when to secondary

[roofman70]

Hello All

I am brewing my second batch of hefewiezen
it on its 7th day in primary.

my question is i do not want to buy or use meters and i want to use a secondary to rid some of the cloudyness , at what point should i rack to secondary?

Thanks in advance

 

[Orfy]

Why don't you want to use an hydrometer.

If you do not have the experience to decide for yourself then it is the best way to know when to move it.

 

[roofman70]

wife money happiness

 

[Orfy]

For a couple of $$ it's one of the most usefull things you can have. Less than one glass of beer!

You go to secondary when fermenting has finished.
You can guess with various methods or take the gravity and know it's done.

 

[homebrewer_99]

wife money happiness

There isn't a good reason to not buy a hydrometer in that bunch.

Let's say you get a stuck fermentation and bottle early...you go off to work...two days later...BANG!!! POP!!!! CRASH!!! 2 cases of bottles grenades and 5 gals of brew wasted on the clean floor (or worse...bedroom closet)...how happy do you think the wife will be then???

Buy a hydrometer. It'll tell you when your brew is done fermenting. Not using one is only a guess.

I use one, I recommend them, I've NEVER had a (beer) bottle grenade since I've started brewing in '94. Root beer on the other hand...

 

[Yooper]

A hydrometer is about $6. You'll never know for sure if fermentation is done without one.

The only input I have is on the hefe. Hefe's are supposed to be cloudy- they are wheat beers with a hefe yeast. You could put it in secondary (the clearing tank) for months and it'll still be cloudy.

 

[Tophe]

I also recommend the hydrometer....worth every penny. At first I didnt like using it and made a couple brews without it...Then i bought a theif and it made it alot easier to use because you could pull samples easily.....That is another cheap tool that can simplify things too.

 

[roofman70]

I am a new brewer this is my second batch,
the first batch just had too much sedament on the bottom of the bottles and makes for a much cloudier brew

thats why i want to use a secondary



guess ill have to pick one up and learn how to use one

 

[homebrewer_99]

I agree...a secondary and a hydrometer should be on your list of equipment to buy....

 

[roofman70]

got hydrometer today
reading is at 1016

 

[Orfy]

Take it again tomorrow and if it's the same then go to secondary.
1016 is down towards where it should be.

 

[roofman70]

Thanks for the reply Moderator, will check agian tomorrow