Pliny clone update: almost 4 weeks in primary vessel

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by ronobvious2, Sep 25, 2014.

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  1. ronobvious2

    ronobvious2 Initiate (0) Aug 24, 2010 Tennessee

    Looked at this last night because I'm planning on racking to a key for dry hopping/secondary. I *still* see bubbles coming up from the yeast cake. No krausen and no visual airlock activity.
     
  2. Tebuken

    Tebuken Initiate (0) Jun 6, 2009 Argentina

    Take a gravity read in reassurance
     
  3. ronobvious2

    ronobvious2 Initiate (0) Aug 24, 2010 Tennessee

    Yeah, I haven't even done that. Figured with still visible activity I should wait. I'll gravity read tomorrow, Saturday and if need be, Sunday.
     
  4. DrMindbender

    DrMindbender Initiate (0) Jul 13, 2014 South Carolina

    Do your first dry hop in the primary, then transfer to secondary...give the yeast more time to finish up the brew/convert unwanted flavors and interact with the hops a little before putting in secondary for the second dry hop (I'm assuming you are doing at least 2 dry hops if its a Pliny clone). This will also cut down on the trub in the secondary when you rack it into a keg/bottle.
     
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  5. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    You don't need to take a reading every day. Take one, then take the next one 2-3 days later. This will yield the same practical information, with less mucking around in your beer.
     
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  6. kneary13

    kneary13 Initiate (0) Jan 30, 2010 Massachusetts

    is it possible that the beer is warming, and as such releasing CO2 that was previously held in solution while at a colder temp? otherwise, i have no effin' clue.
     
  7. utahbeerdude

    utahbeerdude Maven (1,374) May 2, 2006 Utah

    A slow trickle of bubbles from the yeast cake after primary fermentation is not uncommon. (My recent ESB did this.) Given this behavior plus 4 weeks in the primary indicates your beer is basically finished fermenting. I also like the idea of dry hopping in the primary.
     
    PortLargo likes this.
  8. AlCaponeJunior

    AlCaponeJunior Grand Pooh-Bah (3,452) May 21, 2010 Texas
    Society Pooh-Bah

    pliny clones shouldn't dawdle around, they should get done asap. dry hop it now, add second dry hop asap. I'd skip the secondary, personally. although I generally leave my beers in primary for four weeks, my pliny clone was three weeks from boil to bottle, and included two dry hopping rounds, and came out fantastic.
     
  9. ronobvious2

    ronobvious2 Initiate (0) Aug 24, 2010 Tennessee

    I purged a keg for secondary/dry hop. Did my first dry hop Friday. Guess I'll do the second in a day or so. I'll have to look at the recipe.

    My hop bag is pretty fine; this should catch all of the large particles. Don't know yet about how much of the fine stuff there will be.

    Do I want to keg it or bottle it is my next dilemma. I don't have a beer gun so I may just pull the hops when they're done. I don't want to f-up this brew but I want to have it be a little clearer than my previous brews so I want to cold crash with gelatin (I think). I'm afraid of what to do. :-)
     
  10. alanforbeer

    alanforbeer Crusader (455) Jan 29, 2011 South Carolina

    Keg it. Without a beer gun, bottling will require you to rack the beer to a bottling bucket, stir in priming solution etc. etc., all the while picking up more O2 along the way.

    I'd also consider skipping the gelatin. It should begin to clear on its own while you force carb it. But that's just my opinion. Looking forward to hearing how this one turns out.
     
  11. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Clarity isn't really a taste issue as much as it is a visual thing, so I'd give up on trying to get it clear (other than trying to keep the hop residue to a minimum). It seems to me that the real Pliny is not a clear beer anyway.
     
  12. ronobvious2

    ronobvious2 Initiate (0) Aug 24, 2010 Tennessee

    I realize the taste/clarity thing, but I'm just trying to develop a new skill in the hobby and I have never seen, let alone taste, a Pliny so I don't know about their clarity.
     
  13. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

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