Transporting fermenting beer

Covering with a shirt or something along those lines should do the trick during the day. I would be more concerned with oxidation from the sloshing around. I think you should cap it, it probably won't build up a dangerous amount of pressure in the time frame. Someone may chime in if they disagree or have other experience.

 

Put it in a keg with some co2 would be your best bet.

 

Get the beer out of secondary (it probably didn't need to be there in the first place) and package it. Moving a fermenter with beer in it just seems like a bad idea. Light could be a problem, but not your biggest problem and one that is easily solved with blankets. The bigger problems: sloshing/oxidation, spilling beer in your car. And it better be a plastic bucket or a better bottle - you don't even want to get me started on the dangers of moving a glass carboy full of homebrew. Moving bottles or kegs is way easier.

 

The last time I moved, I had to transport ~ 5 full carboys and a 15 gallon barrel. Not a good experience.

 

Reviving this thread for a similar question:

I can understand not transporting a secondary fermenter over fear of oxidation, but what about a just-brewed beer in the primary? I'm planning to brew an imperial stout this weekend and age it until Christmas. I don't have a basement at my house so I want to stash it away at my parents' for the next 6ish months (4-6 weeks in a primary bucket then rack it to a carboy).

Does anyone see any problems with brewing at home, cooling the wort, pitching the yeast and driving it to another location? I suppose I could just do the brewing at my parents, but the prospect of transporting all the equipment doesn't sound like fun to me.

 

I would seal the fermenter and wait to pitch until you get to your parents. That is, presuming you're moving it the same day or maybe the next. Longer than that I wouldn;t want it unpitched, but for a few hours it wouldn't be a problem.

 

It sounds like OP is going to move it same day. My first thought, especially when considering temp control, was to pitch when you got to your parents, so I agree with JrGtr. But honestly if the distance from your house to your parents is measured in minutes as opposed to hours, it probably wouldn't matter either way, yeast lag time and what not.

 

If temperature control during fermentation is the concern, it would probably be easier to use a big cooler or bobbing-for-apple type bucket (the ones w/ rope handles) with water and ice packs or even damp towels. You could transport the beer over to your parents' basement once it has been bottled or kegged for aging purposes.

 

I just did it this weekend. I wrapped it up in a spaceblanket to keep it's temp somewhat stable and to protect it from sunlight. I had a blowoff tube to a half filled jug and they were all seatbelted in like a baby. No problems!

 

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I should've mentioned that the drive is 45-50 minutes. So should temperature control be that big of a deal for such a relatively short amount of time? I do like the idea of waiting to pitch until I'm at the new location.

Also, I plan to bulk age in the secondary, and temp control is a big concern at my place in the summer, so I'd rather do all the fermenting in the basement at my parents.

 

I've brewed and transported a few times with no problems. I've prepitched, and not. Waiting til your at final destination to pitch seems like the better practice.

Regarding temp control, you wouldn't have to worry if you hadn't pitched the yeast yet. So if the drive is gonna be really hot, I'd hold off on pitching, get it back down to your target temp, and then pitch.

 

The temp control for that period should not be an issue, assuming that you've cooled it so that you can easily handle it. You've got a sterile liquid on your hands, so keep it sealed from outside air, and pitch your yeast right away so that you can start to get some CO2 inside that fermentor. Will you be transporting in a plastic bucket? That is what I recommend since transporting a full carboy is highly risky with that fragile glass.

Since it is an imperial stout, are you planning to use a blow-off tube. If you are not around to watch your baby, then a blow-off tube will keep your parents from despair if aggressive fermentation occurs.

 

Do you mean pitch the yeast right away before the journey, or pitch it right away when I get to their house? And I'm definitely going with a blowoff tube. I warned my dad today about the worst case scenario...

 

Oh, and I forgot to mention, it will be in a bucket.

 

Like ssam said when addressing that question above, it depends on the temp during the ride and how quickly you can get that wort into the mid 60s to pitch, which likely will be easier at your parents' place. If you can pitch at your place and hold a temp in the mid 60s during the drive, then do it at your place. Although I just recalled that you're brewing an imperial stout, so you're going to need plenty of yeast. What are your plans for type of yeast? Starter, dry yeast, etc? Some care will also be needed if you have to take your liquid yeast or starter to your parents' place, but that should not be difficult.

 

I did a 3L (1.5L + 1.5L) starter of Wyeast 1084. I'm cold crashing it now in prep for tomorrow's brew day. My plan is to decant it here, seal it in a jar with a rubber gasket and pitch it at the parents'. Thoughts?

 

Sounds like a plan.

 

Thanks for your input and help!