1. 2nd brew a Muntons premium pilsner and I've brewed the beer in my fermenter, purchased a 2nd fermenter and siphoned from the primary fermenter into the 2nd one. Then added Youngs finnings, it says on the packet, stir in and leave 2 days before bottling (This is why I bought the 2nd bin as I didn't want to stir the bottom sediment up again.) would I be better to leave it longer maybe another day or 2? Would there be enough yeast left to carbonate?
2. Now I've 2 brewing bins (And soon a 3rd bin with a wide neck and demijohn airlock fitting) when after you begin primary fermentation is it best to siphon into the 2nd sterilized bin. My Muntons Gold Pilsner (next brew, then I thought I might try extracts kits.) says to transfer it after 2-3 days I've read elsewhere after 6 days. How long should I keep it in the fermenter before bottling? When I brew the Gold I'll fine most of it but take a few bottles from the top and bottom to compare taste.
Finnings question & secondary fermentation
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BigEd
For #1: Another day or two in secondary won't hurt and in almost all cases will be beneficial. Yes, there will be plenty of yeast left for carbonation as there are still millions of them in suspension.
For #2: There really is no specific time span as to when you should transfer from primary to secondary. The time to transfer is when the primary fermentation is finished as this can vary greatly from batch to batch. Recipes, wort gravity, yeast strain, temperature, etc will all have an effect on length of primary time. It can be as soon as a few days or it could be a week or more. Monitoring the specific gravity is probably the most accurate way to check as it will fall rapidly during the strong activity of fermentation then bottom out and remain stable once the primary is finished. Less accurate but simpler is to watch the action of the fermentation via airlock activity and the rise and fall of the krausen.
For #2: There really is no specific time span as to when you should transfer from primary to secondary. The time to transfer is when the primary fermentation is finished as this can vary greatly from batch to batch. Recipes, wort gravity, yeast strain, temperature, etc will all have an effect on length of primary time. It can be as soon as a few days or it could be a week or more. Monitoring the specific gravity is probably the most accurate way to check as it will fall rapidly during the strong activity of fermentation then bottom out and remain stable once the primary is finished. Less accurate but simpler is to watch the action of the fermentation via airlock activity and the rise and fall of the krausen.
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Hoppkins