Re-racking porter questions

[tripppleP]

I made my 3rd batch with my dad 2 weeks ago. I can't remember but I think it was labeled a chocolate or coffee porter. It has been two weeks now and I was thinking of re-racking the beer into a carboy from the plastic bucket it is in now and then putting it in my dads beer fridge.

I want to re-rack to transfer the beer and leave some of the sentiment behind. And also convenience of a carboy to carry.

I am putting the carboy into my dads beer fridge to " lager" the beer. Is this worth it or not? I don't mind waiting.

Let me know what you think?

Am I thinking right or am I incorrect with some stuff.

Thanks for replies

 

[thehaze]

What was the OG of the beer and what should the FG be? Is it done fermenting? Are you adding any stuff, like cocoa beans, vanilla and whatnot to the beer, before bottling or kegging?

Transferring the beer to secondary is not neccessary and every time you do, you will oxidize the beer a bit more.

I would let it finish after itself and then cold crash it. Then you can bottle or keg.

 

[RM-MN]

While your beer is in the fermenter bucket with the lid on and an airlock, the CO2 that was produced during the early part of the fermentation is trapped there and that prevents the bacteria that need oxygen from reproducing. When you rack to secondary you lose that CO2 which can allow the bacteria a chance. If you fill the carboy (not a bucket) nearly to the top so there is little space left, the out gassing of CO2 that was dissolved in the beer will fill this tiny space again and protect the beer but in very few instances is that racking necessary.

Your intent to separate the beer from the sediment is good but it really doesn't work well. When the ferment is over, the yeast start to clump together and settle out. Racking it breaks up these clumps and re-suspends them, thus taking longer for the beer to completely clear. If you put the plastic bucket in the freezer, you get the same settling of the yeast without the breaking up of the clumps or the dangers of handling a large, heavy carboy that, if it breaks while you are holding it, will send you to the hospital. Buckets are easier to handle and don't shatter into razor sharp shreds.

Cold crashing (not lagering, but similar) slows the circulation of the liquid and makes the yeast and trub settle out quicker. That same end will be accomplished with a little more patience by just leaving the beer sit in the bucket. That sitting will not stir up any of the settled trub nor break up the yeast that have started to clump but it will take more time.

 

[eetu]

I wouldn't transfer after two weeks of fermentation. The risk of oxidating the beer is greater than the possible gain of cold conditioning it prior to bottling.

I'm pretty sure you couldn't tell the difference between the two beers if one was fermented in a primary only and the other cold crashed in a secondary.

 

[madscientist451]

Do you bottle or keg? Keg it up now if you want to, or go ahead and bottle it if its done. One reason to rack to secondary would be to re-use the yeast cake while still letting the beer age in bulk form, or if you wanted to add fruit or other ingredients without the beer being in contact with all of the yeast. But if you don't have a good reason to rack it, then just let it sit.