Racked Too Early?

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Mercs Own

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The Kolsch I put down last Thursday with two packets of wyeast went off like a rocket but equally seemed to stop dead on the Monday. I decided to rack it off to another fermenter to clear it up but also to excite a secondary ferment. Once it was racked out of the first fermenter I had a good look at the yeast which had remained on top of the wort and was almost like a bread dough. I measure the gravity of the racked wort at 1022 down from an Og of 1051. It hasnt really started a secondary and I am wondering that since the kolsch yeast had primarily sat on top of the wort if after racking there was any residual yeast left to encourage a secondary ferment?

I will test it in a few days to see if it has dropped down a few points. Any ideas on the kolsch yeast and racking?
 
No experience with the kolsch yeast but there should be plenty left in suspension. Give it more time & keep checking the gravity.
 
Merc.

Probably a little hasty in racking. I would have just left it in primary for a week to 12 days and just done nothing.

Kolsch strain is a rather powdery strain and will work for quite some time. Bear with it and it will attenuate further.

Warren -
 
Cant wait any longer - strain, sweat, control - must drink now!

Okay will leave it be. Best take the same advice with the Amber Ale also hey? Damn, I was hoping to drink some soon! Actually I tasted the Kolsch when racking and it tasted pretty good.

Looks like I am going to have to get a fermentation fridge though so as to keep the temps regular!
 
Merc!
Patience man. All good things come to those who wait (apparently). I do the 7 and 7 rule. 7 days primary, 7 days secondary, bulk prime, bottle, wait two weeks and sample. Then leave another 2 weeks before hooking in....believe me its worth the wait :party:
 
Merc.

Too right. If you're planning to indulge in the hobby for any length of time a spare fridge (or two) with some after-market thermostats would be most wise. :beerbang:

Kolsch is sort of treated like a lager and is a good example of this. Ferment at ale temps. 15-18, rack to secondary and slowly lower the temp to about 3-0c and lager for about 4 weeks. This will bring about a dramatic improvement in this style. :rolleyes:

Warren -
 
I'll go for what everyone has said so far and tell you to wait... It's really hard to, but it means better beer in the end! :)

Sometimes it also takes a couple of days for the secondary fermentation to get going, but that depends on the yeast, and I haven't had any experience with the one you have used.
 
Its been a week since I racked the Kolsch and I was thinking about kegging and bottling it soon. I took an sg measure and it came in at 1016. (down from an original of 1051 and a racking of 1022)

How much longer should I leave it? It is sitting at around the 19 - 20 degrees in the garage. BeerSmith's final gravity estimate is 1012 do you think it will get down that far?
 
Mercs leave it another couple of days as you probably racked a bit early and then take two readings over two days and if you get the same reading its done.....
Cheers - hope its a good one
Steve
 
Merc.

Leave it another week (2 weeks total in secondary). There's every chance it will drop a couple more points in the meantime.

Warren -
 
Merc,

It's come down 6 points in 6 days in the secondary, as Warren says, leave it another 7 days... I still find it hard to wait on a new brew & I've got a motsa on tap :D
 
I get worried taking readings as I am introducing air into the fermenter every time you take a reading and therefore expose it to possible infection - is this a concern. That said I will leave it for a few more days - Saturday, and take another reading then.

Thanks guys.
 
How are you taking the readings? If you sanitise the fermenter tap before collection you won't have any problems but I wouldn't be dropping the hydro directly into the wort. One trick is to keep a sample big enough to fill your hydro tube in another container by the fermenter with the lid on loosely to let CO2 escape. It will ferment at the same rate as the brew & you can keep checking it - means you don't risk contamination & you don't lose wort each time you do it.
 
merc i normally leave my beers in the primary a week after fermatation is finshed so the yeast can clean the beer up a bit then i rack ,as with infection once fermenting the beer is protected by co2 so the testing of gravities in the tube should be a problem but refractometer makes it easy with a drop of wort or beer,mind you when leaving the beer on the yeast cake i still keep it at fermentation temps
 
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