Rack Or Wait?

[BruceL]

I'm fermenting a kit ale at 20c using safale 56, but its fermenting very slowly. There are no unusual smells and the beer tastes fine, just fermenting slowly.

Its now been going 9 days and is only down to 1014. (I have never had an ale take longer than 7 days to FG)

Since day five I've been checking the SG every second day. Its been dropping by 2 points per day since then (4 bubbles through airlock per minute). I would probably estimate it will ferment for another 3-4 days making 12-13 days fermentation time.

Should I rack now or is it best to wait till stable FG?

Any suggestions as to why this brew seems to be taking so long?

The only thing i did differently was give the yeast a very light stir after adding previously I,ve just tipped it onto surface and left.

Bruce

 

[DrewCarey82]

Should be right as long as its near completion go for it.

 

[Steve]

I too would be racking and leaving in secondary for 5-7 days, take another couple of readings after that and she should be right. Not sure why its taking so long...too many variables.
Cheers
Steve

 

[delboy]

That sounds about right dont forget when you go to sleep the temp does drop a bit to slowing down the whole thing. I would say that you will have a nice beer there as it has taken extra time to ferment .I would rack it now and leave it for a week .
then do a test .

it won't hurt a bit
I have just finished a us56 brew using an Blonde ale and cascade hops it took 9 days to get to 2 points of FG then i racked it off and left it for 4 days and then i put it in the fridge for 48 hours took out night before bulk primining and botteling just tried one last night and it was nice though still a little green .

delboy :beer:

 

[Mr Bond]

A 14 day fermentation with this yeast is not a problem,you could leave it the extra few days or rack it now and let off the subsequent gas build up from secondary by cracking the lid a little from time to time when the container swells.
I've done both and had no adverse effects on the final product.

 

[barfridge]

I leave all my beers for at least 14 days in primary, to give the yeast time to finish up and eat any byproducts they have consumed.

So don't stress at all, it's perfectly safe.

 

[NRB]

The only thing i did differently was give the yeast a very light stir after adding previously I,ve just tipped it onto surface and left.

Sprinkling onto the wort and leaving is better than stirring. If you're going to stir it in, it pays to rehydrate in warm water first.

I recently used US56 in an APA and had no such problems with it, even fermenting at 16C. Mind you, I left it for 3 weeks before I opened the fermenting room to transfer it to a keg.

 

[BruceL]

Thanks for all the advice.

I decided to rack, which I did this afternoon.

It was my first attempt at racking. All went well, initially the tube was partially blocked but after a while things cleared and it went quicker.

I used a method described by Grumpy's Brewhouse where you simply place a tube over the tap and run it into a second fermenter.

Is this the method you use?

Bruce

 

[Mr Bond]

Works 4 me.As long as the tube sits at the bottom of your cube and minimises the oxygen introduction its all good.

 

[mika]

I second that method

 

[BruceL]

Any tips on this racking method?

Do you ever have problems with blockages when using that method?

I ran of a small amount into a glass, then added the tube (which I had curled in the bottom of my second fermenter) and turned on the tap. However it only ran out slowly and didn't completely fill the tube. Eventually it stopped flowing about half way through. I tilted the fermenter, and a few seconds later it suddenly started flowing much faster, filling the tube completely. It stayed this way until racking was completed. I had obviously had a blockage.

Bruce

 

[Vangleator]

Just pinch the hose about 10cm from the tap when the wort starts to flow. Release your fingers and the wort will flow down the hose completely filling it.

 

[delboy]

Thats the way
works everytime .

delboy :beer: