I’ve read so much stuff I’m getting a bit confused any help?
I want to make the best beer possible from a kit not interested in strength or speed.
I have a fermentation bin with lid and tap and king keg barrels. With the 2 kits done so far (3KGs) I have let the OG go down and stay stable for 24 hours (takes about 6 days) then transferred into the keg added a little glucose and Finings locked the Cap on, left at 20-22c for 2-3 days then moved to a cooler spot and tried to forget about it (successful so far)
Should I be leaving it in the fermentation bin longer? or transferring to the barrel and adding glucose and Finings at a later stage? or not at all?
Finally one last thought when the beer is ready to drink could I drink approx half the barrel (not in one go!) then bottle the rest to avoid using co2 and free-up the barrel for a new brew?
Secondary fermentation Confused?
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Hoppkins
Sounds like you have the right attitude with not caring about speed or strength, you'll make good beer with that 
Sounds like your leaving it long enough.
I would seek advise about the bottling thing though. People normally bottle straight from fermenting. I have often wondered about bottling AFTER kegging for a few weeks. I doubt after bottling again it would have the fizz to stay fresh for long.
Sounds like your leaving it long enough.
I would seek advise about the bottling thing though. People normally bottle straight from fermenting. I have often wondered about bottling AFTER kegging for a few weeks. I doubt after bottling again it would have the fizz to stay fresh for long.
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PieOPah
With regards to the Gravity reading, I wold wait a minimum of 2 days with no change before kegging.
When you do keg, this is effectively secondary fermentation. I don't see what the harm would be in bottling providing you follow the normal sanitation. Some people have special kit which will allow them to bottle straight from a keg and keep it presurized (I think DaaB made something recently).
It is unlikely you have special bottling kit so it is likely that you would still need to prime your bottles.
When you do keg, this is effectively secondary fermentation. I don't see what the harm would be in bottling providing you follow the normal sanitation. Some people have special kit which will allow them to bottle straight from a keg and keep it presurized (I think DaaB made something recently).
It is unlikely you have special bottling kit so it is likely that you would still need to prime your bottles.
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moorsd
Never bottled beer (Im too lazy 
) so can't really help on that front, but i'm pretty sure you'll be ok if you transfer it very carefully...ie no splashing and don't leave too much head space in the bottle, then you should be ok bottling? (Finished beer still releases a small amount of CO2 over time)
One thing that may be an improvement over your current methods is to leave the pressure barrel (secondary fermentation) in a warm place for 5-7 days rather than 2-3. This will make sure that all priming sugars are fermented resulting in the correct carbonation levels
) so can't really help on that front, but i'm pretty sure you'll be ok if you transfer it very carefully...ie no splashing and don't leave too much head space in the bottle, then you should be ok bottling? (Finished beer still releases a small amount of CO2 over time)One thing that may be an improvement over your current methods is to leave the pressure barrel (secondary fermentation) in a warm place for 5-7 days rather than 2-3. This will make sure that all priming sugars are fermented resulting in the correct carbonation levels
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Orfy
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PieOPah
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moorsd
Presumably though your kitchen is still warm, if you transferred a barrel to a colder place for serving (<15oc) after only 2-3 days there is more chance it will be insufficiently carbonated.PieOPah wrote:I Normally leave for 2-3 day in the same room as I ferment. After that I move my barrels to the kitchen. I have very few problems with the amount of CO2 (although since using brewing sugar - glucose - I have had even better results)
2-3 days is normally sufficient, however it's much better to leave it longer
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PieOPah
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Mat C
Thanks folks for your replies
I’m still a bit confused about secondary fermentation and CO2?
I primed the barrels with 3g of glucose because I thought it was necessary to start secondary fermentation not because I want fizzy beer. On the contrary in fact ideally I would like something like a southern real ale, London pride or Adnams.
Am I still on the right track?
I’m still a bit confused about secondary fermentation and CO2?
I primed the barrels with 3g of glucose because I thought it was necessary to start secondary fermentation not because I want fizzy beer. On the contrary in fact ideally I would like something like a southern real ale, London pride or Adnams.
Am I still on the right track?
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PieOPah
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moorsd
By adding more sugar it gives the yeast an extra meal, this means you get a little bit more alcohol and more importantly CO2, because the barrel is air tight, the CO2 can't escape meaning it dissolves back into the beer.Mat C wrote:I thought it was necessary to start secondary fermentation not because I want fizzy beer. On the contrary in fact ideally I would like something like a southern real ale, London pride or Adnams.
Am I still on the right track?
It doesn't mean the final beer will be fizzy, it just gives more mouth feel. It will be the same as any 'real' ale you find in pubs etc
(ever tasted flat beer?)If you skipped this part of the brewing process you will end up with a flat beer with no head
It will basically be a clear version of the stuff you transferred from the primary fermenter....not good -
Orfy
Secondary fermentation is actually a misleading term.
Primary fermentation is where the Majority (almost all) fermentation takes place.
Secondary is where a small amount of fermentation due to yeast agitation may take place but only a couple of gravity points at most. It is a place for yeast and other suspended matter to settle out and for the beer to start it's conditioning. It has nothing to do with CO2 production for carbonating.
If you are going straight from primary to carbonating, you are not using a secondary.
Carbonation only takes place after initial fermenting and when you add priming sugar or place under CO2 pressure.
I hope that clarifies it a little.
Primary fermentation is where the Majority (almost all) fermentation takes place.
Secondary is where a small amount of fermentation due to yeast agitation may take place but only a couple of gravity points at most. It is a place for yeast and other suspended matter to settle out and for the beer to start it's conditioning. It has nothing to do with CO2 production for carbonating.
If you are going straight from primary to carbonating, you are not using a secondary.
Carbonation only takes place after initial fermenting and when you add priming sugar or place under CO2 pressure.
I hope that clarifies it a little.
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moorsd
Orfy wrote:Secondary fermentation is actually a misleading term.
Yeh, when you add sugar to carbonate it's actually known as "Priming" when the process of CO2 production is underway the beer is said to be "conditioning", after that the beer is allowed to "mature" which gives the final product character and a more rounded flavour.
Lots of terms to get to grips with....oh the joy of home brewing
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Orfy
