Secondary - color is dark at top, lighter at bottom

[treemind]

Hey everyone,

Another noob here working on my first two batches.

I racked my first batch to a secondary this weekend after 10 days of primary. One day later the color has changed from a carmel color all the way through to carmel in the lower half and a darker coffee looking color on the top half.

Is this normal for a red ale? It is strange looking to see it get darker at the top.

My second batch (an IPA) was just started yesterday... OG of 6.065 and is fermenting like crazy about now! no questions on that one just yet. Hopefully that one will be smooth all the way through.

 

[llazy_llama]

My second batch (an IPA) was just started yesterday... OG of 6.065 and is fermenting like crazy about now! no questions on that one just yet. Hopefully that one will be smooth all the way through.

Are you sure that's not 1.065?

 

[treemind]

HA! yeah thats 1.065!

Typing WAY TOO FAST!

 

[HughBrooks]

Every thing is cool. That is just your yeast starting to settle. Perfectly normal

 

[BruDaddy]

Also, it will look a lot darker in the carboy than it will in your glass. You're looking through a lot of beer compared with what you're used to seeing in bottles and mugs.

 

[Dennis1979]

I assume the secondary is a glass carboy? Is it full up to the neck? If not, you could have oxygenation(sp?) going on.

I always try to use enough water in my boil and primary bucket such that my secondary carboy will be full when I rack to it. If the secondary comes up a little short I add some sanitized water to bring the water level up to the neck (usually only a cup or two)

Dennis

 

[double_e5]

I don't think its oxidation. You are not going to see oxidation happen in the secondary. Sounds like yeast settling to me.

 

[CBBaron]

It is your yeast settling. The yeast are white and make the beer appear to be lighter color and more opaque. As the yeast settles the rest of the beer will become the same color.
The color in a large container will appear to be darker than the beer in a glass. However with extract brewing it is quite common for beers to be darker than average for the style. The production of extract results in a slight darkening of colors as does doing a partial boil.

Craig

 

[stevenryals]

it's ruined... I run a free service as well... i can come by and dispose of it for you..




as they said.. it's all good... just different particles settling to the bottom.. it's clearing up ... and that's a good thing

 

[IrregularPulse]

I had one similar once too, I had an inch or two at the top that was darker. Turned out just to be the way the light was hitting the bend in the carboy combined with the yeast settling out, clearing from the top down. Optical illusion.

 

[treemind]

Thanks for all the info everyone!

Yes, It is now in a glass carboy and is very close to full to the top. So I am guessing it is the yeast that is settling.

It looked and tasted pretty good when I tested the gravity this weekend before going to secondary, so I am not too worried about it.