Second fermentation

[Ballard]

Hi,

New to the group, looking forward to my first brew (currently a week into its first fermentation) of an IPA from a kit bought at 'The Range'

I've been looking around and found some contradicting advice on what I should do next and so thought I would ask some experts!

The kit said to leave it in the first fv for 10 days and then bottle it with a spoon of sugar, I suspect this was in an attempt to get me to buy the bottles from their kit. I don't want to use bottles and have got myself a rotokeg from ebay. I was going to move my beer from the first fv into the keg for the second fermentation. I was going to add some dissolved sugar to the keg, add some polyclar, add the beer and then leave the keg some where warm till the 22nd of December before chilling it. Question is, do I add the polyclar to the keg when I move the beer for the second fermentation or a couple of days before drinking. And do i use another bucket for second fv or will the keg suffice? any and all advice of going from first fv to keg with the best result possible would be greatly appreciated!

 

[love6060]

I am new to this too.

But I read the following link.

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=24822

 

[Ballard]

Yeah, read that too. very informative but not specific too my question of when to add polyclar (if at all) or second fermenting into another bucket before the keg or just to the keg. I have been looking!

 

[brewtim]

You would only use polyclar if you are having an issue with a non- biological haze, ie not a yeast haze but one caused by polyphenols, usually a haze that can be observed at low temps, known as chill haze, there is a ton of science behind hazes and many causes.

Best thing would be to rack into your keg after 14 days in the primary, rack with the correct amount of priming sugar (80-100g per 23 L) leave in the warm for 10 days to carbonate then leave in the cool ( below 12 C if you can) for a further week to allow yeast to flocculate before attempting to drink.

Even after this the beer may not be ready and will get tastier and clearer with ageing a few weeks, guideline 1 week per 1% abv.

Usual rules apply - make sure everything that touches the beer is clean and sanitary, avoid splashing, avoid introducing oxygen, boil your sugar for 10 mins in a small amount of water to create a solution and to sterilise, purge the keg with CO2 if poss before and after racking.

 

[IPA]

Hi,

New to the group, looking forward to my first brew (currently a week into its first fermentation) of an IPA from a kit bought at 'The Range'

I've been looking around and found some contradicting advice on what I should do next and so thought I would ask some experts!

The kit said to leave it in the first fv for 10 days and then bottle it with a spoon of sugar, I suspect this was in an attempt to get me to buy the bottles from their kit. I don't want to use bottles and have got myself a rotokeg from ebay. I was going to move my beer from the first fv into the keg for the second fermentation. I was going to add some dissolved sugar to the keg, add some polyclar, add the beer and then leave the keg some where warm till the 22nd of December before chilling it. Question is, do I add the polyclar to the keg when I move the beer for the second fermentation or a couple of days before drinking. And do i use another bucket for second fv or will the keg suffice? any and all advice of going from first fv to keg with the best result possible would be greatly appreciated!

. As a quick guide this is what you should be doing. Ferment for about five days then transfer to second FV by means of a silicone tube attached to the tap which reaches to the bottom of the second FV. Add finings ( gelatin works well ) and leave for a further seven days. Transfer again using the same procedure. Add priming sugar( for English ale about 85grms) stir well and the transfer to barrel once again by means of silicone tube. The silicone tube prevents foaming and loss of CO2 and cuts down the the risk of contamination. It might sound complicated but all you need is two fermenting vessels fitted with taps and a metre of silicone tube. Also if you have to much beer for your barrel you can bottle what is left. The beer at this stage should look bright and the only sediment will be that caused by the secondary fermentation. This is a guide for English Ale with an OG of around 1.045. Strong Ale and Lager is a different proceedure.
Hope this is of some help.

 

[Ballard]

Thanks guys, really helpful stuff. I will let you know the results when its drinking time. It's a very cheap kit but it smells fantastic, 14.99 for the kit seemed pretty good

 

[Ballard]

Well. That was delicious! primed the keg with sugar and LME. It didn't get a chance to mature in the keg for long, christmas was drunken and at 2 am we raided it as the nearest source of beer. I'd bottled about a gallon of it so I'll let those condition to see how it could have been!

Thanks for all the advice guys!

 

[love6060]

i have had problems with my keg how did you find it with yours?

mine was flat, no head retention, and still cloudy although the taste was fantastic. i drank at some at christmas but by new years eve it was much better. still have half and intend on trying some tomorrow night, although as i have an air leak at the cap i guess i have allowed O2 to get in and it may now be spoiled!

guess the worst thing that will happen is i will have a sore back side lol. as i pepple dash the tolet lol

 

[Ballard]

As long as there is some C02 in there it should sit on top of the beer and keep it fresh (its heavier than oxygen so should be ok). I put the first co2 capsule in after I'd let the whole thing get very cold (about 8 degrees) for around 24 hours (cold liquid absorbs co2 better), I then made sure i kept it topped up with co2 as the level dropped (maybe a little over zealously, got through 6 sparklets). good fizz and good head all the way to the end of the keg.

 

[love6060]

well i had to get rid of it!

do you know that smell you get when you leave a half drunk pint out overnight because your too drunk to clean up?
well on pouring one tonight and that's the smell and taste that i got so now i need to clean up and plan again.

been thinking about those mini keg set ups. seams a good deal.

 

[Ballard]

I've just started using Tap-a-draft and bottles. I've heard the metal mini kegs are prone to rust. I'd do some research before investing in the kit