Secondary Fermentation Time

[jpplante]

Hello,

I could use some advice on my 3rd batch of beer. I made myself a "Brewers Best" Imperial Nut Brown Ale. I allowed this to ferment for a little over a week, I tested the gravity and had good results so I decided to bottle exactly half of the batch.

I then took the other half added to a Secondary (Well a Mr. Beer Keg to be exact) and added some maple syrup to experiment. All seemed well. However I noticed it taking an extraordinary amount of time to complete fermentation. I do realize maple syrup is a complex sugar and could require more time.

Well It has been in the secondary for 3 weeks at 67F. My hydrometer reading are still at 1.020 and have remained there about for at least 1 week. The beer smells wonderful and tastes fine with the exception of it being a bit hot at the moment. The other thing I noticed is when I get a sample it tends to foam a bit and I can see micro bubbles almost like its a bit carbonated.

I am not sure if I should just bottle it or let it sit another week. If I do bottle it and the fermentation process is not complete should I lessen the amount of priming sugars??

Any help is appreciated as I would like this to turn out decent. Thanks in advance.

 

[shauntraxler]

If your hyrdo reading is steady for over a week, bottle that stuff. It's not going anywhere. Use your normal amount of priming sugar.

 

[jetmac]

Hello,

I allowed this to ferment for a little over a week, I tested the gravity and had good results so I decided to bottle exactly half of the batch.

In the future, allow your beer to sit a few more days or longer after you believe fermentation is done. The yeast need a little time to clean up after themselves.

I then took the other half added to a Secondary (Well a Mr. Beer Keg to be exact) and added some maple syrup to experiment. All seemed well. However I noticed it taking an extraordinary amount of time to complete fermentation. I do realize maple syrup is a complex sugar and could require more time.

The yeast know what they're doing. Don't second guess them.

The beer smells wonderful and tastes fine with the exception of it being a bit hot at the moment.

Do you mean like "alcohol" hot?

This could be fusel alcohols. From How to Brew(online)>"Fusel alcohols can be produced by excessive amounts of yeast, or when the yeast sits too long on the trub. This is one reason to move the beer off of the hot and cold break when the beer is going to be spending a lot of time in the fermentor."

The other thing I noticed is when I get a sample it tends to foam a bit and I can see micro bubbles almost like its a bit carbonated.

Yeasties fart CO2 so this is perfectly normal.

 

[cervezarara]

JP- what was the gravity before you added maple syrup? Maple syrup is mostly glucose and should ferment pretty dry (not add many gravity points.) If your FG before syrup addition was close to 1.020, then fermentation may be done. If it was lower, you may try adding a bit of yeast nutrient and waiting another few days. You could add a teaspoon of DAP to a cup of water, bring to a boil, cool and add.

 

[jpplante]

In the future, allow your beer to sit a few more days or longer after you believe fermentation is done. The yeast need a little time to clean up after themselves.

The yeast know what they're doing. Don't second guess them.

Do you mean like "alcohol" hot?

This could be fusel alcohols. From How to Brew(online)>"Fusel alcohols can be produced by excessive amounts of yeast, or when the yeast sits too long on the trub. This is one reason to move the beer off of the hot and cold break when the beer is going to be spending a lot of time in the fermentor."

Yeasties fart CO2 so this is perfectly normal.

First let me thank everyone for their comments.

With that said, Yes hot as in alcohol. I am not sure what you mean by moving off the hot and cold break.

Also another poster asked the gravity before maple syrup addition. It was about 1.017.

This is all a learning process so messing up is part of it I guess . But I am having fun so I guess that's all that matters.

 

[jpplante]

A second thought... Is it possible there is too much alcohol not allowing the yeast to do more?

 

[jetmac]

I am not sure what you mean by moving off the hot and cold break.

The stuff (other than hops) that is in the bottom of your fermenter. When you boil your wort you get hot break when you finally get to boiling. Then as it cools, you get cold break. Too much of this break material in your fermenter is not good

 

[jpplante]

The stuff (other than hops) that is in the bottom of your fermenter. When you boil your wort you get hot break when you finally get to boiling. Then as it cools, you get cold break. Too much of this in your fermenter is not good

Ahhh ok thanks for the clarification. That makes sense.

 

[grumpy121]

Hello i could use one guidance on preservatives how to get rid of them or will they hirt the brew? the first one is sodium bisulfite and the other is sodium benzoate . i plan on using the lemon juice for back flavor in secondary fermentation . will i be able to use this or will it kill the yeast ? or will boiling it for a peroid of time kill the preservatives? thanks Andy

 

[dcp27]

grumpy, I wouldn't add anything with preservatives in it. if you want lemon, I say dry hop it with sorachi ace

The stuff (other than hops) that is in the bottom of your fermenter. When you boil your wort you get hot break when you finally get to boiling. Then as it cools, you get cold break. Too much of this break material in your fermenter is not good

I disagree. I've always dumped everything into the fermenter and never gotten fusels from it. I know a number of other brewers here do the same without issue. If you have a fusel problem, its usually from a hot fermentation. Give it some time and it'll fade.

 

[jetmac]

Hello i could use one guidance on preservatives how to get rid of them or will they hirt the brew? the first one is sodium bisulfite and the other is sodium benzoate . i plan on using the lemon juice for back flavor in secondary fermentation . will i be able to use this or will it kill the yeast ? or will boiling it for a peroid of time kill the preservatives? thanks Andy

I don't think preservatives are necessary with proper sanitization/cleanliness.

I am not familiar with it but I have heard of adding flavoring to beer as it's served rather than adding juice to a secondary. But if you want a lemon flavor you may be better off adding dried lemon zest in your boil (you can get this at your LHBS) or, like dcp27 suggested, dryhopping.

 

[grumpy121]

thank you for the help

 

[jpplante]

Update...I bottled the brown. Stupid me did not bother reading the original kit information. As the avg Final Gravity was 1.019 and I was at .020. On a side note I tested my first bottle of imperial nut brown after 3 weeks of conditioning...Its wonderful! I love this brewing stuff. So I have started another project...A cream ale and again I will experiment with half... I am gonna try some fruit flavor...Blueberry.

Thanks again for everyones input I appreciate it.