Should I wait to rack to the secondary?

[dhelegda]

Ok so it's been a week and a half there is no more movement in the airlock, I was was going to rack to the secondary but when I opened up the fermenter the krausen was still a thick layer on top of the beer. I have never seen it like this after being in the fermenter this long. I think I know the answer but should I wait till it falls to the bottom. This is my first all grain so second question do it normally take longer to drop? I attached a picture.

 

[kh54s10]

Do not go by time. Go by gravity. It looks like that one is not nearly ready. Wait at least 10 days from brew day then take a gravity reading wait another 2 days and take another. If the readings are the same you can do a secondary.

Alternatively, you can primary for 2-4 weeks then bottle (given that you have final gravity) without doing a secondary at all.

Added: All grain should not be much different in fermentation than extract. All fermentations go at their own schedule, just wait it out.

 

[dhelegda]

I hate taking gravity! Always worried I'm going to contaminate the beer! Dammit man everyone always talking me in to dangerous stuff!

 

[dhelegda]

It's an English bitter ale so it shouldn't take 4 weeks. I normally don't secondary but this being my first all grain I was going to do it so I could see the clarity by racking from a bucket to a carboy!

 

[eastoak]

It's an English bitter ale so it shouldn't take 4 weeks. I normally don't secondary but this being my first all grain I was going to do it so I could see the clarity by racking from a bucket to a carboy!

by moving the beer you reset the clearing process. if you leave it alone until FG, cold crash then bottle you will have a clear beer. (if your mash was ok)

 

[dhelegda]

What if I keg? I usually go from the primary to the keg straight to the kegerator charge it and let it chill. Is that what you mean cold crashing!

 

[eastoak]

What if I keg? I usually go from the primary to the keg straight to the kegerator charge it and let it chill. Is that what you mean cold crashing!

yes. if the beer is at FG then you can keg it and chill. your first slug of beer will be cloudy with yeast then it will be clear. better to move into the keg than another fermentor then into the keg. the fewest moves possible until it gets into my glass.

 

[dhelegda]

That's what I usually do, but like I said I wanted to see how clear it was. I used liquid yeast and last time I did that I poured the whole keg out it tasted like **** and looked like rusty water