Wrong thing to do?

[Reverend JC]

I hope this wasn't the wrong thing to do. Making a Wheat beer with the WYeast 3068. Have always read that when there is about 1 bubble per 3 seconds you transfer to secondary.

This is also the first time i have used a liquid yeast.

There was a huge amount of what must have been Kraeusen on the top, but again i have read many time that 1 bubble per 3 seconds it was time to transfer................so I did.

I was actually about 1 bubble every 4 seconds in the airlock. Hope this was not the wrong thing to do.


Reverend

 

[kornkob]

The number of bubbles over a given period is a pretty awful guideline, really.

Setting aside discussions as to whether transfer to 2ndary is even needed (do a search if you want to know about that-- there are long discussions on that already) if you're transferring to secondary what you really want is for fermentation to be largely done before you transfer.

This means that you need to wait till the krausen has fallen as that indicates that fermenation has largely fallen off. Even then some will argue that if you don't wait at least a day after it falls, you'll be transferring over a bunch of usless stuff that needs time to particulate out.

Have you 'killed' your beer by transfering to secondary while the krausen was still up? Probably not. As much as forums like this will be filled with conversations that say 'You HAVE to do X or your'll ruin your beer' the fact is that beer is actually pretty damn tolerant of poor handling.

If you're not up on the 'science' behind why and when things are done in the brewing process, I really suggest following the 1-2-3 rule as there are very few times where following this rule of thumb will steer you wrong. 1 week in primary, 2 weeks in secodnary and 3 weeks carbonating and aging.

For the science behind brewing, I suggest reading both Papzian's and Palmer's books.

 

[Jaybird]

nah.... you just might have a little more yeasties in the secondary than you would have. use the 123 rule I personally like the rule 1 week in primary 2 weeks in secondary 3 weeks in the bottle.
JJ

 

[Reverend JC]

Thanks for the insight. Yeah, i am up on the science of the whole process. Read ol' pap's book twice actaully and then home brewing for dummies. Its just that since this was the first liquid yeast i have used i did not know if there was always going to be this giant Kraeusen everytime and should i next time wait. It had been in primary for 8 days, put into secondary today for 2 weeks, and will yes, leave it in the bottle for at least 3 weeks.

With the dry yeasts i have used ( my first 3 beers) i never saw anything like that at the top of the primary.

 

[EvilTOJ]

If there's still a huge amount of krausen on the top of the wort, then usually it is still fermenting. Wheat causes a ginormous amount of krausen to form on top of the wort, and it may take awhile for it to settle. Also, a bubble every four seconds is an active fermentation. Things to look for is to see the krausen fall, the trub start settling out, and less than a bubble per minute. If you use a hydrometer, you can take a reading one day, then take one another day and if the SG hasn't fallen any more, then it's fine to rack to secondary.

You didn't do the wrong thing, but you may get a mess coming out of your secondary.


Curse you guys and your lightning fast fingers!!!1

 

[Reverend JC]

So you are saying that i could end up with more kraeusen forming in the secondary? That would be ok except it is a 5 gallon one with no room for that!

 

[EvilTOJ]

If the fermentation isn't done yet, then yes, it's possible. I've had it happen a few times to me, but normally it was just a few bubbles and sometimes a small layer of krausen on top.

 

[david_42]

If this is your first wheat, you have experienced the "improved head retention" of wheat. Krausen is just scummy, yeasty head.

You probably transferred early, but the ferment will finish. You'll have more trub than normal. No big deal.

 

[the_bird]

Since it's only a five gallon secondary, sounds like you ought to set up a blow-off tube (airlocks can get blocked up, which is potentially very dangerous).

Sounds like you racked too soon, but live and learn...