Is secondary useful here, or can I just keep in primary w/o temp control?

[Irishguy42]

Hello!

So, I'm brewing a pumpkin milk stout, and it's been in primary for about 10 days. I kept it temp controlled in a Cool Brewing bag, and it seems like it's finished fermentation (did two readings over last three days that have showed consistent SG around what my xFG was). I have been keeping it at around 64F-68F

Is it alright if I rack this over to a secondary carboy and leave that at room temp (apartment stays from 70-73 normally), or should I leave it in primary in the Cool Brewing bag w/o worrying about swapping frozen soda bottles?

How long would be long enough to leave this brew in primary/secondary before moving onto the bottling phase? Leave it in primary for another week and then bottle? Or rack it to secondary and then let it sit for a week or two?

I do want to taste test for the pumpkin spices, and if I wanted to add more, having a secondary would be ideal (create a "tea" and then rack the primary on top of that). Not sure though.

Lots of paths I could potentially take and I'm not 100% sure where to go with this beer.

Thoughts?

 

[Easycreeper]

For secondary, well, you'll get opinions from both sides of the fence. I like to rack most of my beers over to secondary, but I brew mainly malty, high gravity beers. IPAs and DIPAs don't get that treatment and stay in primary for two to four weeks depending on how high OG was and how fast they finished.

After the main part of fermentation is over, I let the temperature rise to room temp or higher to help the yeast finish out, so you shouldn't have to worry about controlling temp anymore.

Adding flavoring and spices can be tricky. Measure your sample volume and add what you want until you get the level of flavor you want. Scale the amount up for the rest of the batch volume. This will help prevent from adding too much or little.

BTW, give us a few details on the beer. OG, FG, etc. More experienced brewers can give you a little guidance on whether or not to pursue aging.

 

[mmlipps]

You will be fine letting temp rise to room temp as well as leaving in primary. I only secondary if I plan on aging in carboy >4 weeks

 

[Irishguy42]

For secondary, well, you'll get opinions from both sides of the fence. I like to rack most of my beers over to secondary, but I brew mainly malty, high gravity beers. IPAs and DIPAs don't get that treatment and stay in primary for two to four weeks depending on how high OG was and how fast they finished.

After the main part of fermentation is over, I let the temperature rise to room temp or higher to help the yeast finish out, so you shouldn't have to worry about controlling temp anymore.

Adding flavoring and spices can be tricky. Measure your sample volume and add what you want until you get the level of flavor you want. Scale the amount up for the rest of the batch volume. This will help prevent from adding too much or little.

BTW, give us a few details on the beer. OG, FG, etc. More experienced brewers can give you a little guidance on whether or not to pursue aging.

Beersmith tells me xOG and xFG is 1.073 and 1.023 respectively. My OG was 1.071 and right now it's sitting at 1.022, and it's been that way a few days.

And yeah, I figured I could take my sample(s) and scale the amount of spices to my preferred taste. If I'm leaving it in primary, how would be the best way to go about mixing it into my brew? Making a tea, putting it in, and then shaking it after putting a stopper on? Or some other stirring method? Don't have much that will fit into the hole of my carboy.

I'll let the temperature rise in primary for now, but will keep it in the Cool Brewing bag just to monitor that it doesn't get too warm.

 

[tomoncanterbury]

A lot of what I've read suggests making a tincture with vodka and your spices letting that sit for a week or two and add the flavouring at bottling time.

 

[Tall_Yotie]

Secondaries: I would highly suggest against it. Tests have shown it really adds nothing to the beer, and adds risks. Will not aid in clarity or flavor.

Timing: Usually give the beer 5 days to let the byproducts of fermentation work their way out before packaging. Additional aging (for higher alcohol beers usually) can be done either in the fermenter or in bottles.

Spices: Unless you are stirring, adding it to the Primary after fermentation isn't an issue. If you are wanting to taste test it immediately, rather than giving it a day for the flavors to meld, then just do it in your bottling bucket. That way you don't worry about rousing the yeast cake, and still skips the Secondary.

 

[Irishguy42]

Best tool to use to stir in spices? Handle of a long spoon? It's ~3 gallons in a 5 gallon carboy right now, so there is a decent amount of headspace I have to overcome before actually touching the beer.

That's kinda why I was thinking of moving over to a secondary (I have a 3 gal PET carboy).

 

[jwelch1103]

Best tool to use to stir in spices? Handle of a long spoon? It's ~3 gallons in a 5 gallon carboy right now, so there is a decent amount of headspace I have to overcome before actually touching the beer.

That's kinda why I was thinking of moving over to a secondary (I have a 3 gal PET carboy).

IMO, that much head space is a good reason to transfer the beer either to that smaller secondary or bottle it.

 

[Irishguy42]

IMO, that much head space is a good reason to transfer the beer either to that smaller secondary or bottle it.

Yeah, I misjudged how big of a batch size I had when I originally made the wort, so I had to put it in the 5 gallon carboy.

I'll just be really careful when racking over to secondary. I'm fairly confident with my technique and sanitizing.

I'm 99.99% sure it's done fermenting either way.