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This might seem like a really dumb question but what exactly is meant by the term "racking" and how did it come about?
When someone says, "I just racked my beer", what does that mean? Can it have different meanings? I've heard it used (maybe incorrectly) to when you start the fermentation process and when you start the bottling process.
To rack your beer simply means to siphon it from one vessel to another, such as from a primary fermenter to a secondary, or from a fermenter to your bottling bucket. Racking refers to transferring the whole of the beer or wine from one vessel to another, leaving behind sediment. Homebrewers usually only do it once or twice, whereas winemakers will rack several times, up to six or so, to help clarify the wine.
As for why it's called "racking," I don't know. I never looked into it.
