Weird Fermentation: Help Plz!

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CoreyG

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Hey,

I was making my 4th batch of beer, supposed to be like a Stotch Ale using malt extract with some specialty grains . I didnt use a starter, but I rehydrated the yeast before pitching it. Managed to get the temp just under 70 degress before pitching it, maybe 68 but ive been having weird fermentation and I may have messed it up.

Pretty much, in the first two days its went from 1.052 to 1.010 in gravity. Pretty much looked all settled out so i transfered it to a secondary. Its been in the secondary for about 2 weeks now and Im planning on transfering it in 1 week. There still seems to have a few little half inch to inch size bubble zones on the surface.

Any ideas whats going on or if I messed something up? I think it may have been too hot. Think its gonna mess up the flavor?
 
Well how did it taste?

If you were using dry yeast, you didn't need a starter anyways. Depending on what yeast you used, 2 days to ferment out isn't that unusual. Especially if your temps were on the high side. Now if you transfered after 2 days, chances are that you didn't give the yeast enough time to clean up their byproducts.
 
Darn. How long should I be leaving it in the primary. I was under the impression that once the beer drops to like 1/4 of what it started then its good to transfer to the secondary fermenter and its in the secondary fermenter that the byproducts dissipate?
 
You can just leave it in primary and skip secondary all together. That's what I and a lit of others do unless I am dry hopping or adding fruit/vanilla etc. Primary for a month us perfectly acceptable.
 
Does it cause problems if I do transfer it to a secondary. I already have a few glass carboys so it allows me to ferment multiple batches at once ( without buying more equipment ) Is not, how long should I wait. I cant remember where I read it or heard it, but it said to transfer it once the first big fermentation was over, and then let it sit two weeks in the secondary. For the last couples batches that has meant usually 4 days in primary , then 2-3 weeks in secondary.

Any recommendations? Im pretty new at this.
 
I don't even use my glass carboy anymore. Pain in the @ss to carry when full and getting it clean is no fun. As posted above, I have also stopped using a secondary. When it is time to bottle, I put my priming sugar solution in the bottom of my second sanitized bucket and transfer from the primary. I think my beer tastes better using this method than the standard carboy primary to secondary.
 
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