Episode 014 - Racking To A Secondary Fermenter

[kcirded11]

If using a 6 to 6 1/2 gallon carboy during the primary fermentation, is it necessary to use a blow off tube? I'm planning on using a glass carboy for my next batch. I've only used the plastic fermenting buckets thus far.

[Stophocles]

Everyone seems to say now that you shouldn't use secondary for ales.

[Triethylborane]

You could also pump CO2 into the secondary before transferring to the secondary vessel.

[ostmash]

doesnt that sanitizer give a taste or something?

[blazin5050]

@ostmash the sanitizer used, star san is a sanitizer made specifically for homebrewing that is food safe. It actually says on the bottle, "do not rinse" as they suggest the tap water you would use may have bacteria in it that would affect the beer. My homebrews taste awesome and I never rinse it.

[ogLunaman]

good video, thank you

[Daman2beat]

I scerwed up my first batch. I have the Yeast from my primary into the secondary. Can I let the Yeast settle in what was supposed to be my secondary and after a few days put it into another Carboy and leave it for the recommended 14 days?

[smellpickle]

i`ve got a question,

if i put my yeast in the wart that is too hot,

i know if it`s too hot it will kill the yeast.

my question is, can i reheat the wart and add more yeast at the right temp and still have good beer?

[daikaiju20]

it is safe to leave star-san or anyother sanitizer in container to get mixed with fermenting wart??????

[nenahbball]

Check to see if the sanitizer you are using calls for rinsing after sanitizing. I believe star-san is no rinse

[MadHatterDesign]

Can I use the bottling bucket as a primary fermenter, so I can use my glass carboy as the secondary? or should i just get a second carboy?

[Meatball358]

you can use your bottling bucket as your primary and your carboy as your secondary...then tranfer back to the bottling bucket for bottling...thats what I do. :mug: Cheers :)

[MadHatterDesign]

Hey thanks for the reply. I got another carboy. I was just getting anxious to get brewing.

[jersey1979]

Working on my first-ever batch of home brew, and just racked to my secondary. I still have some questions, though.

1. I tasted some of the beer that had just finished its 1st week of fermentation, and it tasted like crap. Like flat, bland cider. Couldn't taste any alcohol, despite the vigorous bubbling all week. What does this mean?

2. You don't have to add anything to the 2ndary except for the beer, right?

3. Is it OK if I got some of the dead yeast into the secondary?

[nenahbball]

1. You should be able to taste the malt, it obviously should be flat because it is not carbonated, you let it blow off. If you see the bubbling it is for sure fermenting maybe just low ABV.

2. You don't have to add anything besides the beer but you could dry hop or add fruit puree or fruit extracts if you want. Dry hopping (cascade hops) will add a beautiful aroma to perfect the beers overall finish.

3. Yes its ok to add some yeast to the secondary, just leave the rest out in the bottling bucket

[jersey1979]

Thanks!

[jonn8ball]

hi if i put my irish stout in a Secondary vessel with nothing added and left it to clear up for a while like (6-7 days) and then racked into bottles with a bit of priming sugar will it have fizz (gas)or not,because i have left it in the Secondary to clear

[nenahbball]

Will it fizz because you added sugar to it. I don't believe it would. I guess the question kind of confuses me. Reword it. I don't know if you do this but always make a priming sugar water solution instead of putting sugar straight into the bottle. Ask the question again to me

[Stophocles]

@jersey1979 1: I usually take a taste after a week when I take my final gravity reading. Of course it's entirely normal for it to be flat, and as we all know, flat beer isn't good. I tend to think it shouldn't taste totally awful, and you should be at least a little aware of the alcohol depending on what your ABV is. Of course before you transfer you want to take your gravity reading to make sure fermentation is done or ate least practically done.

[Stophocles]

@jersey1979 2: Nothing needs to be added, just make sure everything in the process is sanitary and that the transfer is as peaceful as possible and from the bottom of the fermenter.

3: Totally fine but should be avoided of course as much as possible. It will settle to the bottom of your secondary and hopefully you can avoid it better when racking to your bottling bucket.

[pacolyptic]

Hey, great video! I'm about to transfer to secondary for the first time, and was searching online for tips - your video answered almost all the questions I had.

One additional question though - I noticed you siphoned down to the yeast cake pretty easily. E.g. not a lot of trub down there. How much should you try to maximize the amount of beer you siphon versus minimizing the amount of yeast cake and sediment you also get?

[hunt0707]

just eye it and its ok to leave a tiny bit of beer in order to avoid the fermented yeast at the bottom

[nenahbball]

Buy a conical fermenter cheap ass. Just kidding, but check them out. Pretty sweet.