My Lakefront IBA (extract) has been in primary for 6 days now. Took a reading just now of 1.022 (OG 1.065). No activity and Krausen has dropped. My instincts tell me that number is a bit too high to transfer to secondary just yet. Thoughts? I’ll take another reading tomorrow as well, just thought I would pick your brains with the following question:
For a bigger beers (1060-1065+) what is the average gravity range for transferring to secondary? And yes, I’m a firm believer in 2 stage fermentation. Thanks all!
I typically let all my beers go in the primary for 14 days; for higher gravity - I will let sit for 3 weeks if it needs it.
But to answer your question - I think your instincts are correct, see if you can get it down to 1.015 range and let it go a few more days before transferring.
(Reference JZ’s BCS - IPA FG 1.010 - 1.018)
Can gravity really drop very much during secondary? Or is the purpose mainly for clarification and flavor development? If it can, how drastic of a drop is possible?
Can a “pro” give some advice on additions? I was just thinking of adding the nutmeg and cinnamon to primary and waiting another couple of weeks with my winter warmer. Also, dry hopping my dale’s pale in primary, and also waiting. I figure it would be one less step, and I can always crash before bottling. Does this make sense?
Less steps are better unless you have a specific reason to move the beer out of primary. Additions like these are fine in primary once the main fermentation is over as you won’t have aromatics being blown off along with fermentation. Once you are done, crash it, and rack carefully.
Can gravity really drop very much during secondary? Or is the purpose mainly for clarification and flavor development? If it can, how drastic of a drop is possible?[/quote]
As long as you’re not racking early, gravity will not fall in the secondary. The brewers that do secondary claim that is does clarify the beer more.
My extract BIPA finished at 1.022 also.
Take the gravity again in a couple of days and if it’s the same, then your ready to rock, rack, 'n roll
I think the impression that it clarifies more is that it makes getting clearer beer into the bottles or kegs easier for the brewer. The same amount of debris will settle in the primary as the second vessel just that there is less to mess with when going from the second vessel onward.
When I know I’m going to have my kegs moved once they are finished and clarity is critical, I’ll transfer to a “conditioning” step which is also where it will age/condition/clarify/carbonate/etc before going into the serving keg. When racking keg to keg, the first keg isn’t moved so there is virtually zero debris picked up going into the final package.
Most of the time when carefully racked from the primary, that is all that is needed for excellent clarity.
My Lakefront IBA (extract) has been in primary for 6 days now. Took a reading just now of 1.022 (OG 1.065). No activity and Krausen has dropped. My instincts tell me that number is a bit too high to transfer to secondary just yet. Thoughts? I’ll take another reading tomorrow as well, just thought I would pick your brains with the following question:
For a bigger beers (1060-1065+) what is the average gravity range for transferring to secondary? And yes, I’m a firm believer in 2 stage fermentation. Thanks all![/quote]
6 days is way too soon. Byproducts thrown off by the yeast get reabsorbed by the yeast, but that takes longer than 6 days. I won’t do anything even with a session strength ale until at least two weeks.
