a secondary. I've always racked off to a secondary believing that I am avoiding off flavors from the sediment. I definitely don't know everything, so I'm rethinking that. Considering that the sediment consists of everything still suspended in the wort after racking into the primary, I'm wondering what "off flavors" could there be. If anything, wouldn't the final result be more flavorful?
The latest recipe I brewed, Caribou Slobber, came out of a NB folder at the store. It calls for 2 weeks in the primary and 6 in the secondary. I think I'm going to leave it in the primary for 6 weeks. Then I'll rack into a secondary only to avoid bottling any of the sediment.
It looks like you can teach an old beaver new tricks

 

[RM-MN]

Hello all, Lurker here. I know this thread is a month old, but I thought I'd chime in. I've found it fascinating that many brewers don't rack to a secondary. I've always racked off to a secondary believing that I am avoiding off flavors from the sediment. I definitely don't know everything, so I'm rethinking that. Considering that the sediment consists of everything still suspended in the wort after racking into the primary, I'm wondering what "off flavors" could there be. If anything, wouldn't the final result be more flavorful?
The latest recipe I brewed, Caribou Slobber, came out of a NB folder at the store. It calls for 2 weeks in the primary and 6 in the secondary. I think I'm going to leave it in the primary for 6 weeks. Then I'll rack into a secondary only to avoid bottling any of the sediment.
It looks like you can teach an old beaver new tricks

To be painfully honest, you could have yeast autolysis if you leave your beer in the primary too long. The question is, "how long is too long?" and another brewer left his beer in the primary fermenter for 8 months and he said that that wasn't too long. A couple of months seems to be no problem though.

By the time your beer has been in the primary fermenter for 6 weeks, the yeast will have compacted down to the point that you shouldn't have much trouble racking right to the bottling bucket without picking up significant amounts.