The Bar Towel

My IPA that is...

So...I've stalled out at 1020 after one week which is ok, because I started at close to 1070. The taste isn't sweet...

But I'm reading a lot on Home Brew Talk about leaving it in the primary for two weeks. I want to dry hop it in a carboy, for about 7 days.

What is the benefit of leaving my beer in the primary if it's done fermenting?

JeffPorter wrote:My IPA that is...

So...I've stalled out at 1020 after one week which is ok, because I started at close to 1070. The taste isn't sweet...

But I'm reading a lot on Home Brew Talk about leaving it in the primary for two weeks. I want to dry hop it in a carboy, for about 7 days.

What is the benefit of leaving my beer in the primary if it's done fermenting?

i would think in terms of negatives.
what's your benefit of taking it out of the primary so early? you'll be void of alcohol and you'll be shooting bottlecaps off when you rack it.

with my limited knowledge, i'd tell you to check 3 things:

1. ideal temp for your yeast to ferment
2. temp where your fermentor currently is
3. possibly agitate your fermentor a little bit (perhaps you didn't introduce enough oxygen prior to adding the yeast?)

is it also possible that you added the yeast straight out of the fridge or there was a high temperature different between your yeast and your brew?

At this point I'd toss your dry hops into the primary and leave it for a week and then bottle.

JeffPorter wrote: What is the benefit of leaving my beer in the primary if it's done fermenting?

The benefit is that you wont pick up any contaminants when transfering to another fermentor.

I dry hop in primary myself. I just make sure that its done, and some of the yeast has dropped out of suspension. You want to do this, so the hops oils dont cling to yeast and drop out during bottle conditioning.

icemachine wrote:At this point I'd toss your dry hops into the primary and leave it for a week and then bottle.

+1

atomeyes wrote:

JeffPorter wrote:My IPA that is...

So...I've stalled out at 1020 after one week which is ok, because I started at close to 1070. The taste isn't sweet...

But I'm reading a lot on Home Brew Talk about leaving it in the primary for two weeks. I want to dry hop it in a carboy, for about 7 days.

What is the benefit of leaving my beer in the primary if it's done fermenting?

i would think in terms of negatives.
what's your benefit of taking it out of the primary so early? you'll be void of alcohol and you'll be shooting bottlecaps off when you rack it.

with my limited knowledge, i'd tell you to check 3 things:

1. ideal temp for your yeast to ferment
2. temp where your fermentor currently is
3. possibly agitate your fermentor a little bit (perhaps you didn't introduce enough oxygen prior to adding the yeast?)

is it also possible that you added the yeast straight out of the fridge or there was a high temperature different between your yeast and your brew?

Should I try to get the gravity lower? I'm already at about 6 and half percent alcohol...it's been stalled at 1020 for 3 days...

Yeast was pitched at about 90 degrees and there was 15 g of it.

Ferment temps have been a few degrees cooler than what the yeast is meant for, but the yeast still went crazy and I had a blow out.

You're at 71.4% attenuation (50 of the available 70 gravity points have been fermented).

That's in the range of most ale yeasts, and since it hasn't moved in 3 days, it's probably done (and the yeast did a fine job).

http://www.whitelabs.com/beer/homebrew_ ... #ALE_YEAST

So, I would dry hop now...

If you want to get your beer off the bulk of the yeast (and other trub), you could transfer to secondary now. Only downfall would be potential pick up of oxygen (try and avoid splashing) and if you don't properly sanitize your transfer hose or secondary fermenter (should be easy to avoid).

mistermurphy wrote:You're at 71.4% attenuation (50 of the available 70 gravity points have been fermented).

That's in the range of most ale yeasts, and since it hasn't moved in 3 days, it's probably done (and the yeast did a fine job).

http://www.whitelabs.com/beer/homebrew_ ... #ALE_YEAST

So, I would dry hop now...

If you want to get your beer off the bulk of the yeast (and other trub), you could transfer to secondary now. Only downfall would be potential pick up of oxygen (try and avoid splashing) and if you don't properly sanitize your transfer hose or secondary fermenter (should be easy to avoid).

Thanks murphey - attenuation is still something I don't quite get...I think I will transfer - Mostly because I realized I'm fermenting in my bucket and I'll need that for bottling.

Btw - general question - are there advantages and disadvantages to fermenting (primary) in carboys versus buckets?

Also, thanks for the advice everyone - I think next time I'm just going to ferment in carboy, and then, dry hop there if I need to.

JeffPorter wrote:

mistermurphy wrote:You're at 71.4% attenuation (50 of the available 70 gravity points have been fermented).

That's in the range of most ale yeasts, and since it hasn't moved in 3 days, it's probably done (and the yeast did a fine job).

http://www.whitelabs.com/beer/homebrew_ ... #ALE_YEAST

So, I would dry hop now...

If you want to get your beer off the bulk of the yeast (and other trub), you could transfer to secondary now. Only downfall would be potential pick up of oxygen (try and avoid splashing) and if you don't properly sanitize your transfer hose or secondary fermenter (should be easy to avoid).

Thanks murphey - attenuation is still something I don't quite get...I think I will transfer - Mostly because I realized I'm fermenting in my bucket and I'll need that for bottling.

Btw - general question - are there advantages and disadvantages to fermenting (primary) in carboys versus buckets?

Also, thanks for the advice everyone - I think next time I'm just going to ferment in carboy, and then, dry hop there if I need to.

You'll get a better seal in your carboy if you use a rubber bung and airlock. You don't get the best air seal in a bucket, so technically something could get in (although most problems will come with poor sanitation, not matter the fermentation vessel). If you don't leave 15-20% head space in your carboy at the start of fermentation, make sure you use a blow off tube instead of the airlock, otherwise the bung could explode off causing a mess.

Carboys are easier to sanitize, less susceptible to scratches (where bacteria can hide in). If you're in a proper food grade bucket, there's probably no risk of leaching toxins from the plastic, since it's only a 20 degree C liquid sitting in there...

yeah, i'm hesitant to use food-grade plastic.
read that it still leaches over time.

I like to use the big bucket with a loose lid for the primary. I think that's the safest & easy to clean. I split a sealed bucket when a blow-off tube got clogged.

I secondary in an appropriate sized carboy.

When you transfer, you're bound to pick up a bit of oxygen. That's generally not good... though I prefer to get my beer off the trub (which is often seems to be excessive).

In you're case, there probably isn't much trub from the wort kit, but a bit of oxygen (just a bit) might help the yeast keep going for a bit.

I'd put your dry hops in a sanitary carboy, then transfer it over.

I generally follow the 1,2,3 rule for ales, 1 wk primary, 2 wk secondary, 3 wks bottle-conditioning (plus or minus a bit if it's convenient).