first time brewer here…I’m cutting my teeth on a Dead Ringer kit. My question is about transitioning from primary to secondary. Is there a definitive benchmark that will indicate that it’s time to transfer other than the two week recommended period?
Original gravity readings were 1055. I haven’t taken a second reading for fear of contamination (I am surpressing urges to check gravity every day). Fermentation was very active for about 3-4 days after pitching yeast and has slowed drastically. The kreuzen (sp?) has reabsorbed into the beer and now I am waiting.
I’m OK with waiting, I just want to understand the primary process more. Am I looking for a specific gravity reading? Am i looking for a turbidity/clarity state? or am i just simply waiting for two weeks?
Thanks in advance.
“I haven’t taken a second reading for fear of contamination”
Use good sanitation and don’t worry.
“Am I looking for a specific gravity reading?”
Not really. Wait for 2 weeks then take a gravity reading 2 or 3 days in a row, They should be the same, if they are then you know it is done!
Congrats on your first brew.
Being your first batch, if you can wait 2 weeks I applaud you.
That being said I highly recommend picking up a 2nd primary fermentation carbopy/bucket to get another batch going.
IPA’s are generally best fresh which on a homebrew schedule is something like 2 weeks in primary and then 2 weeks in bottle carbonating. Which coincidentally is perfect, give it 2 weeks in primary and then check gravity 2-3 days in a row if it is consitant (which it should be) then bottle. Give it 2 weeks, i always tasted a beer at 1 week, found decent carb at 2 weeks, and the beer was fantastic at 3 weeks. But that really is up to you.
Welcome to the homebrew world.
Thanks for the info so far. I’m not going to bottle right out of the primary. The recipe calls for dry-hopping in the secondary, so that’s where the beer will go next. As much as I don’t like to follow instruction in the rest of my life’s activity, I will on this first batch. So into the secondary it will go. I like the idea of IPA’s being best fresh, so the next batches will be experimented with in that regards.
Thanks for all the help so far, this forum seems to be a great resource.
Keep it rubber side down, y’all.
First of all, I don’t even think a secondary fermentation is going to be useful for you unless of course you’re just in a hurry to fill that primary back up. I would just go straight from primary to keg/bottle and condition there for another few weeks. You’ll know when it’s time when the FG tells you so. Start taking readings… use good sanitation, don’t fear the foam, and you’ll be fine. Same reading three days in a row means she’s ready to carb.
Oops sorry, I just saw the post about insisting on a secondary but there’s no problem there either. Just follow good sanitation and don’t fear the foam.
