Brewing Master

Question:

Thank you for your advice!  I feel much more patient and relieved. I am looking forward to my first taste of my very own home-brewed beer! Thanks again, Giz Before you buy.

Response:

Yes, 4 to 7 days is generally correct, and you can generally see when fermentation slows down / stops. I recommend purchasing and using a hydrometer, available at your local homebrew shop.  A hydrometer measures the Potential Alcohol of your brew.  I recommend racking to secondary when the Potential Alcohol remains a the same level for 3 days in a row. Elaboration: 1) Just before you pitch the yeast, take a Potential Alcohol reading.  For example, it may read 7.5% on February 1. 2) After you have pitched the yeast, you will notice the fermentation. After about 4 – 7 days, the fermenation activity will decrease.  In our example, let’s say that fermentation visually dies down on February 6. 3) After fermentation visibly dies down, measure the Potential Alcohol of the brew nightly.  Let’s say we get the following readings:   – February 6 = 2.3%   – February 7 = 2.2%   – February 8 = 2.2%   – February 9 = 2.2% As you can see even though you could no longer see the fermentation, there was still some activity going on during February 6 and 7.  On February 9, you can conclude that fermentation is near a standstill, and you can rack to secondary. 4) Now that you have the Potential Alcohol reading from step 1 and step 3, you cna figure out the alcohol content of your beer…just subtract.  In our example, the alcoholic content of your beer is 7.5 – 2.2 = 5.3%.  Drink up! Cheers, –Jake

Response:

Newby here… I am working on my first batch of home-brew, an Australian Pale Ale. All of the literature I have read says to wait 4 to 7 days, but doesn’t give me an indication as to when I know it’s time, although one book said that when the foam dies down I could go ahead and rack.  This is what makes me wonder if I should rack now rather than waiting at least 4 days. If the foam has already died down, do I want to rack now, or do I still want to wait?  If I am supposed to wait longer, what am I waiting for? How will I know when it is time to rack?

I’ve only been brewing a couple of months, but here is my understanding of it: Secondary fermentation is more of an ageing process with a relatively small amount of fermentation taking place. If the beer sits on the mass of yeast at the bottom of primary for to long autolysis can start to happen. All those starved yeasts start eating each other with detrimental results. If it stays in the primary long enough for most of the fermentation to have taken place, and you then rack to the secondary, you leave most of the yeast behind along with the chance of autolysis. Not to sure about this one: If you rack to early you have alot fermentation yet to take place, and have left most of yeast behind you could end up with a stuck fermentation. I think it is better to be late than early. I generally wait until the foam has dropped to the surface or 5 days, which ever takes the longest. Ian

Response:

The activity you’re witnessing is called high krauesen.  Don’t rack at this point as the yeast are having their fun.  Once the foam "cap" breaks apart and starts falling back into the beer is what I use to indicate it’s time to rack. You’ll still see some hop/trub residue stuck to the sides but you won’t see the "lava lamp" effect going on in the brew and there won’t be much (if any) foam on the top of the beer. Hope that helps. –heubs – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I am 2 full days into the primary with quite a lot of activity.  The brew is churning away in my carboy with about an inch of foam and crusties (kreusen?).  <SNIP although one book said that when the foam dies down I could go ahead and rack.  This is what makes me wonder if I should rack now rather than waiting at least 4 days.

Response:

Newby here… I am working on my first batch of home-brew, an Australian Pale Ale. I am 2 full days into the primary with quite a lot of activity.  The brew is churning away in my carboy with about an inch of foam and crusties (kreusen?).  There is a little bit of scum up around the neck of the carboy, and what might be residue in my blowoff tube.  I am wondering if my brew has already overflowed and if I am ready to rack to the secondary now, or should I wait another day or two? All of the literature I have read says to wait 4 to 7 days, but doesn’t give me an indication as to when I know it’s time, although one book said that when the foam dies down I could go ahead and rack.  This is what makes me wonder if I should rack now rather than waiting at least 4 days. If the foam has already died down, do I want to rack now, or do I still want to wait?  If I am supposed to wait longer, what am I waiting for? How will I know when it is time to rack? Thanks for the help! Before you buy.

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