Secondary Fermentation Why?

[silverbrew]

Hi all,

Was just wondering (as i am looking at brewing a belgian ale next) what are the benefits of a secondary Fermentation?

and how does one go about doing a secondary ferment?

thanks

 

[jonocarroll]

Lotsa results from a search. Been covered plenty I'm sure.

 

[Wonderwoman]

the following article has good info on the how and why:
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...;showarticle=12

btw, the article section is the best place to start for any questions you have about basic brewing techniques. When I first joined the forum it took me ages to figure that out. If you only search within the forums you'll find an overwhelming amount of info and some of it contradictory.

back to your question about the benefits... I personally find that it improves the flavour and reduces the amount of sediment that ends up in your bottle, and it really doesn't take that long so I rack all my beers to secondary

 

[manticle]

Hi all,

Was just wondering (as i am looking at brewing a belgian ale next) what are the benefits of a secondary Fermentation?

and how does one go about doing a secondary ferment?

thanks

'How to brew' covers it better than I probably can but the basis of it is thus:

You may transfer to secondary to allow the beer to mature and clean up after itself while fermentation is completing. (2/3 - 3/4 through)
You may transfer to secondary because you are concerned the yeast may die and create off flavours (usually only a worry if you leave it in primary for over 6 weeks)
You may transfer to secondary for bulk priming
You may transfer to secondary to assist clarity in the final beer.

OR

Any combination of the above - except the bulk priming thing because that is done at the latest possible stage when ferment is complete. You may, however, get some cosmetic improvement by transferring when you bulk prime.

Transferring to secondary (racking) is basically transferring to another container. This may be done via the tap and hose or by siphoning from the top. Siphoning will take less sediment but may have a mildly higher risk of infection. Siphoning involves using euuipment specifically for the purpose, not suckinhg the end of the hose unless your saliva is actually napisan.

The hose is necessary to avoid splashing and oxidation. All parts in contact with any beer should be cleaned and sanitised.

You may transfer to plastic or glass. Plastic is good because it's cheaper but glass is good because it's less permeable to oxygen. Best not to leave to much headroom if you can avoid it as CO2 will need to develop in the deadspace to provide an anti-microbial blanket leaving a small window of vulnerability.

Some people don't bother (especially with ales). I always do it now and find the results are worth it.

It's not complicated but taking time to do it properly and doing it for a good reason rather than just because you read about it are advised.

 

[brando]

More risk, and more cleaning. Not for me!

 

[manticle]

More risk, and more cleaning. Not for me!

Unless you live in a lukewarm fresh water and agar spa bath I think the risk of infection is pretty minimal. It is one more thing you can muck up but if you can't transfer beer once in a sanitary fashion you probably can't primary ferment or bottle either.

The question is not so much 'should I?' as 'how do I?' and 'why do I?'

 

[buttersd70]

Unless you live in a lukewarm fresh water and agar spa bath I think the risk of infection is pretty minimal.

:lol:

You've been listenting to me too much, matey. :lol:

 

[manticle]

There's that and the fact that everything now days is wrapped in melinex and sprayed liberally with dettol. When I grew up we ate fresh horse dung for breakfast and I haven't been ill ever in my life (years between 1872 and 1901 are not included for medical reasons).

 

[Simpdogg]

I did abit of research on siphoning beer from the fermentor and understand that you do need special equipment, but can someone please shed some light / further understanding on

if you're siphoning your beer from the top of you primary fermentor you will lose the gasses that have built up resulting in a flat beer??

Is this statement true? I would of only thought so if you removed the lid??

 

[buttersd70]

I did abit of research on siphoning beer from the fermentor and understand that you do need special equipment, but can someone please shed some light / further understanding on

if you're siphoning your beer from the top of you primary fermentor you will lose the gasses that have built up resulting in a flat beer??

Is this statement true? I would of only thought so if you removed the lid??

no and no. You only need special equipment if you ferment in a vessel without a tap, such as a carboy. Then you would need an auto-syphon (although, that being said, there are ways and means). If your fermenter has a tap, you need....a hose. pvc or silicon. atach it to the tap, open the tap, and then an apple will fall on your head.....

Some small amount of excess co2 will come out of solution due to turbulence. Excess being the operative word. If priming using a calculator, it will mak 2/5ths of sfa difference.

 

[manticle]

Losing Co2 is only relevant if you decided not to prime. You will need special stuff if you siphon off the top (it's not that special). Personally I find tap does the job fine. Some people don't like it because they're tring to leave behind the yeast cake and some yeast may come out of the tap - my experience is most of it is easily left behind as the yeast is heavy and stays at the bottom till the end while the rest of the liquid flows much easier.

I don't make the best beer in the world (getting better every brew though) and I have loads to learn but beer is the oldest alcoholic drink in the world and was made long before thermometers, refractometers, bottling wands and triple vessel stainless steel brewing rigs with multi-decoction capabilities. Keep it simple, learn what each process does for you beer and decide if it works.

 

[rude]

Ive been no chilling in a cube
I dont whirpool
I leave about a litre in the kettle
I tip the lot into my fermentor so after 1 - 2 days I have been racking to another vessel just to leave the trub behind
I then rack again to bulk prime after 2 weeks.
Not sure if this is the right thing to do but the beer isnt too bad
No infections yet
Big cheers to Doogie Chap there for the tip on Hawa - san Tr-5

 

[manticle]

If you rack too soon you can get a stuck ferment depending on temp control, yeast type, OG etc.

Personally I like racking and do it regularly but I wouldn't do it after just one day.

 

[drtomc]

If you rack too soon you can get a stuck ferment depending on temp control, yeast type, OG etc.

Personally I like racking and do it regularly but I wouldn't do it after just one day.

And it makes you taller. h34r:

I rack mostly for clarity. Also, because I'm still getting the hang of AG, I get a pretty big lot of trub - it seems like a pretty good idea to get my tasty beer off the crud. Perhaps when I am a more skilled brewer and leave more of the crud in the kettle, I might be less inclined to rack.

Besides, it gives me something to do when I'm not brewing, bottling, plating or slanting yeast, making a new bit of gear....

T.

 

[rude]

Hey Mants I just figured after a day or 2 the trub would drop & there would be heaps of yeast still in suspension so I wouldnt get a stuck ferment?
Anyway I havent got one yet so I will watch out for it cheers

 

[hazard]

Siphoning involves using euuipment specifically for the purpose, not suckinhg the end of the hose unless your saliva is actually napisan.

Equipment only needs to be a racking cane and a hose, or if you use the tap, a hose only. Lets not make this sound mysterious with talk of "special" equipment.

Personally, I would always use a racking cane because I get all the wort - if you use the tap, I find you leave a litre or so behind.

Also, I rack each brew twice - once into a secondary fermenter (really for clarification, not for further fermentation) and finally into the priming bucket. I always suck (that statement could be misinterpreted a number of ways!!) and have never had an infection from the beer, so have deemed an auto-siphon as unnecesary item. However, I will usually brush my teeth or use listerine before I suck (some may do so after they suck).

 

[manticle]

"Equipment specifically for the purpose" (talking about siphoning from the top, not draining through the tap) is hardly the most mystical or technical expression you'll read on the forum. I thought my run-down was a reasonable explanation of the whys and wherefores.

 

[manticle]

Hey Mants I just figured after a day or 2 the trub would drop & there would be heaps of yeast still in suspension so I wouldnt get a stuck ferment?
Anyway I havent got one yet so I will watch out for it cheers

I'm not saying it won't work.

It just seems a bit early. Basically you're adding in a certain number of yeast cells then taking them out again before they've done their job. Sometimes it takes 24 -48 hours just for signs of fermentation to become apparent. If there is plenty of yeast around to do the job it will need to multiply and will then create a new trub anyway. Rack to secondary when the majority (not all) of the ferment is complete.

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter8-4.html

 

[rude]

Yes you are right shouldnt rack too early
Just racked today been in the fermenter for 2 days
It was just after high krausen
I throw my hop pellets straight into the boil so I end up with quite a bit of trub
I like a fast start to my ferment so have been making the best starters I can.
So really like others have said I rack for clarity at the moment but this could change.
cheers

 

[rackemup]

Yes you are right shouldnt rack too early
Just racked today been in the fermenter for 2 days
It was just after high krausen
I throw my hop pellets straight into the boil so I end up with quite a bit of trub
I like a fast start to my ferment so have been making the best starters I can.
So really like others have said I rack for clarity at the moment but this could change.
cheers

2 days?!? - patience grasshopper.