Secondary fermentation thoughts??????

[rrayriver]

I just brewed a huge Imperial IPA a couple days ago and plan to rack to a secondary, but I hear different things about WHEN to do that. I have heard after five days, one week and most commonly at the end of fermentation (around two weeks). If I move to secondary too soon, I am afraid I will lose some of the valuable yeast that is not done working. Any thought based on your experience?

Also, with the amount of grain (15 lbs for a 5gal batch) I have heard I should oxygenate every few days to keep the yeast happy, awake and not sleepy. Any thoughts on that?

 

[Dark_Ale]

I like to swirl the primary to rouse the yeast on a big beer to try and get some yeast back in suspension that may have dropped out, I do this once a day for a couple of days, but you could just check your gravity. Once the foamy head subsides and I have roused the primary a few times for a couple of days I rack.

 

[GuldTuborg]

Even with a big beer like this, there's no need to transfer to a secondary fermentor. Just give it 2-3 weeks in the primary, make sure it's at a good FG, and bottle. You want to drink this fresh, yes?

As for aeration, don't do it after fermentation has started in full swing. A less risky way to keep the yeast moving is to gradually raise the temperature as things begin to slow down. It keeps the yeast moving at the tail end of fermentation, and helps them clean up a bit faster/better.

 

[Calichusetts]

2-3 weeks for my 9.5% Imperial. I've seen no difference in when I go to secondary, usually just when I have the time. I then dry-hop for a week and then crash it for a few days...then bottle

 

[El_Exorcisto]

Secondary is really a misnomer. It's actually what a commercial brewery refers to as a bright tank. Don't move until all fermentation is finished, and only if you intend to dry hop. If you aren't dry hopping (I assume you are) then there is no reason to put t in a bright tank. Just let it sit on the cake until it's ready to package.

 

[jetmac]

By the time it would be ready to move to a secondary it would be time to keg it. But to answer your question, you move it to a seconddary after fermentation has stopped. If you want to do that. I wouldn't.

Do not add O2 after the fermentation has started. Let it ferment for at least a few days at fermentation temp then let it warm up a bit(maybe 2 degrees)
Or give it a little occaisional shake.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I just brewed a huge Imperial IPA a couple days ago and plan to rack to a secondary, but I hear different things about WHEN to do that. I have heard after five days, one week and most commonly at the end of fermentation (around two weeks). If I move to secondary too soon, I am afraid I will lose some of the valuable yeast that is not done working. Any thought based on your experience?

Also, with the amount of grain (15 lbs for a 5gal batch) I have heard I should oxygenate every few days to keep the yeast happy, awake and not sleepy. Any thoughts on that?

there's no 'timeframe' of when to rack a beer if you're using secondary. you wait until FG is reached and stable over 3 days, after that it's ok to rack the beer off of the yeast cake. i'd wait longer, especially for a bigger beer. something like that i'd leave 3-4 weeks in primary, then onto secondary for dry hopping.