Temperature Control

[yard glass]

Hi guys,

I'm interested to know if it's necessary to keep the secondary at a controlled temp once it's been Racked.

I've had an Ale @ 18* for 7 days and am about to Rack it, I figure all the work has been done... Right ?

I would like to free up the brew box for a Lager.

Thanks
Yardglass

 

[Darren]

Shouldn't be a problem Yardglass. Just don't store it in the shed during hot weather.
cheers
Darren

 

[yard glass]

Thanks Darren,

Have you done a comparison between secondary temp controlled and not ?

yardglass

 

[peas_and_corn]

Hmm...

well, you need it within a temperature that makes sure the yeast is till working.After racking, the yeast is going through the maturation stage of fermentation, and so it still needs to be within a proper temperature.

I haven't had a brew that hasn't been at a different temperature for secondary than for primary

 

[yard glass]

thanks peas_and_korn,

shed temperature is running at about 24* at the moment so I might rack it today.

I think I could almost fit 2 fermenters in the Brew Box, would the 13* for the Lager fermentation be too severe for the Ale in Secondary ?

cheers
yg

 

[Justin]

Aboslutely not. If your down to your FG you can certainly secondary at 13C. The whole idea is to slow the yeast down and just let them tick over mopping up a few by products while settling everything to the bottom. It will also help flocculate your yeast and it will clear quicker. FWIW if your brew has finished you do absolutely no harm in dropping it to -1C and lagering it for a while. The yeast will still keep working but just at a slow rate.

However if your bottling I wouldn't lager for too long, otherwise it takes too long to carbonate your bottles because of the low yeast count.

Cheers, Justin

 

[yard glass]

If your down to your FG you can certainly secondary at 13C.

Cheers, Justin

[post="90907"][/post]​

thanks Justin,

It hasn't finished yet so I'm going to put the Lager down and have both pails in the Brew Box for two days @ 18C.

I'll take the Ale out in 2 days time and then lower the Lager to 13C.

2 days @ 18C won't affect the Lager that much will it ?

cheers
yg

 

[Justin]

Are you using a proper lager yeast? If so I wouldn't let it sit at 18C for 2 days. It will take off and you'll have trouble getting the temp down for the next day or two after that. You'll end up with the fruity esters normally found in ales in your lager if you ferment it at 18C at the start and you wont be able to get rid of them.

If I were you I'd leave the ale in there until your ready to do the lager, then if it's not finished before your lager is pitched i'd pull the ale out and put the lager in. Even if you ale sits at 24C outside the brew box, it's at the end of fermentation so your unlikely to pick up any undesirable flavours in those last few gravity points. It won't hurt it.

Then rack it when it's finished and into the brew box with the lager to secondary ferment it at 13C. Then bottle when ready.

Hope it helps.

Cheers mate. Justin

 

[yard glass]

thanks again Justin,

I racked it over a couple of pints this arv. :chug:

It comes out tomorrow arv when the Lager with Lager yeast goes in @ 13C.

cheers
yardglass