Wanting To 2nd Ferment

[OCC]

I FEEL I'M READY TO GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF BREWING AFTER 5 BREWS.I JUST NEED TO KNOW STEP BY STEP METHOD OF 2nd FERMENTAION
I.E HOW LONG IN PRIMARY & SECONDARY
TEMPRETURE IN SECONDARY
WHAT S.G TO CHANGE AT & AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT WILL GET A NEWBIE GOIN....
CHEERS OCC :blink:

 

[Wax]

Hi OCC, and welcome to the madness

There are two schools of thought on when to rack to a secondary.

a ) A few points before FG is reached.
b ) After it has fully fermented.

The choice is yours really. I've done both and noticed no difference in my beers.

For my Ales generally I rack after 5 days in the primary, if it has fully fermented or not, as long as the SG close to FG. I leave it an normal ale temps for another 5 days or so, then rack it again to a cube to cc at very low (2 c) for a couple more weeks.

To follow this routine you really need a few on the go at any one time so you don't run out of beer. .

The most important thing when racking is not oxidising your beer. Oxygen will destroy your brew. You need to get a length of food grade tube ($2'ish mtr from bunnings). Coil it in the bottom of your secondary container so it creates a whirl pool effect when you run the liquid through, this prevents it splashing.

Good Luck

aslo do a search on "Racking" or "Secondary" or "CC'ing" there's bucket loads of info on the topic.

 

[Curry]

G'day OCC,

I'm no expert by a long shot, just about to put down my fourth brew.

At it's basic form secondary is very easy and will improve your brew - I started using secondary at my second brew.

First thing to do is get your equipment. At a basic level you need a second fermenter and some food-grade hose and really thats about it - a good place to start anyway.

You then need to learn how to rack (the process of moving from one fermenter to another), have a look at the instructions on:-

Grumpy's

Once you have racking sorted out in your head, then the rest is easy.

In answer to your question about when to rack to secondary; there are many answers on this forum - but Ill explain what I do. As my secondary fermenter is 30L (same as my primary), I end up with plenty of airspace above my brew (not good, chance of contamination). As a result of this I rack to secondary just before the main part of fermentation is complete, that way there will still be some fermentation going on in the secondary. This will help expel the air above the brew and lessen the chance of infection. This usually takes place around 9-10 days into the fermentation process, but will very depending on what yeast you are using. A constant check of the specific gravity will give you a guide as to when fermentation is slowing (just keep a record every day or second day).

Time in the secondary can very, but the main thing is to ensure you have a good seal on the fermenter and a topped up airlock. Just keep checking your SG to see when fermentation is complete, maybe waiting a couple of days and then move onto bulk priming. There is no reason that you shouldn't bulk prime if you are using a secondary because all you need to know is how to rack - which you already do. Bulk Priming instructions are at:-

Grumpy's

Temperature in the secondary is once a varied answer on this forum, but for me I just leave it at constant temperature until is starts to clear (I don't have a fridge - yet).

Hope this helps

Regards

Curry

 

[shmick]

I FEEL I'M READY TO GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF BREWING AFTER 5 BREWS.I JUST NEED TO KNOW STEP BY STEP METHOD OF 2nd FERMENTAION
I.E HOW LONG IN PRIMARY & SECONDARY
TEMPRETURE IN SECONDARY
WHAT S.G TO CHANGE AT & AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT WILL GET A NEWBIE GOIN....
CHEERS OCC :blink:

[post="63629"][/post]​

G'day OCC

You didn't mention what you were brewing (Ale, lager) or whether you bottle or keg.

A search will show there are many opinions on whether second ferm is actually useful. I've used both methods over several years I think it depends on what and how you are brewing.

The results from 2nd ferm are subtle - not the quantam leap forward some people expect. h34r: (flamesuit on). It has more of an impact on lightly flavoured beers and kits. Especially kits. You are pushing a big pile up a steep hill with a small stick to get top beer out of a kit at the best of times so every little bit helps.

Theory is that it helps clear and age/smooth the beer while reducing the chances of off flavours occuring due to dead yeast.
IMO most of these things are achieved during the 2nd ferm, not necessarily because of it. Accurate temperature control and patience have a far greater effect on the outcome than anything else at this stage.

For ales try 2wks in the primary then rack to a bulk priming container (second carboy) then immediately bottle. Unless you are using a yeast with really low flocculation and you shake it around a bit, it should be pretty clear. Clear the sediment in the tap by discarding the first 100ml or so when racking and forget about the last 1/2" in the bottom - a bottle or 2 less is a small price to pay for a better batch as a whole. Also put the bottles in the fridge for a few days to a week before drinking and they will pour a bit clearer. No bottle conditioned beer is sparkling clear like a commercial lager but it usually doesn't effect the taste.

Beer will mature more quickly when sitting on a yeast cake than in a bottle. Whether it is in the primary or secondary the effect is the same. 2 wks in ferm is equiv to 4 wk in a bottle. Kits definitely benefit from this maturation.

Unless you are doing a lager or a Kolsch (a particular ale style) I wouldn't worry about the cold conditioning (CCing) either. I think CCing is useful in helping to clear a stubbornly cloudy beer as it tends to make the yeast settle out more quickly but it also strips an ale of it's complex fruity flavours (good tastes) and leaves it rather bland. It will however make the beer more crisp if this is what you are after.

Secondary an ale at fermantion temps and 2nd/CC a lager just above freezing.
Racking before the primary ferm is complete will ensure the air in the 2nd is purged by the CO2 still being produced.

Rave over - back to work.

 

[OCC]

THANKS FOR THE INFO SHMICK
AT THE MOMENT I ,M BREWING A KIT LARGER AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT MATURING OVER THE YEAST CAKE RATHER THAN THE BOTTLE IS THIS OF GREAT BENIFIT AND DO I GET TO DRINK THE END PRODUCT QUICKER.....