secondary fermentation

[heftyporker]

Hi all!
I've got questions! I need people to run through the whole secondary fermenting process!
I don't know if you saw my previous question but I'm a newbie, and I'm getting a kit for my birthday!

My set up, when it arrives, will be 2 FVs and a kingkeg (im not having bottles). Since ordering I've since read conflicting advice about whether to bother with secondary fermentation or not.
(Here's a link which is the main reason I got 2 fvs) http://www.homebrewing.com/articles/secondary-fermentation.php
Should I just transfer my brew after primary fermentation straight into the kingkeg to secondary ferment and then drink or do you think I should use the two fvs and then transfer to the kingkeg? I think I would be competant enough to syphon without a problem so I'm not too worried about infecting my brew.

Either way, I've read I should put sugar in the bottom of the secondary fermenter so carbon dioxide is made. Is this right? I also read that you should put a couple or so scoops of the yeast left at the bottom of the primary fermenation into the secondary process too. Is that necessary too? Surely there is still some active yeast floating around anyway....
If I decide to use the 2 FVs and then transfer to the kingkeg, do I need to put sugar in the kingkeg too? And how much?

Sorry for all the questions - I Just want to make sure my very first brew is perfect! :drink:
Thanks everyone!

 

[prolix]

10 days in the fermenter then straight to the keg, prime, wait a few weeks, drink. Keep it simple.

 

[johnmcfarlane]

Don't secondary ferment more chance of introducing bacteria. Simply wait 7-10 days in primary fermenter. I always wait til day 8 then syphon from primary into another fv which has been primed with 5 ozs of sugar in a little water. Then syphon whole lot again into barrel. Leave at room temp for 10 days then place barrel somewhere cooer like a shed or garage. Leave to clear in there shoud be nice and clear and very drinkabe after 2-4 weeks in garage. Barreling or kegging always takes longer than bottling.

 

[Eradite]

Hi,

It's up to you if you use a secondary f.v. or not It's not a major factor. My personal opinion for what its worth, is that it allows more sediment to drop out of suspension. I've read that it also allows the yeast to clean up after itself, although not entirely sure what this means.

I always use a secondary F.V. especially with the 2 can kits as I have found far more sediment compared to the 1 can kits. (A.G now and I still think that it is beneficiary).

There is a chance of oxidisation transferring the brew from one F.V to the other, if you use a syphon and place it in the bottom of the F.V. then I think this is minimal. Obviously if your second F.V is not clean and properly sanitised then you could infect your brew, but again as long as you clean and sanitise then I think the risk again is minimal.

Either way, I've read I should put sugar in the bottom of the secondary fermenter so carbon dioxide is made. Is this right?

My understanding is that you do this is when you want to bottle or keg your beer. (I.e transfer from your F.V. to your King Keg already primed with sugar)

I also read that you should put a couple or so scoops of the yeast left at the bottom of the primary fermenation into the secondary process too. Is that necessary too? Surely there is still some active yeast floating around anyway....
This depends on how stressed your yeast has become i.e. high alcohol levels (long largering periods) , I've never done this and its always carbonated. Ideally you want enough yeast present to carbonate your beer to the desired level. Adding more yeast is not going to be disastrous but having too few would lead to poor carbonation, if this happened then you could leave your beer for longer as it would eventually carbonate.

Any way hopes this helps in some way, enjoy your first home-brew !

 

[Ceejay]

There's no such thing as "secondary fermentation". There is just a fermentation cycle, that starts with acclimation and yeast growth and ends with a diacetyl rest (the "clearing up after itself"). It can all be done in one vessel, over about 2 weeks give or take a few days.

This whole secondary fermentation thing came about ages ago when home brewers yeast wasn't of very good quality, and people would rack it off of the trub to get it away from all the dead yeast cells. Nowadays that isn't really a problem and you should avoid exposure to oxygen and bacteria as much as possible. These things are far more dangerous to your beer in the short term than yeast autolysis.

If you do rack to a second FV, you should not put sugar in there. Priming is for when the beer is in the barrel or bottle. No need to add extra yeast - even in crystal clear beer there is enough yeast to ferment your priming sugar. Unless you've filtered it of course!
:thumb: