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Bierview
Advanced Member
Username: Bierview
Post Number: 610
Registered: 03-2003
Posted From: 67.83.200.90
| | Posted on Friday, November 06, 2009 - 01:14 pm: | 
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Brewed an Imperial Stout. OG: 1.095 FG: 1.020 in an 11 day primary. It has been in secondary for 8 days and the airlock is completely flatlined. Because I have the time I was going to bottle today. Am I jumping the gun here? Would waiting benefit the beer? |
jeff wright
Intermediate Member
Username: Barly
Post Number: 252
Registered: 07-2003
Posted From: 71.236.101.83
| | Posted on Friday, November 06, 2009 - 01:38 pm: |
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Just my opinion, but I would give a beer that big some more time in secondary. One or two weeks more.
Brew on,
jeff |
Bierview
Advanced Member
Username: Bierview
Post Number: 611
Registered: 03-2003
Posted From: 67.83.200.90
| | Posted on Friday, November 06, 2009 - 01:58 pm: |
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It's sitting in secondary at 56 degrees. Too low? also, I have both Danstar dry yeast as well as Champagne. Which would work better at bottling? |
jeff wright
Intermediate Member
Username: Barly
Post Number: 253
Registered: 07-2003
Posted From: 71.236.101.83
| | Posted on Friday, November 06, 2009 - 02:16 pm: |
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Again, I can't say for sure, but I think you will be fine without adding any extra yeast at bottling. What was your fermentation yeast?
FWIW, my usual procedure for ales is to primary until fermentation is "complete". Then I rack to secondary (and dry hop). Secondary at cellar temps (about 65 F) for about 2 weeks. I then move the fermenter to my fridge (about 38 F) for a week. If I were bottling I would allow the chilled beer to warm up a bit before racking to bottling bucket, priming and bottling.
Brew on,
jeff |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 10901
Registered: 01-2002
Posted From: 24.141.103.148
| | Posted on Friday, November 06, 2009 - 02:36 pm: |
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I'd give a big beer such as an imperial stout a few more weeks in secondary before bottling. As for bottling yeast, it's quick and easy insurance to add a packet of dry yeast at bottling. The fermentation yeast may be somewhat stressed. |
Bierview
Advanced Member
Username: Bierview
Post Number: 612
Registered: 03-2003
Posted From: 67.83.200.90
| | Posted on Friday, November 06, 2009 - 02:56 pm: |
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Jeff,
fermentation yeast: W1728 |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 10902
Registered: 01-2002
Posted From: 24.141.103.148
| | Posted on Friday, November 06, 2009 - 03:01 pm: |
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With 79 percent apparent attenuation for Wyeast 1728, the beer certainly is finished fermenting. The benefit of more time in secondary will be some rounding and mellowing of the complex flavors. |
jeff wright
Intermediate Member
Username: Barly
Post Number: 254
Registered: 07-2003
Posted From: 71.236.101.83
| | Posted on Friday, November 06, 2009 - 04:10 pm: |
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+1 Bill... |
Nathan Eddy
Intermediate Member
Username: Nathan_eddy
Post Number: 267
Registered: 03-2005
Posted From: 74.131.24.147
| | Posted on Friday, November 06, 2009 - 08:29 pm: |
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Just to be clear, adding additional yeast cannot produce exploding bottles, right? That's dependent upon the amount of priming sugar, I assume. The only effect (I hope) of adding too much yeast--given an appropriate amount of priming sugar and complete primary fermentation--is excess suspended yeast, right?
I ask because of my recent bottle bomb thread. I'm getting ready to bottle that batch, too, after 11 days in primary and 13 days in secondary. The half-gallon I bottled early foamed up and spilled over on the two bottles I opened early to check. I assume my 1.083-1.020 beer is done, but I've never added extra yeast before at bottling so I'm a little worried. On second thought, I think I won't add extra yeast, given how vigorously these early ones have carbonated. |
francisco hott
Junior Member
Username: Frano
Post Number: 45
Registered: 09-2008
Posted From: 200.72.191.220
| | Posted on Friday, November 06, 2009 - 09:07 pm: |
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Head space is another factor to consider, as bigger the amount of air ion the bottle the bigger the risk of over carbonatation, in case of an abnormal amount of beer as half a bottle or so.
yeast shouldn't be an issue for that attenuation. |
Hophead
Senior Member
Username: Hophead
Post Number: 2882
Registered: 03-2002
Posted From: 167.4.1.41
| | Posted on Friday, November 06, 2009 - 09:48 pm: |
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Seems to me that if you store the bottles at the same temp as the carboy, the complex flavors will "round and mellow" just fine eh?
I luv mellowed complex flavors.
Awesome you were able to get it to attenuate that low; I vastly prefer drier ISs to sweeter ones... |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 10903
Registered: 01-2002
Posted From: 24.141.103.148
| | Posted on Saturday, November 07, 2009 - 01:13 am: |
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Nathan, pitching additional yeast at bottling does not create bottle bombs, it merely ensures that the priming sugar is completely fermented to produce the desired level of carbonation. High gravity fermentation can stress the primary yeast.
As for aging in secondary versus bottle conditioning, my experience is that the larger volume of the secondary fermenter promotes and accelerates the process. What can take months in the bottle occurs in a matter of weeks in secondary. |
Greg Brewer
Member
Username: Greg_r
Post Number: 238
Registered: 03-2005
Posted From: 76.224.3.108
| | Posted on Saturday, November 07, 2009 - 05:55 am: |
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Why is bulk aging faster? |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 10904
Registered: 01-2002
Posted From: 24.141.103.148
| | Posted on Saturday, November 07, 2009 - 10:51 am: |
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I don't have a specific explanation other than a suspicion that it has something to do with the volume. |
Bob Wall
Senior Member
Username: Brewdudebob
Post Number: 2869
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 98.192.7.62
| | Posted on Saturday, November 07, 2009 - 04:30 pm: |
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I would venture to guess that bulk aging seems faster because even though you cannot detect it with the naked eye, there is circulation occurring due to temperature fluctuations. Full volume aging will expose all the compounds equally throughout the beer and meld all the flavors evenly. This would not necessarily be "faster" but I would surmise it would be more complete than in individual bottles, and therefore it would have the appearance of being faster. |
Nephalist
Member
Username: Nephi
Post Number: 216
Registered: 12-2005
Posted From: 71.129.39.177
| | Posted on Saturday, November 07, 2009 - 05:51 pm: |
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slight hijack: I've been thinking about racking a beer after a week in primary. I recall reading that it can stall the fermentation or something bad. I don't know why that would be. Is is of the same vein as the bulk aging phenomenon? Somehow disturbing the yeast slows it down? Maybe by racking, to secondary or bottle, the temp changes, air is introduced, or something else affects the way the yeast responds.
Not to get too geeky, but during commercial fermentation (e. coli), there is always a lag phase when switching the starter culture to a growth culture (due to the nutrient change in the respective media). |
Bob Wall
Senior Member
Username: Brewdudebob
Post Number: 2871
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 98.192.7.62
| | Posted on Saturday, November 07, 2009 - 05:56 pm: |
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Nephi, my experience is just the opposite. I have found that racking the beer from primary to secondary will "wake it up" most times. Not sure if it is merely off-gassing, or some other anomaly, but I have seen the airlock activity increase after racking. YMMV. |
The Jolly Brewer
Senior Member
Username: Matfink
Post Number: 2257
Registered: 03-2003
Posted From: 92.235.152.60
| | Posted on Saturday, November 07, 2009 - 09:30 pm: |
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My thought is leave it at least another month. Don't be in a rush to bottle. I've found that aging strong beers in secondary longer means they are more drinkable sooner rather than doing the aging in the bottle. So I'm backing up what is said above. Time is such a factor in strong beers. |
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