Ok, I no this is probably a dumb question, however can someone explain racking in simple terms. I'm a little confused about the process etc.
Cheers
Simon
Racking
Hey Simon,
Im new as well, but i have racked both my first 2 brews. Its easy and worth the 10 minutes it takes.
Ok have a second fermenter. Approx 2 m of 12mm tubing. (food grade clear stuff- can be picked up from HBS). Completely sanitize everything that will cpome in contact with the brew. THIS is critical. as you are increasing the risk of airborne contaiminants getting into the beer during this stage! ( i put the hose into the bottom fermenter and place the sanitized lid on top in an attempt to reduce airborne bacteria getting into second fermenter.)
Place fermenter with beer in it higher than 2nd one you are transfering to (just like the ol saying..."let gravity do the work".
Make sure hose is coiled around the bottlom...you dont want to let the brew splash around (i open the tap only partially).
After 3-5 mins your done. The benefits of doing this are numerous and often explained so im not going to say it all again. Suffice to say..the end result is a clearer product..AND it allows you to get on with your second batch once you have racked the first!
Cheers
Adam
Im new as well, but i have racked both my first 2 brews. Its easy and worth the 10 minutes it takes.
Ok have a second fermenter. Approx 2 m of 12mm tubing. (food grade clear stuff- can be picked up from HBS). Completely sanitize everything that will cpome in contact with the brew. THIS is critical. as you are increasing the risk of airborne contaiminants getting into the beer during this stage! ( i put the hose into the bottom fermenter and place the sanitized lid on top in an attempt to reduce airborne bacteria getting into second fermenter.)
Place fermenter with beer in it higher than 2nd one you are transfering to (just like the ol saying..."let gravity do the work".
Make sure hose is coiled around the bottlom...you dont want to let the brew splash around (i open the tap only partially).
After 3-5 mins your done. The benefits of doing this are numerous and often explained so im not going to say it all again. Suffice to say..the end result is a clearer product..AND it allows you to get on with your second batch once you have racked the first!
Cheers
Adam
cheers Adam,
that's what I thought it was, just wanted to check before i stuffed up a brew. Might try with next brew, just have to get 2nd fermenter. How long do you leave in second fermenter before bottling? Once you've put brew into second fermenter can you then just before bottling bulk prime by adding the sugar to brew?
Simon
that's what I thought it was, just wanted to check before i stuffed up a brew. Might try with next brew, just have to get 2nd fermenter. How long do you leave in second fermenter before bottling? Once you've put brew into second fermenter can you then just before bottling bulk prime by adding the sugar to brew?
Simon
Hi Simon,
Each brew is slightly different..so the length of time taken to complete the fermentation process will vary. You'll know when a)the bubbling stops and b)the hydrometer reading is the same for at least a couple of days. I wait for 2-3 days (with the same reading) and then move to where i do my bottling and leave overnight/24 hours (at a slightly cooler temp (say 17-18C) which allows for the brew to settle before bottling.
Usually you add your priming sugar into a spare fermenter and rack your brew onto the sugar....mix slowly and then begin bottling that way (so in effect you utilise 3 fermenters for each brew) eg at first racking and the again rack into final bottling container/fermenter. (you can get away with 2 fermenters though).
Some blokes will rack several times before bottling as it helps clear the beer! Just depends on what YOU want.
Cheers
Adam
Each brew is slightly different..so the length of time taken to complete the fermentation process will vary. You'll know when a)the bubbling stops and b)the hydrometer reading is the same for at least a couple of days. I wait for 2-3 days (with the same reading) and then move to where i do my bottling and leave overnight/24 hours (at a slightly cooler temp (say 17-18C) which allows for the brew to settle before bottling.
Usually you add your priming sugar into a spare fermenter and rack your brew onto the sugar....mix slowly and then begin bottling that way (so in effect you utilise 3 fermenters for each brew) eg at first racking and the again rack into final bottling container/fermenter. (you can get away with 2 fermenters though).
Some blokes will rack several times before bottling as it helps clear the beer! Just depends on what YOU want.
Cheers
Adam
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Dogger Dan
- Posts: 3168
- Joined: Thursday Aug 26, 2004 10:43 am
- Location: Lucan, Ontario, Canada
After reading these comments and advice on racking, I notice that
Oats mentions that he only partialy opens the tap when transferring from
fermenter one to fermenter two.
Whilst Dogger mentions that that his self prime gizmo does away with
the suck & blow routine.
So gentlemen am I to understand that I should siphon from out of the top of the fermenter ( which I do by sucking to start it of ) or plugging onto the tap & letting it gravitate through ?? .
I can only think that this would let a lot of sediment into the second
fermenter ,
cheers dab.
Oats mentions that he only partialy opens the tap when transferring from
fermenter one to fermenter two.
Whilst Dogger mentions that that his self prime gizmo does away with
the suck & blow routine.
So gentlemen am I to understand that I should siphon from out of the top of the fermenter ( which I do by sucking to start it of ) or plugging onto the tap & letting it gravitate through ?? .
I can only think that this would let a lot of sediment into the second
fermenter ,
cheers dab.
From what I've read, sucking on the end of the siphon is possibly one of the worst things you can do, as it introduces all the nasty bacteria from your mouth.
I would go with a sanitised petrol siphon that has a built in hand pump (but don't use the same one you use for petrol - unless of course your brew is like rocket fuel!)
I would go with a sanitised petrol siphon that has a built in hand pump (but don't use the same one you use for petrol - unless of course your brew is like rocket fuel!)
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Dogger Dan
- Posts: 3168
- Joined: Thursday Aug 26, 2004 10:43 am
- Location: Lucan, Ontario, Canada
Yeh Man
the self priming one is a tube inside a tube with a gasket at the lower end. You pull the inner tube up and the outer tube fills with beer. Push down on it and the beer flows out the spout and into the waiting carboy creating the required syphon.
Sounds like the petrol pumps a bit (we had one that came on the market this year that I thought was pretty sweet) but as I already had something for the job I left it alone, dollars you know.
As far as your mouth goes, give it a rinse with some Vodka before you prime the pump. By the way, I am yet to contaminate a beer because because I primed it off my mouth.
Dogger
the self priming one is a tube inside a tube with a gasket at the lower end. You pull the inner tube up and the outer tube fills with beer. Push down on it and the beer flows out the spout and into the waiting carboy creating the required syphon.
Sounds like the petrol pumps a bit (we had one that came on the market this year that I thought was pretty sweet) but as I already had something for the job I left it alone, dollars you know.
As far as your mouth goes, give it a rinse with some Vodka before you prime the pump. By the way, I am yet to contaminate a beer because because I primed it off my mouth.
Dogger