Rack or not rack

Ivesy · Post by **Ivesy** » Saturday Dec 23, 2006 3:45 pm

I have had a Blue mountains lager in my fermenter sitting at about 22 to 24 degrees for seven days today. I have two problems. I am going away for a week on boxing day and also my regulator is stuffed (infected?). I think i will buy a new reg when i get back as homebrew shop wants $70 to clean reg, so for another twenty i will buy a new one. My question is should i rack the brew in another fermenter or can i just stick it in keg, put it in fridge and gas it later. Have been reading all these posts on racking but am new to the game so bare with me. Also if you suggest racking, will i then stick it in fridge at a low temp or leave it in a sink at about 24 degrees.
Any help will be great (am trying to learn from all these posts)
Cheers

Ash · Post by **Ash** » Saturday Dec 23, 2006 4:13 pm

the keg will be a sealed unit, so any oxygen will be still in the mix & potentially get into the brew & oxidse it.

If you put it in the other fermenter, the CO2 from the brew (if still fermenting) will blow the air out.

Probably would have been best to rack to the other fermenter a little earlier than now (given the temp) but if it's still active then you should be right & it should get another CO2 blanket on it, especially from the racking stirring it up.

I'm a bit of a n00b still myself but this is how I'd tackle it, that or leave it in the primary another week & just keg it when you get the new reg.

Any gurus want to put forward any ideas?

Schooner · Post by **Schooner** » Saturday Dec 23, 2006 4:28 pm

I will agree with Ash,

If fermentation is complete just refrigerate and keg later.

Have been in a similar situation and that is what I did - no problems.

Ivesy · Post by **Ivesy** » Sunday Dec 24, 2006 6:35 am

Thanks for the replies. I have been reading up on racking and seems best to rack after about 3-4 days to be safe so its prob. a bit late for secondary.
So if i put the primary fermenter in fridge for a week at day 8 or 9 should i aim for a high a temp as poss. or a low lagering temp?
And if i use a length of tube to transfer beer from top of fermenter rather than from the tap would this give me a clearer beer like racking achieves anyway?

In the meantime i'll keep reading and getting more tips. Cheers!

thisispants · Post by **thisispants** » Sunday Dec 24, 2006 7:44 am

I've read a few times on here that some people have tried racking a few times, and thought the beer came out worse because of it.

Low carbonation and the like.

Ivesy · Post by **Ivesy** » Sunday Dec 24, 2006 8:00 am

Yeah, read the same. Being only new to it the simpler the better for me. Thats why i was told if you syphon from the top, you try to leave the sediment in the bottom of fermenter, resulting in a clearer beer anyway (i hope!)