Racking off

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men8idw

Racking off

Post by men8idw » Thu Jun 21, 2012 9:14 pm

Just about to rack off from FV to another container. It has been about 9days in the FV and activity is down to near zero.

One question. I was going to rack off to another vessel to settle out for a week before bottling, I have 19lite of wort at moment so guess I might transfer about 18 litres into my other vessel which is a 25litre bucket with lid. I am concerned about that layer of air....should I be!!??

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trucker5774
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Re: Racking off

Post by trucker5774 » Thu Jun 21, 2012 10:06 pm

Is there a reason you are racking it? It will settle anyway. That which has already settled has settled and that which hasn't doesn't know the difference between the bottom of a 2nd bucket or the one it's in!
John

Drinking/Already drunk........ Trucker's Anti-Freeze (Turbo Cider), Truckers Delight, Night Trucker, Rose wine, Truckers Hitch, Truckers Revenge, Trucker's Lay-by, Trucker's Trailer, Flower Truck, Trucker's Gearshift, Trucker's Horn, Truck Crash, Fixby Gold!

Conditioning... Doing what? Get it down your neck! ........

FV 1............
FV 2............
FV 3............
Next Brews..... Trucker's Jack Knife

men8idw

Racking off

Post by men8idw » Thu Jun 21, 2012 10:15 pm

True! Its something I hear being done quite often, assume its to make life easier when bottling too since there is less sediment to wrestle with. Ok so let's put the question another way - is there any need to rack off!? What's the point of it? When should you do it?

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trucker5774
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Re: Racking off

Post by trucker5774 » Thu Jun 21, 2012 10:23 pm

There are many opinions. I tend to be lazy, but I will explain the "most common " practise. Let fermentation finish (usually 3 to 7 days) let it stand for another 5 or 6 days so it has been in the FV for a total of 10 to 14 days. If you are able chill it for a day or so (don't worry if you can't) then transfer to a second vessel for bottling(or your pressure barrel) and bulk prime it. Keep it around 20C after barrelling or bottling for another week to carbonate, then cool condition for as long as you can stand!
John

Drinking/Already drunk........ Trucker's Anti-Freeze (Turbo Cider), Truckers Delight, Night Trucker, Rose wine, Truckers Hitch, Truckers Revenge, Trucker's Lay-by, Trucker's Trailer, Flower Truck, Trucker's Gearshift, Trucker's Horn, Truck Crash, Fixby Gold!

Conditioning... Doing what? Get it down your neck! ........

FV 1............
FV 2............
FV 3............
Next Brews..... Trucker's Jack Knife

oldtimer

Re: Racking off

Post by oldtimer » Fri Jun 22, 2012 9:38 pm

Not really sure of your explanation here trucker.

I am a first time bottler, I usualy keg. are you saying that you prime BEFORE you bottle ? I was under the impression ( GW's Book ) that you rack off, leave it for a few days then bottle, but priming should go in the bottle.

In other words, once it's come out of the FV it's dead beer until bottled. have I got this totaly wrong. :?: :?:

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orlando
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Re: Racking off

Post by orlando » Fri Jun 22, 2012 10:31 pm

oldtimer wrote:Not really sure of your explanation here trucker.

I am a first time bottler, I usualy keg. are you saying that you prime BEFORE you bottle ? I was under the impression ( GW's Book ) that you rack off, leave it for a few days then bottle, but priming should go in the bottle.

In other words, once it's come out of the FV it's dead beer until bottled. have I got this totaly wrong. :?: :?:
No. You are on the right track, Trucker just forgot to explain that the priming is done by making a solution from sugar and mixing this in your bottling bucket with the beer and then syphoning to bottle, this is what he meant by "bulk prime". This way you get an even mix, it's a lot easier to perform and you don't forget to put any sugar in a bottle or worse put some in the same one twice. GW believes that a well made beer doesn't need priming or fining. Commercial brewers will keg a beer a couple of gravity points above final gravity so that fermentation continues in the keg. As a first timer I would let it ferment out completely and even then leave for a day or two as it is in the final stages that diacetyl is "cleared up" by the yeast, then follow the above.
I am "The Little Red Brooster"

Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,

Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer

oldtimer

Re: Racking off

Post by oldtimer » Fri Jun 22, 2012 10:40 pm

Thanks ash

See you at the shed meeting perhapes !!!

Dave ( Wroxham)

men8idw

Racking off

Post by men8idw » Fri Jun 22, 2012 10:55 pm

Cheers guys

Why is priming of bottled beer recommended? I really don't like fizzy ale and am always disappointed by the gas in bottled beers, can I bottle without priming? What would the effect/ risks of doing that be?

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orlando
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Re: Racking off

Post by orlando » Sat Jun 23, 2012 6:27 am

Yes you can. You can bottle a point or so over your expected FG keep the bottles in the warm for at least two weeks, check carbonation and if it looks like you have enough, albeit not having gone into solution yet, you can then move to a cooler environment for final conditioning. It is however a little imprecise whereas fementing right out gives some control as you can now use priming calculators to work out the volume of CO2 you prefer. Like you I don't like excessive CO2, carbonic acid doesn't taste good either. I prefer to bottle around the 1.5 volumes mark whereas commercial beers nearly always seem to be 2.5 - 3, though that is an impression rather than a fact. The risks are minor, you could end up with a flat beer, or bottle a little too high over the FG and end up with a beer that is too fizzy. My advice would be to split your brew, syphon off half before final gravity and bottle unprimed then bottle the rest once you are happy it has fermented out and prime using a calculator too around 1.5 volumes. That way you can conpare the two approaches.
I am "The Little Red Brooster"

Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,

Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer

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orlando
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Re: Racking off

Post by orlando » Sat Jun 23, 2012 6:29 am

oldtimer wrote:Thanks ash

See you at the shed meeting perhapes !!!

Dave ( Wroxham)

Wish I could Dave, prior committment I'm afraid. Looks like it will be a really good one too.
I am "The Little Red Brooster"

Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,

Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer

critch

Re: Racking off

Post by critch » Sat Jun 23, 2012 1:30 pm

i put my beer on the chill 2-3 points over fg chill it down to 3-6.c and then transfer into my bottling tank(600l ibc) ill normally batch prime this with a small amount of sugar (less than a gram per bottle) and then bottle away....

when the beers chilled itll absorb an amount of co2 this and the bit of sugar in the beer from the last few points gravity and the small amount of priming will carbonate the beer but be careful over how much residual sugar is left as its so easy to go tits up doing this :wink:

kane

Re: Racking off

Post by kane » Sat Jun 23, 2012 1:41 pm

Is there any reason you don't chill at a higher gravity so priming is not required Critch?
Or is it a case of just getting it into condition quicker? (Or some other reason?)

I have seen you mention previously about chilling and then bottling, but do you then store the bottles at cellar temp, or do you keep them at the chilled temp before distributing?

How long on average does it take the bottles to come into condition with this method?

(I should really buy a book on commerical brewing practises or something to stop hassling you guys haha)

Cheers,
Kane

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