When, why and how to secondary fermenting??

[chevyblazer5150]

The only REAL reason I want to do a second is so I can start my next brew. My first ever is an american ale that claims two weeks in the fermentor. I'm starting an irish stout (this tuesday) and couldnt find the answer I was looking for.

When transferring, do I keep it as motionless as possible? Or do I actually want "some" yeast cake in the seconday? I'd like it to be clear as my wife will probably enjoy it more that way.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[eastoak]

sounds like you have 2 fermentors? if you do you may as well leave the beer alone until you bottle and use the other fermentor to ferment your next beer. buckets are cheap and sometimes even free if you know where to look.

 

[chevyblazer5150]

The primary (american ale) is currently in a 6.5 gallon carboy fermenting. I picked up a second 5 gallon carboy today to rack the primary into so I can start the irish stout.

 

[kh54s10]

Transfer to secondary after you have reached final gravity. You don't want to transfer the trub from the bottom of the fermenter. There is plenty of yeast cells in suspension for finishing/bottling.

Buy more fermenters! I would skip the 5 gallon and get more big ones and for me there will never be any glass. Too heavy, too dangerous. You can also skip the secondary and just leave most beers in primary for 3-4 weeks then bottle/keg.

I prefer 6 gallon Better Bottles, they are lighter, will not break, you can see what is happening inside. I find them very easy to clean. Soak in oxyclean, rinse, add about a gallon of water and a washcloth, swirl, rinse and done.

 

[chevyblazer5150]

Buy more fermenters! I would skip the 5 gallon and get more big ones

From what I've read you dont want to introduce more O2 into your beer than necessary. Thats why I grabbed the 5gal as a secondary. Less head space equals less O2??

Probably be quite some time before I have multiples fermenting.

 

[LLBeanJ]

What the others were saying is that you don't really need to secondary at all. You can leave it in the primary for 3-4 weeks and then transfer to your bottling bucket and bottle. Therefore, you'd be better off if you had two vessels that could be used as a primary. A secondary is only needed if you are planning on doing a secondary fermentation by adding more fermentables (e.g. fruit) after primary fermentation has ceased. Even dry hopping can be done in the primary.

At any rate, unless you are open to returning your new 5 gallon carboy and exchanging for a 6.5 carboy, Better Bottle, or bucket, you don't have much choice but to move your beer from primary to secondary if you want to brew another batch before the first one is done. And in this case, since you're not adding any new fermentables into the secondary, your "secondary" is actually serving as a brite tank, which allows the beer to clear, even though leaving it in the primary would accomplish the same thing.

Once you've achieved a stable FG, carefully rack the beer to the sanitized carboy and try not to do any splashing, as that is what will oxygenate it. As previously mentioned, leave the yeast and trub behind. Give it a week or two and bottle. Or (and this is what I would do) skip all this and go back to the LHBS and get yourself a $15 bucket w/lid to ferment your Irish stout in.

 

[kh54s10]

From what I've read you dont want to introduce more O2 into your beer than necessary. Thats why I grabbed the 5gal as a secondary. Less head space equals less O2??

Probably be quite some time before I have multiples fermenting.

If you really don't want to risk oxidizing your beer do not transfer to secondary. The less you mess with it the less chance of oxidation or infection.

I did secondary on 3 of my first 4 batches. I then bought another Better Bottle and a bucket. I now have done 28 batches so 25 have not seen a secondary.

It also sounds like you will soon have multiples fermenting, isn't that the reason for the post? That you were doing a secondary to free up your primary?

I have been brewing for just over 1 year and now have 2 six gallon Better Bottles, A bucket, a 5 gallon Better Bottle, 2 three gallon water bottles and several 5 gallon buckets available. I have had 4 brews going at one time (different fermentation schedules). I will soon be using a couple of my fermenters for extended fermentations of big beers for the upcoming winter. I will then be glad I have several.

 

[CBXBob]

What LLBeanJ said. Get more plastic buckets, I foresee a time you will be using those exclusively And being in Garbage Grove (sorry couldn't resist) you probably have 10 LHBS's within a 10 mile radius.

 

[chevyblazer5150]

Hey now, I'm in WEST-grove (ooh lala) not garbage. Lol

Yes, on this particular occasion I do want to ferment two at a time, but I also wanted my beer a little clearer also. I doubt with my busy schedule I'll be brewing more than once a month. We'll see though. Thanks for all the info, so far these forums have been very helpful and chill. No whiny *****'s either.

 

[BrewerBear]

Transfer leaving the trub behind. Since your main concern is clarity you may try adding gelatin to help clear it more.

 

[KISS Brew]

From what I've read you dont want to introduce more O2 into your beer than necessary. Thats why I grabbed the 5gal as a secondary. Less head space equals less O2??

If you never rack to a secondary, a 5 gallon batch in 6.5 gallons will produce enough CO2 to cover the beer. This will protect the beer from the oxygen.

If you rack to a secondary, yes, this is a concern. The racking process will disturb the CO2 "blanket". Still, I'm not sure if a 5 gallon batch in a 6.5 gallon container is enough head space to be too worried about.

I never rack to a secondary, I often have over a gallon of head space, and I've had no troubles with this.

 

[SilvaRizla]

I always rack to a secondary and can highly recommend it, especially for clearer beer. In my experience I've noticed you don't need finings provided that your conditioning and storage temps are good, you'll get really clear beer. However I also put this down to a rack the day before bottling/kegging. When you would normally bottle, transfer your brew into another fermenting bin for 24 hours and you'll find the transfer agitates the sugars and yeast and sort of kick starts it again. This also draws out more yeast leading to a clearer beer but there is plenty still going on for conditioning.

I've done it since my third and would never look back

 

[KISS Brew]

you'll find the transfer agitates the sugars and yeast and sort of kick starts it again.

Not to nitpick, but this is probably just CO2 being knocked out of suspension. Racking doesn't restart fermentation.

 

[SilvaRizla]

Not to nitpick, but this is probably just CO2 being knocked out of suspension. Racking doesn't restart fermentation.

It seems to get the last little bit done, if you know what I mean. Seven years doing it this way now, same results every time.

 

[KISS Brew]

It seems to get the last little bit done, if you know what I mean. Seven years doing it this way now, same results every time.

If you've been doing it the same way for seven years, you don't have much to compare it to.

Of course, you've been brewing longer than me, and your process works for you. Brew on!

 

[Yooper]

I always rack to a secondary and can highly recommend it, especially for clearer beer. In my experience I've noticed you don't need finings provided that your conditioning and storage temps are good, you'll get really clear beer. However I also put this down to a rack the day before bottling/kegging. When you would normally bottle, transfer your brew into another fermenting bin for 24 hours and you'll find the transfer agitates the sugars and yeast and sort of kick starts it again. This also draws out more yeast leading to a clearer beer but there is plenty still going on for conditioning.

I've done it since my third and would never look back

'
I'm glad that your procedure works for you. But I don't use a clearing vessel anymore at all, and my beers fully attenuate and are clear. I do not use finings at all, as I'd like my beer to be vegetarian friendly.

This is an old photo that I had uploaded, but this is an IPA. I don't even have a hops haze, and it finished at 1.010 (fully attenuated).

My point is that it's worth trying, and that if I can see no benefit to racking to a clearing/secondary vessel, and I can avoid the risk of oxidation by not racking, I will continue to do so.

Interestingly, the most common beer flaw in competitions that I've picked up is oxidation. Often it's very mild, with just a mild "sherry" note, but I would say that at least 70% of homebrews I've judged have had at least a smidgen of oxidation. By not racking an extra time, perhaps that could be avoided. Just a thought!

 

[SilvaRizla]

Well seeing as I've got a brew on the go that I'm used to I'm gonna give it a try, you might well convince me

 

[Yooper]

Well seeing as I've got a brew on the go that I'm used to I'm gonna give it a try, you might well convince me

And, maybe not! That's the great thing about brewing- each of us have to experiment and find out what works best for us. I almost never can say definitively that something is better than another when it comes to techniques!

 

[sb68]

You just never know when that urge to get wild and crazy will strike and two batches will hit primary on the same day! Left is a honey brown and on the right we have a lovely oktoberfest :rockin:

 

[Toecutter]

'
I'm glad that your procedure works for you. But I don't use a clearing vessel anymore at all, and my beers fully attenuate and are clear. I do not use finings at all, as I'd like my beer to be vegetarian friendly.

This is an old photo that I had uploaded, but this is an IPA. I don't even have a hops haze, and it finished at 1.010 (fully attenuated).

My point is that it's worth trying, and that if I can see no benefit to racking to a clearing/secondary vessel, and I can avoid the risk of oxidation by not racking, I will continue to do so.

Interestingly, the most common beer flaw in competitions that I've picked up is oxidation. Often it's very mild, with just a mild "sherry" note, but I would say that at least 70% of homebrews I've judged have had at least a smidgen of oxidation. By not racking an extra time, perhaps that could be avoided. Just a thought!

I have my process down to where I get clear beer just like you have displayed and pretty much use your same process. Even my Belgian wheats come out clear. Primary for 2 or more weeks. turn down the ferm chamber to 36 dg and crash cool for 5-7 days. Siphon to the cornies using a nylon stocking over the siphon to catch any debris. age in the keg at 38 dg. I use no finings. I usually toss out the first couple pints, as any residual sediment settles to the bottom center of the corney. I used to filter through a cartridge, and I found it's really an unnecessary step

 

[BronxBrew]

wilforloc tab when your making your wort. No real reason not to use your other carboy and just get your second brew going. Why risk oxidation and a possible infection ?