Ok… So i have been reading all sorts of stuff like usual and you here doo’s and dont’s but here is a topic I am intrigued about?
Secondary temp… the fermentation is all but done and now the beer is clearing out and maturing. I I read a lot about cooler temps in the secondary mean clearer beer?
So is it ok to store your secondary in a 10degree cooler environment for the time in secondary?.. Wouldn’t that mean a clearer final product? Then when u bottle it store it back at 68deg so the yeast will wake up to the priming sugars?
Will the colder secondary any bad product?
That will be fine. In general, if the beer is cold, it helps drop out anything suspended in it, leading to clearer beer.
cooler + time = clearer beer. Individually, both will result in clearer beer, but combine for best result.
then bottle and store at 70-75 for carb. it will carb at 68, but it will take much longer. optimum is low 70s.
[quote=“StormyBrew”]cooler + time = clearer beer. Individually, both will result in clearer beer, but combine for best result.
then bottle and store at 70-75 for carb. it will carb at 68, but it will take much longer. optimum is low 70s.[/quote]
ok… well how cold would u go with the secondary?.. I have a huge spare refrigerator that I use to chill my ready to drink beer. It would for a secondary glass carboy just perfectly… I nice 38deg 3 week secondary?.. How does that sound?
That’d be fine. I usally secondary my ales for about 4 weeks . but to be honest, that time it is at room temp and my beers always turn out very clear. If you’re going to fridge it, 2-3 weeks should be plenty. Cold temps speed up the process.
FWIW, lagers require much more time in secondary and very cold.
:cheers:
[quote=“StormyBrew”]That’d be fine. I usally secondary my ales for about 4 weeks . but to be honest, that time it is at room temp and my beers always turn out very clear. If you’re going to fridge it, 2-3 weeks should be plenty. Cold temps speed up the process.
FWIW, lagers require much more time in secondary and very cold.
:cheers: [/quote]
I pretty much only brew ales at this point… I am about to do a Double IPA… I think I will cold secondary that one!!!
Just make sure the fermentation truly is finished before you chill it. If it still has a few points to go you risk stalling the fermentation and then overcarbing when you bottle.
If i do a double IPA i will defiantly primary for at least 2.5 weeks…
Im working on my Double recipe now in Brewers Friend but Im having trouble keeping the recipe in profile… UGH I ultimately want an IPA with IBU’s in the 80’s
I have a Belgium that’s been in secondary for about a week and a half right now… I thing i might move it to cold secondary for the remaining 4 days… any thoughts?
How long was the primary? I only ask because many times folks move them too early. my belgians are always better with a long primary: 3-4 weeks. if you moved it to secondary early, then room temp secondary could help it finish assuming it has enough residual yeast to finish up. if you did move it early, then leave it at room temp for at least 3 weeks before cooling it. a 4+ week secondary under cold temps will really clear it up too.
Plus, you’ll still have yeast for natural carbing. but, if you are concerned about too much yeast falling out, you can always add back a neutral dry yeast at carbing…1/4 to 1/3 bag.
How long was the primary? I only ask because many times folks move them too early. my belgians are always better with a long primary: 3-4 weeks. if you moved it to secondary early, then room temp secondary could help it finish assuming it has enough residual yeast to finish up. if you did move it early, then leave it at room temp for at least 3 weeks before cooling it. a 4+ week secondary under cold temps will really clear it up too.
Plus, you’ll still have yeast for natural carbing. but, if you are concerned about too much yeast falling out, you can always add back a neutral dry yeast at carbing…1/4 to 1/3 bag.[/quote]
well I primary’ed for 2.5 weeks… when i moved it my FG was spot on… But u brought up a big concern that i didnt think of now… If i do chill it at the end of secondary i mightI not have enough yeast left in suspension for carbonation?.. I used a liquid yeast in this beer also… It primaried at 70deg and is in secondary now at 64deg…
If you are worried about having enough yeast for bottle fermentation, you can always add a little dry yeast (1-2 grams is enough for a 5 gallon batch) just before bottling. But I think you’d need to have a very long lagering period to drop out enough yeast to make bottles of flat beer. I’ve gone 8 weeks in secondary at near freezing temperatures and STILL had enough yeast there to carbonate the bottles.
Just so u know this is an ale im brewing… I haven’t done largers yet…
Ale or lager doesn’t matter; either way it takes a long time for yeast to drop out so that there isn’t enough left for bottle carbonation.
Awesome… Thanks so much!!!
