Hey all. I'm doing my third brew as we speak. The guy in the home brew shop said to rack it after 3-4 in the primary fermenter. But it hasn't finished fermenting. Do I have to wait till it's finished fermenting or rack it now like he said?
Racking
- Thread starter harry1318
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CrookedFingers
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Wow, not great advice there.
I would never rack unless there is a reason to do so with a certain style or process.
Definitely wait until the ferment is done IMHO.
CF
I would never rack unless there is a reason to do so with a certain style or process.
Definitely wait until the ferment is done IMHO.
CF
sp0rk
Mayor of Pooptown
In the interest of avoiding silly advice like that, where are you located?harry1318 said:
Yob
Hop to it
Only rack for a specific reason, trub level getting too high (massive beers), onto fruit, Bulk priming, there are many reasons to Rack... "just coz" aint one of them..
Whats the beer? Any specific reason to rack other than thatguy person twit individual said so?
Whats the beer? Any specific reason to rack other than that
wide eyed and legless
Well-Known Member
This topic comes up regularly, some things you have to make up your own mind about, I rack into secondary many people don't try both methods and make up your own mind as to what you think is suitable for you.
manticle
Standing up for the Aussie Bottler
There are reasons to rack and reasons not to. Do it for a reason. Don't do it for no reason.
mckenry
Brummagem
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Yes, there are reasons to rack. They need to be good reasons and clear beer isn't reason enough on its own to rack. You can get extremely clear beer by using gelatin and cold conditioning in primary.
IMHO racking is an unnecessary risk in most instances. I used to do it religiously coz someone said it was part of the normal process, but there's no need to.
IMHO racking is an unnecessary risk in most instances. I used to do it religiously coz someone said it was part of the normal process, but there's no need to.
wide eyed and legless
Well-Known Member
Its no good saying there are reasons to rack with out giving any reasons,I rack because I get a clear beer without gelatine or cold crashing.
Clarkholio
Member
^^+1. I find i get clearer beer and don't have the problem of stirring up the trub when bulk priming later. There are pro's and con's for most methods in anything home brew related.wide eyed and legless said:
I only rack when I'm doing a lager, to have it off the yeast cake asap, usually ~ after 4 days of fermenting... there is still some yeast in suspension to continue fermenting. I don't rack all the time when doing lagers though, only if I have the time and really want to be pedantic.
As others have said, rack for a reason not just because.
As others have said, rack for a reason not just because.
wide eyed and legless
Well-Known Member
Agree entirely, there are so many theories out there that is why I would promote the OP tries things for himself,it is after all a personal preference.
wide eyed and legless
Well-Known Member
Harry that is when you rack, when it is not quite finished fermenting, no need to add sugar.
mckenry
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The reasons to rack are such as autolysis - judanero - 4 days is harming your beer. Your lager needs the yeast much longer than this to do its job properly. 4 weeks is more like the time you need to rack off for that. Bulk priming is another reason to rack. Adding fruit is another. Wide eyed, You do not need to rack to get clear beer without cc. Any suspended yeast will carry over into the next ferment vessel when you rack anyway. All the high floccers have fallen in primary anyway. Racking won't help that. CC in your packaging is doing the same thing.
wide eyed and legless
Well-Known Member
I have done both, leaving in the primary and racking into secondary, for me I found racking into secondary improved my beer, (In saying that it could be that I had done a fantastic batch the first time I racked into secondary but I have stuck with it ever since) I then transfer my beer into a cask to dispense through a beer engine, no need to bulk prime (or even prime) each transfer I do with a CO2 cover.
As I said earlier it is a personal preference, I am not saying that it is wrong to use only a primary or it is right to go into secondary any new brewer has to make their own decision.
As I said earlier it is a personal preference, I am not saying that it is wrong to use only a primary or it is right to go into secondary any new brewer has to make their own decision.
"judanero - 4 days is harming your beer. Your lager needs the yeast much longer than this to do its job properly. 4 weeks is more like the time you need to rack off for that."
In what ways might it be harming my beer? And why?
I started doing this after a lengthy discussion on the technical side of lager brewing with a pretty well trusted brewer/retailer, and haven't noticed any ill effects, if anything I've only noticed a perceived "cleaner" beer (probably the best way to descibe it).
It was said to me that I could rack into secondary after 48-72 hours and even rack a second or third time, though I've never gone to that length my process is:
I pitch two smack packs into a 10L starter and use the resultant yeast cake for the primary fermentation, rack off to second vessel where it sits for ~ 3 weeks, then drop slowly to 0 over 5 days and then hold there for 5 days ( or longer if I have no need for the chest freezer).
In no way am I saying that my way is best or whatever, that is just what I do and I like the resultant beer.
:beer:
In what ways might it be harming my beer? And why?
I started doing this after a lengthy discussion on the technical side of lager brewing with a pretty well trusted brewer/retailer, and haven't noticed any ill effects, if anything I've only noticed a perceived "cleaner" beer (probably the best way to descibe it).
It was said to me that I could rack into secondary after 48-72 hours and even rack a second or third time, though I've never gone to that length my process is:
I pitch two smack packs into a 10L starter and use the resultant yeast cake for the primary fermentation, rack off to second vessel where it sits for ~ 3 weeks, then drop slowly to 0 over 5 days and then hold there for 5 days ( or longer if I have no need for the chest freezer).
In no way am I saying that my way is best or whatever, that is just what I do and I like the resultant beer.
:beer:
