Primary fermentation is the initial and primary stage of fermentation where the yeast consumes the sugars in the wort and converts them to alcohol and carbon dioxide.
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How to strain wort before primary fermentation
I recently made a big beer (Dogfish Head 90 minute clone) with an OG around 1.11. I had never tried to strain wort before moving to a primary fermenter but thought it would be a good idea since this ...
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So I don't know if my primary is done
I started primary 5 days ago. On the second day it had a healthy yeast cake on top. Day three it began to fall and yesterday, so day 4, it went all the way down. The temp is at 70 degrees and is an ...
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3answers
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How worried should I be about a plastic-wrapped kettle that had to air chill for two days?
I was in the middle of a 7-gallon brew, when my landlord informed me that the grain that I had put down my garbage disposal had clogged the main drain for the house. My sink is too small for an ice ...
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1answer
123 views
Adding coffee without secondary
There are several questions about adding coffee, but the best results always seem to result from adding the coffee at secondary fermentation. I simply don't have a second vessel so this is not an ...
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1answer
319 views
When should I add apricot puree to a Belgian beer?
I'm brewing a Belgian dubbel tomorrow and have a 3-lb can of pureed apricot. I don't know if I should add it into my primary after a few days of initial fermentation, or if I should wait a couple of ...
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1answer
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Cherry Chocolate Hard Apple Cider
It's cider brewing time of the year and I'm thinking of doing a cherry chocolate cider. My question is whether I should boil the cherries and chocolate nibs in a portions of the cider prior to ...
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2answers
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New batch of wort in primary for 24hrs now and no “krausen” forming. Trouble?
This is my second batch of wort. My first went so smoothly I decided to start another in the primary after racking the fisrt over to the carboy. It's been sitting in the primary now for 24hrs and ...
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1answer
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Leaf Hops in Primary
I used leaf hops in my boil and did not filter them out when I transferred to primary. I thought it'd be like pellet hops, which settle down into the yeast cake. This is not the case, though. They ...
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2answers
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Lager krausen won't fall
I'm brewing my first true lager with White Labs WLP800 and the krausen won't fall. I'm being somewhat impatient because it's taking up primary space right now. I pitched at 44°f and let it rise to ...
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1answer
314 views
Fermenting in 5 gallon PET bottles
Rather than buying buckets or carboys, I would like to use 5 gallon PET water bottles that I can get free from work (I verified they are PET with the "1" on the bottom). However all my extract recipes ...
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3answers
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How long can homebrew stay in the primary fermenter?
I just put down my first brew and should have bottled it last week but had something come up. How long will it be good for?
If I bottle it this weekend will it still be good or is there something I ...
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What prevents contamination during primary fermentation?
I'm about to start my first beer and I've been doing lots of research.. but a question I haven't seen answered is why isn't there more contamination during primary fermentation.
For secondary the ...
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Should I worry about blow-off?
I brewed a batch of IPA yesterday and when I checked on it today it had started to blow-off. There is so much pressure in the primary that it has spilled up through the airlock and is constantly ...
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3answers
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Will my session beer be OK for 5-6 weeks in primary?
I am looking to finish off my leftover ingredients and can just about make a pale ale with OG ~1.04 or so. I'd like to get it started tomorrow, but I probably won't be able to rack it until the first ...
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3answers
251 views
Overly Active Fermentation
I've got an Imperial IPA that I'm worried has something wrong.
OG 1.080,
5gal batch,
6.5gal fermentation bucket,
Used a healthy starter,
Room temp 70f
Primary kicked up within five hours or so and ...
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1answer
307 views
How to ferment 15-gallon batches
It's probably a simple solution, but I'm planning on making the jump to AG very shortly and, having only done 5-gallon batches in the past, am wondering what is the easiest way to ferment a full ...
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2answers
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Yeast on primary fermenting foam [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Day 2 of Primary Fermentation of beer
Is this what it should look like day 2? I sprinkled the yeast on top yesterday, and today it looks like it foamed a bit and looks ...
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5answers
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How are 10-gallon batches commonly fermented?
Currently I brew 5-gallon all-grain batches using my propane burner and 7.5-gallon brew pot. I've been considering buying a bigger pot and building a bigger MLT to do 10-gallon batches, but I'm not ...
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What's the difference between primary & secondary fermentation?
Over here PJ asked "How do you differentiate primary to secondary if you keep it in the same bucket?"
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Temperature Control for Fermentation
I am curious how everyone controls the temperature of their primary, especially those that live in the warmer climates. In Florida, where the temperatures can soar and remain in the 90's and above ...
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1answer
311 views
Day 2 of Primary Fermentation of beer
Is this what my primary fermentation should look like after a day???
It looks like my yeast has been sitting on top of foam..
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1answer
216 views
Controlling exothermic heat from primary fermentation with A/C cooling duct
In terms of brewing with Ale yeasts, I understand that fermenter temps can increase up to 10 degrees, or more, than the ambient room temperature. As a "cheap" method for keeping the temperature of the ...
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3answers
200 views
Primary taking far longer to settle down than usual - should I worry?
I'm on my fourth batch of IPA from a "tried & true" recipe from a local brewshop. On the first three, I transferred from Primary to Secondary after the bubbles got to more than 1 minute ...
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4answers
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Longest time in carboy?
I've been extraordinarily lazy lately and have kept 2 of my beers sitting around for some time.
What is the longest you've kept your beer on primary and still had good results? I'm hearing arguments ...
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4answers
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Can I add more yeast during primary fermentation?
I've got a brew that's been on primary fermentation for 10 days and still haven't seen any activity in the airlock (again). Gravity has dropped from 1.040 to 1.014, but I'd still like to raise the ...
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4answers
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What kind of infection is this and is the beer ruined?
Picture of Infection
This is my first all-grain batch and unfortunately it has developed some kind of growth. It didn't smell like death, actually smelled pretty good, and the samples I have been ...
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4answers
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How is the length of each fermentation determined?
When crafting an original recipe, how do brewers determine the length of time at each stage of fermentation? Obviously, several factors weigh in, including the exact composition of the wort, the ...
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3answers
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Can you brew using a mini Yorkshire Square?
Is it possible to brew using the same method as a Yorkshire Square but at home? Since the entire thing is open to the air, it seems like it would be a lot easier to brew like this instead of spending ...
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3answers
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What's the point of secondary fermentation?
I've always bottled directly after the primary fermentation has finished. What's the point of the secondary fermentation? Can I use a bucket or is it something that really necessitates a glass carboy?
...
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2answers
380 views
Brett: Primary or Secondary
What are the differences between fermenting a beer solely with Brettanomyces (or some blend of sour yeast) versus adding it to the secondary after primary fermentation with a non-sour yeast?
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1answer
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What is a proper blow-off tube setup?
36 hours ago I brewed a BIG red ale and pitched some kick-ass WLP001. The picture on the left is what I had late last night (24 hr in). Made me a little nervous. And this morning the krausen had ...
