Using a secondary to actually...secondary??

[homebrewhaha]

Does anyone have experience with using different yeasts and or sugars for multiple stages of fermentation before bottle conditioning? What styles of beer could this process be appropriate for? Curious to hear about successes or even failures in this area.

 

[ACbrewer]

Mixed success - or mixed failure depends on if the bottle is half empty of beer or half full of beer I suppose -.

My story (are you comfy in bed?) once upon a time I made a lambic. It was a crazy silly idea I had when I was younger... well not much younger, because it was only a couple of years ago... Anyhow, I did a basic feremnt - don't remember the yeast, and then racked to a secondary and put in the wyeast lambic blend and continued (along with adding fruit I think). Anyhow I've read that the lambic blend can get a bit more out of the the wort/beer getting a little lower gravity going after some of the byproducts and unconsumed sugars that is normally left behind.

My lambic (coming up or just past 2nd aniversary of the start of it) has a sour citricy flavor with just a hint (small hint) of rassberry.

As I said, and I drank some of it and am still drinking some of it ever after....

 

[Calichusetts]

I've tried racking a IIPA onto honey before...I always try to experiment with honey. I've done it twice. First time it was too dry...I was using honey in the mash and boil as well though. Second time it was simply too strong for my liking.

Experimentation IS the point of brewing...have fun and good luck

 

[erikpete18]

I've added Brett after a primary fermentation in a secondary vessel, but never tried adding a second sacc yeast. That time I didn't add any extra sugars, just whatever the ale yeast couldn't finish up got left behind for the brett. Although, I guess I did add some homemade candi sugar to a dubbel I did after a few days of brewing, I suppose that would be similar to moving to secondary. Both are pretty tasty! If you've got something in mind, give it a shot. If you're going to add a lot of sugars in secondary, make sure you've got a little bit of headspace so you don't overflow!