Secondary Fermentation

[EmptyGlass]

I am moving my beer to a secondary tonight. It is in a 5 gallon better bottle and I am moving it to a 6 gallon better bottle. When I do this, I will siphon the beer from 5 gallon to 6 gallon. My question is: All the sediment at the bottom of the 5 gallon....should that go into the 6 gallon? Am I going to lose all the yeast that was in my 5 gallon if I do this?

I have made two other batches without racking the beer and they came out great. I am doing this because I have been told it is a good thing.

Greg

Primary - The Blue Album
Bottles - Swagger
Bottles - The '59 Sound

 

[thumpersk_a]

You will not lose the yeast. Yeast is in suspension. if your beers gravity is ok go ahead and rack it. I'd be more concerned with moving from the 5gal to a 6gal and creating excessive head space in secondary and oxidizing the beer over the secondary fermentation period.

 

[WayFrae]

I agree that you shouldn't rack from a 5 gal to a 6 gal. The extra headspace is just asking for trouble. If I were you I would skip the secondary and just bottle.

 

[EmptyGlass]

I should mention I will be adding three pounds of blueberries. Should I go for five gallon or six gallon?

 

[jethro55]

The 5 gallon is what you want for secondary.

Like stated above, don't transfer the trub. There is plenty of yeast in suspension.

 

[Yooper]

I should mention I will be adding three pounds of blueberries. Should I go for five gallon or six gallon?

You'll probably need the six gallon, although usually I'd go with everybody else's suggestion and use them in reverse, the six gallon for primary and the five gallon for secondary (if doing one).

But blueberries can suck to work with! The want to float to the top and plug up the airlock and the opening of the carboy, so you may very well want more headspace in there!

How much beer do you estimate you have in the 5 gallon carboy? Three pounds of blueberries can take up quite a bit of room.

 

[RM-MN]

You'll probably need the six gallon, although usually I'd go with everybody else's suggestion and use them in reverse, the six gallon for primary and the five gallon for secondary (if doing one).

But blueberries can suck to work with! The want to float to the top and plug up the airlock and the opening of the carboy, so you may very well want more headspace in there!

How much beer do you estimate you have in the 5 gallon carboy? Three pounds of blueberries can take up quite a bit of room.

I agree that blueberries suck. Besides floating and wanting to clog the airlock they tend to make purple beer with a little too much acidity and very little blueberry flavor.

 

[Yooper]

I agree that blueberries suck. Besides floating and wanting to clog the airlock they tend to make purple beer with a little too much acidity and very little blueberry flavor.

Ah, but a blueberry wine can be a thing of beauty, so working with those little buggers can be worth it!

 

[Calder]

I should mention I will be adding three pounds of blueberries. Should I go for five gallon or six gallon?

Before you mentioned the Blueberries, I didn't understand why you would move it. Yes, you will be fine, and may need the headspace in the 6 gallon fermenter. The sugars in the BBs will ferment and create CO2, so there will be no concern with oxidation.

Make sure the BBs are all cut, preferably squashed. The yeast can't get inside unless the berry is punctured.