Transfering to secondary

[stru]

I have question that i could use some help with. I started a Lambic style about three weeks ago. Primary fermentation is taking place in a plastic bucket, with an eventual move to glass. I just opened the lid to add some dregs and noticed a light film already forming on the top. The airlock still has some activity, so i'm not quite ready to transfer it. My question is, when i transfer to glass, should i make sure to include the film? Also, should i carry over some yeast to secondary? I plan on leaving it in the glass for about a year before checking on it again. I also intend on brewing another Lambic style and tossing in on top of the existing yeast cake. Any advice?

 

[metic]

You don't need to worry about transferring the film: the brett will make a new pellicle if there is enough oxygen in your secondary, and if there isn't enough the lack of pellicle won't matter. You could carry some yeast over to secondary, but you don't need to.

The yeast and bugs that will ferment the beer through secondary will still be suspended, so you don't need to worry about transferring yeast to make sure the beer ferments out; some people like to transfer some of the yeast cake because the brett will work on the byproducts of its decomposition over the course of secondary. The result is supposed to be a more funky beer. If that's something you want, you could try to transfer some of the yeast cake with the beer when you move it to glass; but to be honest, there will probably be plenty of sacch still suspended in the beer when you transfer it, which will drop out and decompose over the course of secondary, so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

[stru]

Thank you for the detailed reply! I plan on adding some oak chunks I've been soaking in a pear/apple wine I made last year to secondary. That should help with oxygen and food, if I'm correct.