When is primary fermentation done?

[jtbarclay]

It's been 9 days and 21 hours since I pitched the yeast. The airlock has slowed to about 3 bubbles per minute. Is it too soon to rack it into the secondary, or should I wait for the bubbles to stop completely?

 

[Brewsmith]

What beer is it and what was the starting gravity?

 

[Yooper]

I'm guessing it's a cider. I like to rack to secondary when my SG is about 1.010 or so, but some people just keep it in primary until it's finished. There isn't really a set rule, as much as personal preference.

 

[jtbarclay]

Alright thanks,

It was 4 gallons of Indian Summer brand apple cider and a smack pack of Wyeast 4766.

I don't know what the SG was, I just got a hydrometer last week. Eventually I'll buy some more of the Indian Summer so I can get a SG reading from it.

 

[Brewsmith]

I'm guessing it's a cider.

I didn't even check the forum! The post title and the forum didn't mention anything of beer or cider so my brain immediately went "BEER". Yoop has it right. If you still wany my $0.02 I say leave it until it's good and done.

 

[jtbarclay]

Well I racked it into the secondary tonight anyways. I was getting a gravity reading just above 1.00. I'm assuming that after 20 days the yeast taste is going to go away? It currently tastes like I added extra yeast to some keystone light.

Anyways, it's now in a new 5gal bucket/lid/airlock sitting in a cooler full of ice water.

 

[Tusch]

Why is it in ice water?

 

[jtbarclay]

To keep it cool so it clears up.

 

[SeamusMac]

The gas coming through the air lock might be C02 coming out of the solution, in which case it will come out more readily if your cider is warm. Or at least that's how I remember my high school science teacher explaining it