Secondary Fermenter - Did I go Wrong?

[Snrub]

Hi everyone

My first post - thanks in advance for any advice. I'm also brand new to brewing, having made my first batch in January I now have a question with my 2nd batch.

I'm brewing with malt extract, following a basic guide from a book called 'how to brew beer' - make a wort, cool, ferment, bottle. First batch was OK if a little weak, so I gained a bit of confidence to try some variation in the 2nd batch.

In the book, it suggests moving to a secondary fermenter after 5 days. I didn't do this with the first batch, I left it in the primary for 2 weeks. This time, I followed the instruction, but I suspect it may have been a bad move.

I siphoned to the secondary after 5 days, leaving behind a layer of sediment which I now realise contained most of the yeast. Having bubbled vigorously for the first few days (so much so I had to use a run-off), once I moved to secondary there's no sign of anything happening at all.

I did some reading online and read that bubbling through the airlock is unlikely in a secondary, and that instead you should measure gravity loss. If it's losing gravity, it's still fermenting.

Trouble is, I don't trust my hydrometer readings at all - it seems very easy to get vastly different readings! Measuring today, I get 1.020, almost 2 weeks from brew day. Last weekend I measured 1.016, but I now guess that was an inaccurate reading. My initial reading post brew was 1.050.

So my question is - have I basically terminated fermentation after 5 days by transferring to the secondary before fermentation finished? And if so, have I then made a further error by leaving it another week in the secondary vessel?

Should I go ahead and bottle, or leave it a few more days and read with a hydrometer again? I'll definitely be getting a new hydrometer!

And finally, is it feasible/realistic that the gravity reading dropped from 1.050 to 1.016 in the first 5 days? And increased again after? Or, as I suspect, was my 1.016 reading an error (and possibly/probably one of the others)?

All that said, it looks, smells and tastes like beer.

Cheers!

 

[okoncentrerad]

Well I'm pretty new to this myself, but some thing I've learned is that transfer to another vessle for secondary fermentation usually isn't necessary and I haven't done so for the brews I've made. "Secondary fermentation" is a stage the yeast go through and it happens anyway.

 

[jmcnamara]

There's still a lot of yeast in suspension, so no worries there. I routinely use a secondary, especially if I'm bottling.

As for the reading, you may have had some bubbles on the hydrometer or other gunk that caused it to be off. Unless you added something to the beer or there was a lot of evaporation, it shouldn't have increased in gravity. Give the hydrometer a swirl next time before taking a reading. It's tough to read those little lines sometimes too.
In terms of bottling, I think it's more important that the reading has stayed steady across a few days so you know the yeast are done.
Personally, I'd wait another few days to be sure then bottle.
You also didn't mention the yeast or ferm temp, that could have an effect on how quick the fermentation is

 

[Snrub]

Thanks for the replies.

In future, I'll definitely only use secondary if a specific recipe calls for it. It's all about learning!

The yeast was a dried Nottingham ale yeast and the temp has been a consistent 23 degrees celcius.

I'll wait till the weekend and see if I can bottle then - thanks for the tips.

 

[J A]

What he said^^^.
If you got higher readings later, they're wrong. Maybe the first reading was wrong, but I'd bet not. If you look carefully, you'll find that there's another layer of sediment collecting at the bottom of your secondary.
You don't mention your recipe or yeast, but even beer that looks clear will continue to drop in gravity. If the beer had stopped after 5 days, and was clearing you may have benefitted from picking up a little yeast when you transferred, but it was probably not going to do a lot more, anyway. A temp drop can make the yeast really stop and drop, depending on strain. If it's running a little cool now, you may be able to warm it up and get it going again. What yeast are you using?
You may have a stuck fermentation but I would suggest checking your hydrometer and making certain that you're getting good reading before you proceed to bottling. You're working with a good recipe for bottle bombs if you still have plenty of fermentables.

 

[Nosybear]

Thanks for the replies.

In future, I'll definitely only use secondary if a specific recipe calls for it. It's all about learning!

The yeast was a dried Nottingham ale yeast and the temp has been a consistent 23 degrees celcius.

I'll wait till the weekend and see if I can bottle then - thanks for the tips.

There are reasons to secondary, and reasons not to. Keep reading John's book, you'll find out more about what they are. Once you know your brewing goals, you'll have a better idea as to whether to do a secondary or not. As with anything brewing, there are risks and benefits and once you know them, you can make an informed decision. For now, as long as the yeast settles out and the beer clarifies, I wouldn't do a secondary.

 

[Nosybear]

Oh, and your readings were likely off due to carbon dioxide bubbles sticking to the hydrometer. Next time, give it a good spin or two before you take the reading.

 

[Snrub]

It might be a bit simpler an explanation than that for my readings - it's a cheap plastic hydrometer which looks a little misshapen. I've ordered a glass one now!

 

[jeffpn]

Never ever ever use a secondary. Unless you’re me. Then use one for every single batch you make, for no good reason at all. Except because it’s the way you’ve always done it. And to free up a primary fermenter.

 

[Nosybear]

Never ever ever use a secondary. Unless you’re me. Then use one for every single batch you make, for no good reason at all. Except because it’s the way you’ve always done it. And to free up a primary fermenter.

To your point, I have a conical fermenter I really don't want tied up for two or more weeks, so I drain the beer into a carboy to free it up. If I'm going to let something sit for a long, long time (I make my Maerzen in March and lager it until mid-August), I'll put it in a different carboy. Take reasonable precautions in transfer and your beer will be fine. I have three year old beer that keeps getting better, bottled long before I had the equipment to flush my carboys with CO2....

 

[BOB357]

If you're reading "How To Brew" on line or from an older book, you're reading some outdated material. Palmer came out with a 4th edition a while back in which he updated a lot of information and added some new chapters as well. Really worth a read for new and experienced brewers as well. A lot of practices that were accepted as Gospel a few years ago have been shown to be unnecessary. In most cases, transferring to secondary is on the top of that list.

As for checking gravity, every time you check it you're wasting good beer and opening your brew to a chance for contamination. RDWHAHB. Nottingham does a pretty good job at lower temperatures,but lower temps. generally mean slower ferments.You got some good advice in previous replies. Rouse the yeast, warm it up a bit more and give another week or so. I'm pretty sure your patience will be rewarded.

Edit:

Just reread your earlier post and saw that it was not Palmer's "How to Brew"you are reading. I still suggest adding it to your brewing library.

 

[J A]

it's a cheap plastic hydrometer which looks a little misshapen. I've ordered a glass one now!

Defintely get something that you can have confidence in. I had one of the plastic hydros as a backup and it was several points off from my glass hydro. Never trusted it.

 

[Snrub]

Edit:

Just reread your earlier post and saw that it was not Palmer's "How to Brew"you are reading. I still suggest adding it to your brewing library.

It wasn't, but as a result of your post I am now. So thank you - it's a great read, and I'll buy the latest edition

 

[BOB357]

Let us know how that beer turns out.

 

[Craigerrr]

I was getting a reading from my hydrometer that did not make sense, so I tested it using water. It did not read 1.000, so I bought another one. I must have mishandled it and caused the paper scale inside to move slightly.

 

[jeffpn]

What temp was the water when you tested it? Should be the same temp as your hydrometer is calibrated for, probably 60°, but maybe 68°. It says on the paper.

 

[GFHomebrew]

yep mine is off i adjust my readings by as much until i get another one.