To Rack Or Not To Rack....

[Brewtus]

I rack to a 20 liter cube so I can use the fermenter for the next batch without the risk of bottling early and getting bottle bombs and PET rockets. 4 to 5 days in the fermenter (ale) and 5 more in the 2ndry.

 

[rimrunner]

how much beer ar you putting into your 20l cube?

thinking of headspace/oxidation issues here...

 

[rimrunner]

i didn't type anything here... <_<

 

[rh1an5]

i racked my 2nd batch and left for about 4 days, just bottled it last night, definetly clearer than my last brew, but laso at a loss of extra liquid (taking into account loss when rackingn and then again loss when bottling), taste wise not sure, will know in a month when i crack the first tallie

 

[QldKev]

how much beer ar you putting into your 20l cube?

thinking of headspace/oxidation issues here...

Talking specifically ale type yeasts; I used to rack into a plastic jerry can, but I would do it just prior to fermentation finalising. This would allow most of the yeast to have dropped out of suspension but have enough activity to create a co2 layer in the jerry can (don't do the lid up too tight on the jerry can). Once fermentation was 100% complete then into a fridge for storage at 2 degrees, doing the cap up tight at this stage.. Never had an issue with infections or oxidisation. Being limited with homebrew time; I now just leave them in the fermenting fridge for 1 week at fermenting temp and min 1 week at 5 degrees. Then straight into the keg. I think the racking into the jerry can produced a slightly clearer beer, but for the effort is not really worth it. Maybe if I was going into a comp or something I would bother.

QldKev

 

[kabooby]

and sometimes I just can't be arsed getting the fermenter out and using another $6 bottle of sanitiser and humping the fermenters around when its far easier to drink yeast.

Hey Beernography, why are you using a $6 bottle of sanitiser every time?

Try diluting it in a spray bottle and just give everything a spray. You use far less that way.

Kabooby

 

[Brewtus]

how much beer ar you putting into your 20l cube?

thinking of head space/oxidation issues here...

My 20l cube can fit about 25l if fill to the top. With a 22l batch there is still head room a plenty. I get krausen coming out the fermenter pipe before I have to worry about over filling the cube. i leave the cap screwed on loosely so the co2 drive the air out but does not make the cube bulge.

 

[boingk]

As a bit of an aside, but relevant to that last comment - If you're pitching another brew on top, does the usual idea about oxygenating the wrt apply? I mean, if there's already heaps of live cells there, they don't need to multiply, right?

Interesting point, but relatively simple - the cells still need to be in an environment with sufficient oxygen to go about their work as far as I know. Pouring the water into the fermenter and letting it slosh in is all I ever do, and there seems to be quite adequate oxygenation.

As a further clarifyer on the racking post I made, keep the end of the hose in fermenter #2 under the beer level so it does NOT oxygenate the brew further. You can do this easily by tucking it under the sediment reducer.

Cheers - boingk.

 

[rimrunner]

sorry guys i realised as i posted it that i was off track. i tried to fix it with the next post but apparently i'm not used to pushing the right icons in this forums.