Racking For Clear Beer

[Finite]

Hey guys,

Disclamer: I'm not trying to start a racking debate. :icon_cheers:

I was thinking but couldn't find and answer.

I usually always just do a primary fermentation. I was doing some reading and alot of people kept mentioning that one of the reasons they racked their beer into secondary was for a clearer beer.

Surely though this would only really apply to beers that were kegged? Bottle conditioned beers generate some yeast multiplication and end up with about the same amount of yeast in the bottle anyway (in general).

Sure there are variables but I cant imagine they would be huge.

Does anyone have any info on benifits racking purely for the sake of clarity? How would it compare to say 3-4 weeks in primary and some finings intead of say 2 in primary and 2 in secondary. Again assuming its bottle conditioned.

Cheers,

 

[reviled]

Does anyone have any info on benifits racking purely for the sake of clarity?

Yep, there arent any IMO.. Racking doesnt really do anything for the clarity, it gets the beer of the yeast cake and thats about it...

 

[manticle]

I only have personal experience to go on but I've found my beers got less sediment when I started using finings and less again when I started racking. Now I also cold condition and can almost upend the bottle into the glass.

It's not really clarity I care about but some early bottles could be 1/3 sediment and it's very easy to pour yourself a glass of that without looking.

I like my Cooper's unrolled.

No objective or experiential info but it seems to work for me.

 

[cdbrown]

I only rack to secondary when adding gelatine or for bulk priming if I'm bottling. Just means the yeast cake is left behind and there's only the yeast still in suspension hanging around. Don't know if it actually does anything to improve the beer but I'm a kegger and have noticed that for the few litres left in each batch which get's bottled, they are clearer if they have been racked and had gelatine added, rather than adding gelatine to the primary. But that may be just down to the type of brews or other factors.

 

[pdilley]

I rack all to secondary sans BPA which was part of the BYOMag experiment in leaving a fermented beer a month on the cake experiment.

Clarity isn't the reason, racked and month aged beers have more body. Racked ales have more fruity aromas but cleaner taste than their immediately bottled cousins. All differences are not major enough that everyone can be right with their method. Ce la vie.

Cheers,
Brewer Pete

 

[Fourstar]

Clarity occurs with time. getting of the yeast cale and then allowing ti to brighten up is a better solution but not always the best. you can oxidise the beer, have residual diacetyl or at worst, pick up an infection.

For bottling i used to find it easier to rack after ferment into secondary and sit for a week, just so majority of the yeast in suspension floccs out and when you rack you are not drawing as much off the bottom as you woudl in primary. i usually find most of my beers have yeast up to or on the tap outlet.

For kegging its a different story altogether for me. I NEVER rack. unless i am adding fruit. i do everything else in primary including dry hopping. after fermentation ceases, i rest for 2 days, crash chill for 2 days atleast and then keg by racking top down, leaving around 1-2L in the bottom as my kegs holdn 18-19L~. i still brew to 23L batches for this reason so i have a decent buffer between me and yesties that are not required in the finished product.

 

[Renegade]

This is a good discussion point started by the OP. I have always racked to secondary because I read that it helps clear the beer. But lately Im having second thoughts. After all, if I just left the beer for another week in primary, and made sure I didnt agitate the fermenter, the yeast in suspension is still going to drop out.

I only rack to secondary when adding gelatine or for bulk priming if I'm bottling.

cdbrown, Im a recent gelatine convert and wonder why you would even bother racking to secondary if youre going to use gelatine finings. I'm really srating to rethink the whole secondary process for having any purpose in a beer that will be sitting around for 2-3 weeks between pitching & bottling.

While I will continue to 'rack' for the immediate purposes of bulk priming, for my next few Im just going to leave my beer in primary for 10-14 days, then add gelatine, wait 48 hours, then transfer to my bulk priming bucket without moving the primary fermenter whatsoever.

There may be some reasons for secondary racking (not including bulk priming) for beers that are going to sit for a while, or perhaps even lagers, but I'm starting to think that Im just wasting my time with present processes.

 

[warra48]

I don't rack, unless I have a very good reason to do so.

My usual practice is to tilt my fermenter about 20 to 30 away from the tap during fermentation. It allows the yeast cake to settle away from the tap.

My last brew was an APA bottled last Monday after 2 weeks in the fermenter, and was left with nothing more than a solid yeast/trub cake in the bottom.

I don't have any problems in getting clear beers, so see little point in racking, unless for a good reason such as lagering or to CC a big beers such as weizenbocks.

I'm not arguing for or against racking, just saying what I do.

 

[geoffi]

Used to do secondary. Now just leave it an extra week in primary. Beers taste better and are nice and clear.

Your results may vary, but that's what I've found.

 

[buttersd70]

Ahh, racking...

There are several reasons to rack, and a lot of misconceptions. Racking beer after it has finished fermenting is really only cosmetic faffery (for the most part. Some exceptions being for bulk priming without disturbing the yeastcake, using pvpp without it getting into the slurry, etc). It does allow the yeast to flocc out slightly faster (not fast, but faster. Big difference), due to the net charge of the yeast.....

Racking for the purpose of secondary fermentation (with fermentation being the operative word), is a different kettle of fish. That effects the flavour profile of the beer.

 

[manticle]

Ahh, racking...

There are several reasons to rack, and a lot of misconceptions. Racking beer after it has finished fermenting is really only cosmetic faffery (for the most part. Some exceptions being for bulk priming without disturbing the yeastcake, using pvpp without it getting into the slurry, etc). It does allow the yeast to flocc out slightly faster (not fast, but faster. Big difference), due to the net charge of the yeast.....

Racking for the purpose of secondary fermentation (with fermentation being the operative word), is a different kettle of fish. That effects the flavour profile of the beer.

I rack about 2/3 - 3/4 towards expected FG.

 

[haysie]

Ahh, racking...

You gottta love it. A new day a new thread! How many #@$$%@# times has it been done.