secondary fermentation question

[basilchef]

If racking to a secondary for the purpose of adding fruit, is it necessary to let it sit on the yeast cake to clean up? A second fermentation will take place...

 

[mike_in_ak]

Necessary no, but you should let the yeast to their biz in the primary anyway.

You're gonna lose a lot of them when you rack to secondary.

General rule that everyone hates to hear: be patient. Why hurry to throw in secondary?

 

[basilchef]

The rush is in hope that i can submit it to a comp. Stupid, i know. But its a style best drank young. The thought process was that if racking the yeast while still partially active (last day or two) it would still be hungry and welcome the new sugars. What are pros and cons of letting it stop and start as oppose to slow and start?

 

[CA_Mouse]

I wait a minimum of 2 weeks before I move to secondary. Secondary is not a fermentation phase (unless you are adding a sugar, fruit, etc). If you add fruit or more sugars (honey for example), you should leave it in that fermenter for 2 weeks. Dry hopping is different, since you are not adding sugar there is no fermentation occurring, and you can rack it onto your hops for as little as 3 days (most suggestions are not to let it sit on hops for more than 7 days). I rack all of my beers into secondary, no matter what I'm doing with them (I want my beers as clear as possible). If you are adding fruit or sugar for secondary fermentation, I might say to rack before too much of the yeast has dropped out of solution. That way you are ensuring that you have yeast to eat the new sugars.

Mouse

 

[basilchef]

This is an all citra ipa 7% racked onto apricot puree. I want to keep it as hoppy as poss with an accentuated aroma of stone fruit. So between the second fermentation and extra time in secondary, i feel like i have to "rush" it to get what i am hoping for.