Secondary temperature question

[mtnagel]

I'm brewing a double IPA that is supposed to be in secondary for 2 months. The coldest my basement gets to is about 60F. Is it okay if I go from primary at around 68F to secondary at around 60F? I could keep the secondary in my dining room where the primary is now, but if I could, I'd rather keep it in the basement.

I just want to make sure everything will be fine.

 

[zzARzz]

As long as you are nearing your final gravity number (say, 10-20% left) it should be fine. It will take longer to reach FG at the colder temperature, but if you're leaving it in secondary for 2 months you shouldn't have any issues.

 

[duboman]

IMO you do not want to keep this style of beer in secondary for two months! IIPA's are best when fresh or the hop aroma and flavor will degrade and you will lose the whole idea of this style.

Personally, I would keep the beer in primary. Once FG is reached and verified stable I would add the dry hops directly in the primary and allow to keep for 5-7 days. Cold crash and package. This method will give you the fresh taste of what an IIPA should be!

The above method assumes you have tasted the beer and there are no off flavors present. If you have some off flavors I would give the beer an additional 1-2 weeks to give the yeast some clean up time, then proceed with the dry hop, etc.

 

[mtnagel]

As long as you are nearing your final gravity number (say, 10-20% left) it should be fine. It will take longer to reach FG at the colder temperature, but if you're leaving it in secondary for 2 months you shouldn't have any issues.

Thanks. That's what I was thinking.

IMO you do not want to keep this style of beer in secondary for two months! IIPA's are best when fresh or the hop aroma and flavor will degrade and you will lose the whole idea of this style.

Personally, I would keep the beer in primary. Once FG is reached and verified stable I would add the dry hops directly in the primary and allow to keep for 5-7 days. Cold crash and package. This method will give you the fresh taste of what an IIPA should be!

The above method assumes you have tasted the beer and there are no off flavors present. If you have some off flavors I would give the beer an additional 1-2 weeks to give the yeast some clean up time, then proceed with the dry hop, etc.

I hear what you are saying and that seems to be the conventional wisdom but I'm just following the Northern Brewer kit instructions figuring they know their beer better than I do. Any idea why they recommend that?

 

[Toadsticker]

In the "before you begin.. minimum requirements" section of the recipe, it says, ".. or leave in primary an additional week." After that being said, it's your choice. Personally, after I pitch the yeast, I pitch the instructions. Advice from those here I'll trust much more than instructions.

 

[mtnagel]

Ah, good catch. Didn't see that. We are going on vacation soon so maybe I'll just leave it in primary for 4 weeks, then dry hop in primary for 1 week when we come back and then bottle for 5 total weeks. How does that sound?

 

[duboman]

Ah, good catch. Didn't see that. We are going on vacation soon so maybe I'll just leave it in primary for 4 weeks, then dry hop in primary for 1 week when we come back and then bottle for 5 total weeks. How does that sound?

That sounds like a great plan!