Hi Folks,
Just brewing my first kit in about 15 years - 40 pints of Wherry. In the old days I used to do Hambleton Bard Old English Ale and I recall the instructions advising that the fermenting brew was transferred from one FV to another after the initial fermentation had subsided (about 3 days) before bottling or barreling as normal. The Wherry kit didn't mention this approach at all and I'd like to know what are the pros/cons of this.
Incidentally, I have a basic tap fitted to my FV (it has a twist action rather than lever so the liquid really gushes out). I'm presuming I can just run the brew from FV direct into barrel when fermentation is complete? Or is there a problem with getting too much oxygen into it at that stage?
Thanks,
Breezy
First Brew Question
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EoinMag
Re: First Brew Question
Moving the brew to a secondary divides opinion. It is used for a few reasons
Getting the beer off the yeast cake and hence reducing yeasty off-flavours.
Clearing the beer which happens easier as there is less yeast in the vessel due to the previous point.
Dry hopping or addition of other late adjuncts such as cocoa or fruits.
To condition high gravity beers that need a little more time in the fermenter to mellow.
They're the main reasons I can think of, I'm sure there are more.
I don't bother myself, between 3 and 5 weeks in the primary in which time it has plenty of time to clear and not enough time, despite what people will say, to impart yeasty off-flavours.
The Wherry doesn't mention it because with a simple low gravity beer, it's hardly worth it.
I will do it for the last point, which is the high gravity beers issue, but that said I primary for a long time anyway.
Getting the beer off the yeast cake and hence reducing yeasty off-flavours.
Clearing the beer which happens easier as there is less yeast in the vessel due to the previous point.
Dry hopping or addition of other late adjuncts such as cocoa or fruits.
To condition high gravity beers that need a little more time in the fermenter to mellow.
They're the main reasons I can think of, I'm sure there are more.
I don't bother myself, between 3 and 5 weeks in the primary in which time it has plenty of time to clear and not enough time, despite what people will say, to impart yeasty off-flavours.
The Wherry doesn't mention it because with a simple low gravity beer, it's hardly worth it.
I will do it for the last point, which is the high gravity beers issue, but that said I primary for a long time anyway.
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Ditch
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Re: First Brew Question
Breezy wrote: I'm presuming I can just run the brew from FV direct into barrel when fermentation is complete? Or is there a problem with getting too much oxygen into it at that stage?
It's never crossed my mind to use a 'Secondary' either. I never heard of it, 'in the old days', so simply never have.
Just to address the above point; No. Use a yard of plastic tube and stick that onto the tap. Other end to the bottom of the Keg. Saves getting all that unnecessary oxygen in there
