Secondary Fermenter/Conditioning temp?

[Scorching Sugar]

I have read that a secondary fermenting stage will help clear the beer. I have also read that the clearing will be more efficient at lower temps. However, I brewing an ale and they ferment between 64 - 74 degress more or less. Does this mean I should keep the secondary fermenter temp within this range or should I cool the temp below this range?

 

[rod]

i always secondary at the same temp as primary for ales
they have all cleared fine

 

[knewshound]

I usually brew at 66 degrees to begin with. It makes for a longer fermentation but I believe a tastier brew. That being said, once I have racked to a secondary, if I do at all mind you as it is not a must, I drop the temps further, sometimes as low as the 50s but usually 62ish. Once it has completely cleared, I drop it even further, say into the low 40's for a few days which tends to make it very clear I think.

I brew a lot of steam lagers with this method, your mileage on an ale may vary.

Cheers,

knewshound

 

[cweston]

I have read that a secondary fermenting stage will help clear the beer. I have also read that the clearing will be more efficient at lower temps. However, I brewing an ale and they ferment between 64 - 74 degress more or less. Does this mean I should keep the secondary fermenter temp within this range or should I cool the temp below this range?

You should keep it within the recommended temp range (a couple degrees cooler would be OK) until it is done fermenting (probably about 2 weeks under most conditions). At that point, you could drop the temp which will encourage sediment to settle out a little more rapidly.

I usually don't bother, but sometimes I do this with very light colored ales, where clarity is going to really show in the glass.

 

[TheJadedDog]

I typically secondary around the same temp as primary, usually 70deg (the colder temps are really for lagering). Once my bottle conditioning is done, then I store in a cooler location for longer term aging, around 60deg.