16
votes
Accepted
How badly did I oxidize my beer?
Some brewers have a unwarranted paranoia about oxygen and beer. Relax. If there were literally a "few bubbles" in the keg then I very much doubt it will cause the beer to oxidise.
If the beer was not ...
- 5,631
6
votes
If/When to move to secondary fermentation
Some widely respected people advise against it, like:
Racking to prevent autolysis is not necessary
Whilst it might be true, in some cases, it is not true in case of strong stuff, stuff that will ...
- 3,718
4
votes
Accepted
Amount of time available for racking after fermentation is complete
Depend on a lot of factors. If it was in fermenter only two weeks, one or two more should not hurt. For light beers, under 6% ABV, I never kept them over a month. But I do have few fermenters 3 or 4 ...
- 3,718
4
votes
3
votes
Amount of time available for racking after fermentation is complete
I just finished a nut brown: OG:51 FG:10. Left it on the primary yeast cake for three weeks and it turned out great. Lots of people are suggesting no secondary these days, and a little longer in the ...
- 151
3
votes
Accepted
Racked Too Early... Now What?
It's fine. There's plenty of yeast in suspension to complete your fermentation.
Any yeast or sediment that was left behind in the primary is of little use and this beer won't miss it.
Let it ride ...
- 18.5k
3
votes
Do I have to bottle my wine immediately after stopping the fermentation?
Yes, this is how most wine is made and aged before it's bottled. It's not uncommon for red wines to sit in a barrel or a stainless tank for 2-3 years. As long as you keep the sulfite levels in the ...
- 3,012
3
votes
Creating a fruit saison: when to add the fruit and rack to secondary?
There is really no right or wrong answer here, especially with the anecdotal (and some scientific) evidence coming to light over the past years. Most books on homebrewing, and indeed most advice ...
- 394
3
votes
Creating a fruit saison: when to add the fruit and rack to secondary?
If you're racking onto fruit then a second fermentation from the fruit is expected, so the main thing you need to wait for is a noticeable active fermentation to end. The main reason for this is that ...
- 141
3
votes
Creating a fruit saison: when to add the fruit and rack to secondary?
In general you should wait for fermentation to be completed in the primary, then rack to your secondary. So it means waiting to have a stable specific gravity for 3 days.
In my opinion, I don't ...
- 4,806
3
votes
If/When to move to secondary fermentation
An interesting point when considering initial and possible secondary fermenter:
If we’re going to let the beer sit after its main fermentation is done, it pretty much needs to be in glass, and away ...
- 131
3
votes
Accepted
Is it ok to tip the brewpot while racking?
It is okay, and you didn't introduce any "bad things".
More than likely, you have pitched a sub-optimal or basically-reasonable quantity of yeast into wort with very little dissolved oxygen, and the ...
- 10.1k
3
votes
Is SG 1.005 OK for cider before first racking
It is not uncommon to have SG fall that far after about 9 days.
Adding extra sugar at any point, at beginning, end, or at this point in between, is a matter of preference. Be aware that the added ...
- 3,417
3
votes
Is SG 1.005 OK for cider before first racking
You can rack at any point, just be careful not to over expose your cider to air, to avoid oxidation. There are tips (mostly for wine, but still) for that here: Oxidation of red wine during racking ...
- 4,806
2
votes
Rack onto yeast cake then fast rack to secondary?
Don't wash with wort, you won't get the chance. It will take off before what you want to extract settles. Just rack on top the cake and use it for what it is.
As long as you practice good sanitation ...
- 18.5k
2
votes
Rack onto yeast cake then fast rack to secondary?
It's probably as safe as anything in a sanitary environment, though if I'm understanding you correctly it means another, however small, potential window of exposure to dangerous microbes since you're ...
- 366
2
votes
What happened to all my beer?
Gratz on your second brew!
This is just speculation from the limited info. Detailed steps and ingredients will help in the future.
If there is actual liquid volume missing from the fermentor, then ...
- 18.5k
2
votes
If/When to move to secondary fermentation
My viewpoint is:
1. Rack to a glass 2ndary after 1 week - assuming you have no active carbonation.
2. Dry hop in the 2ndary, although it is a pain if you are using dried hops vs pellets :(
A trusted ...
- 21
2
votes
Quick advice for dry-hopping and racking to secondary
Dry-hopping in primary is fine. Many people don't rack to a secondary fermentation vessel anymore unless they're actually adding additional fermentables. In fact, dry-hopping before primary-...
- 1,900
2
votes
Pilsner racking before bottling
I'd rack it into a secondary for the sake of cleanliness in the final product. Especially if you were to coldcrash it before bottling. Cheers and best of luck!
- 69
2
votes
Accepted
Secondary racking for store bought apple juice
Lees are not just the pectin precipitate from apple juice, or grape bits or beery crud from the biol, it is mostly your yeast cake.
I have brewed many things, wine, cider, beers, meads and sometimes ...
- 7,018
2
votes
How badly did I oxidize my beer?
O2 is important to big brewers because the beer will get warm and cold many times and they can't control the age. Drink it fresh and enjoy it. It might not last as long as a super low DO beer like ...
- 31
2
votes
Barrel fermenting (white) wine. Questions and assumptions
Yes it is possible.
Barrel fermentation of white wine is a traditional Burgundian technique, it is used (commercially) with Chardonnay for instance. Be careful because white wines are easy to ...
- 4,806
2
votes
I've lost my online site for Mead Making!
Fortunately, there is Archive.org to help you. It took a snapshot of the webpage, it can be found here:
https://web.archive.org/web/20210512151955/http://www.stormthecastle.com/mead/fast-cheap-mead-...
- 4,806
2
votes
Making wine with fruits?
You might need to condition it for longer and use finings to clarify it. Adding pectolase could also help as well.
I think it depends on the fruit you're using as well. There's a lot of documentation ...
- 377
1
vote
Racked Too Early... Now What?
Racking a little 'early' - particularly to secondary - can be fine. You can do this for a few reasons:
Removing the excess 'dead' yeast materials and other sediments can reduce the extent to which ...
- 191
1
vote
Racked Too Early... Now What?
Some people leave their beer for a longer time in the primary and many don't event rack to a secondary. So no worry here. The most important concern is sanitation, not the number of days.
Cloudy ...
- 4,806
1
vote
I accidentally stirred all the lees into my wine during first racking. Now (1 day later) secondary has lots (+1cm) of sediment. Should I rack again?
Time will give you clear wine, multiple rackings may be required. However, if you are anxious for a clear product (not necessarily sufficiently aged), you may wish to investigate a clearing agent. I ...
- 502
1
vote
I accidentally stirred all the lees into my wine during first racking. Now (1 day later) secondary has lots (+1cm) of sediment. Should I rack again?
Don't worry. This is why we do multiple rackings when we make wine. You'll have to do it again in a couple of months. Just keep your sulfite levels up.
- 3,012
1
vote
Pilsner racking before bottling
I just made a Czech Pilsner at a little higher temp. Once it finished fermenting I racked it off the trub into an sanitized secondary that would fit into my frig. I let it get very cold, then added ...
- 502
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