Secondary question.

[snowbum007]

Hello. I did a search on this subject and read the sticky but I still have a specific question. I brewed a porter 11 days ago and had not seen any activity in the bubbler for 7 days. I got a ton of activity (blow off) within a couple of hours of adding the yeast and it slowed from there, so I suspected the fermentation process was finished. The O.G. was 1.053 and last night as I prepared to rack it to the secondary, I got a reading of 1.025. When I added the yeast the temp of the batch was about 71 degrees and hovered in the 68-70 while I saw activity and then cooled to around the 65 degrees range. This weekend I left the house and turned down the temp to 60 degrees and when I got back yesterday the temp of the beer was 59 degrees F. I brought the beer back into the main part of my house to warm up last night but I have not seen any activity to suggest this helped. The question is this: can I still go ahead and rack to the secondary when the beer is not finished? I was planning on adding oak cubes and leaving it for a month and figured the yeast might have the opportunity to do their thing still. I have today off (ya, I know I'm one of those damn government employees) and was planning of brewing a scottish ale and would still like to do so. Thanks for the help.
Kurt

 

[Bob]

You'll have to leave it in the secondary quite a while for any further gravity drop. That's okay, though; won't hurt anything to leave it go.

I think perhaps your temperature drop put the yeast to sleep. The simple act of racking ought to have awakened them a bit. See what happens.

Lesson to learn: Do not rack until after you've taken at least two consecutive like gravity readings.

I wouldn't add the oak until you know the ferment is complete.

What yeast did you pitch?

Bob

 

[snowbum007]

Thanks for the reply. I pitched Nottingham yeast.

 

[TheJadedDog]

Personally I don't like to rack until my beer is completely finished. I'd agree that the temp drop might have been an issue here. Best advice is to warm things back up and give your fermenter a swirl to rouse the yeast, then rack in a week.

 

[telemarc]

I racked my Porter to secondary after the SG dropped from 051 to 015. FYI