When to rack to secondary

[kcbrewmeister]

Ok so I have read a lot of threads about secondaries and understand the pros and cons of using them but I still have a few questions. I brewed my first batch over the weekend and it started fermenting sometime that night so that is not an issue. I have one 6.5 gallon fermenter and two 5 gallon better bottles so I want to free up my fermenter for another batch, my reason for secondary. When should the beer be transferred to secondary? Should I wait until stable specific grav and then rack it or longer than that? Will there still be yeast in the beer to "clean up" and condition the beer in the secondary? Also is fermentation possible in 5 gallon bb with blowoff tube?

 

[kcbrewmeister]

Anybody?

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

you should rack to secondary after FG is reached and stable for 3 or more days. search the topic or 'secondary' here on HBT.

 

[Kmires]

I'm not expert but I racked mine after it reached (or almost reached) FG. I moved to secondary because of clarity (although that is under debate for sure). Left it another 10 days then bottled it up. I'm waiting not-so-patiently for it to carb up and age in the bottle.

 

[kcbrewmeister]

Ok I will probably transfer it three days after stable sg, i really just wanted to make sure that the yeast would still be in there to clean up... Sounds like the live ones are still suspended in the beer? My only motive for this is to open up my fermenter for a second batch otherwise I would leave it alone.

 

[BOBrob]

You can go to a secondary once fermentation is complete, and yes there is enough yeast in suspension to finish the beer ; along with carb and condition. You can also make a 4 gal batch in a 5 gal better bottle using a blow off tube. Depending on what you brew, you will find the use of a blow off tube starting on most of your brews for the first week will save cleaning up after plugged air locks. Cheers&Enjoy

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Ok I will probably transfer it three days after stable sg, i really just wanted to make sure that the yeast would still be in there to clean up... Sounds like the live ones are still suspended in the beer? My only motive for this is to open up my fermenter for a second batch otherwise I would leave it alone.

if you give it few days or so after FG is reached, that should be enough time for the yeasties to do their house cleaning.

 

[RM-MN]

A bucket fermenter with lid and airlock should be around $15 so you could add one or 2 without breaking the bank and avoid the need to transfer. I leave my beer in the primary for 3 to 4 weeks.

 

[kcbrewmeister]

Thanks for the replies, I think I might rack this first one and then get another bucket for future use.

 

[sudsmcgee]

I would wait until the beer has stabilized at it's final gravity before racking.

 

[tCan]

Can you guys explain what you mean by 'clean up'?

 

[sudsmcgee]

Yeast produce bad flavors when eating, and then as they run short on food, they eat those same bad flavors as food. If you wait long enough, the yeast make the beer cleaner tasting and better.

 

[tCan]

Damn. Wish I knew that. I've been crashing and racking as soon as fermentation stops. How long do you wait typically?

 

[RM-MN]

Ale yeast at room temperature will eat the sugars in 2 to 3 days, producing esters, phenols and fusel alcohol. It will take a bit longer to clean up and some of the items produced are inedible to the yeast and will remain in your beer. I would expect another 8 to 10 days for cleanup, perhaps even a bit longer for some beers. Fermenting cooler produces fewer of the chemicals that cause off flavors but then the yeast are also working slower and it may take longer to clean up and the yeast may quit before done. For this reason I start my ferments at the low end of the recommended temperature range for the yeast I use and after a week I let the beer warm up so the yeast will finish the clean up.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Damn. Wish I knew that. I've been crashing and racking as soon as fermentation stops. How long do you wait typically?

generally, i leave ales in primary for 3-4 weeks. no secondary unless i'm adding something like dry hops, oak, spices, etc. if i do secondary, i still go around 3 weeks in primary.

 

[pjj2ba]

If you add the proper amount of yeast and have a textbook fermentation, the yeast will not produce lots of "off" flavors, and will therefore need less time to remove any undesireable byproducts before packaging. As homebrewers of course, it is a little harder for us to do this compared to a commercial outfit. It is totally reasonable for an ale with a SG of 1.050 or so to ferment in under 5 days and then need just an additional week before packaging.

If you rush it, do not fret, it just will take longer to mellow in the bottle/keg. Beer cleans up best in larger volumes, but obviously still does so in the bottle, just not as well/fast. The greater danger of rushing is of course bottle bombs from bottling before fermentation is finished.