I wondered how many other brewers on here rack off their beer to a second FV for a few days before they eventually package for whatever reason (but most likely to help get clearer beer into bottles or kegs). Note this is not the same as transfer to a bottling bucket
I used to do it on most beers but increasingly never bothered. However recently a few murky brews using CML Cali Common yeast with more than enough time for it to settle especially after two or three days in the cold made me try it again. So for this last beer using this yeast I racked off into a second FV when the primary was nearing its end, but not done, on the basis that I wanted some CO2 above the beer rather than just air, which would otherwise have been the case had the primary actually finished. Anyway it worked clear beer going forward so I shall be doing it again on poorly flocculating yeasts but not on beers using yeasts like Notty.
I know many don’t like the idea of racking off due to perceptions of infection or oxidation, and racking off is a bit unfashionable now, but it apparently works for me in selected situations.
I used to do it on most beers but increasingly never bothered. However recently a few murky brews using CML Cali Common yeast with more than enough time for it to settle especially after two or three days in the cold made me try it again. So for this last beer using this yeast I racked off into a second FV when the primary was nearing its end, but not done, on the basis that I wanted some CO2 above the beer rather than just air, which would otherwise have been the case had the primary actually finished. Anyway it worked clear beer going forward so I shall be doing it again on poorly flocculating yeasts but not on beers using yeasts like Notty.
I know many don’t like the idea of racking off due to perceptions of infection or oxidation, and racking off is a bit unfashionable now, but it apparently works for me in selected situations.