What does racking beer mean

Very strong beers like Doppelbocks and Barleywines will require 6 months to a year before they condition to their peak flavor. If oxidation doesn't take its toll first.

I have had some pretty awful year old barleywines. This conditioning can be done in either the secondary fermentor or the bottle, but the two methods do produce different results. It is up to you to determine how long to give each phase to produce your intended beer. When bottling your first few batches, its always a good idea to set aside a six pack in the corner of the basement and leave it for a time. It is enlightening to taste a homebrewed beer that has had two months to bottle condition and compare it to what the batch initially tasted like.

How to Brew By John Palmer. Featured Links. Although racking does not guarantee you that crystal clear pilsner you have been dreaming of, it is one way to reduce the trub floating around your beer before you bottle it, regardless of whether you transfer your beer form the primary fermenter to a bottling bucket just prior to bottling or further in advance.

Racking also allows you to dry-hop your beer. Depending on the style, adding a quantity of fresh hops for their characteristic aroma and character may be a prudent choice for your beer. Not too long ago, I brewed an IPA and split the batch—I bottled half of it out of the primary fermenter and I racked and dry-hopped the other half for a week. The beer that I racked and dry-hopped was not only clearer in appearance due to less yeast build-up on the bottom of my bottles, but also exhibited more characteristic qualities of an IPA, most notably a more fragrant hop aroma.

Furthermore, dry-hopping does not significantly increase the bitterness of your brew because hop resins are not readily soluble in water, or beer, unless the liquid is boiling. Similar to dry-hopping, aging your beer with ingredients, such as oak chips or honey, will impart additional post-fermentation character to your beer that can best be achieved through racking.

Once fermentation is completed, your beer is better suited to incorporate new flavors, so it is possible to age your batch in the primary fermenter, but the longer your beer rests on the yeast cake, the more susceptible it becomes to suffer from autolysis.

Autolysis is the inevitable process during which yeast cells die, their membranes rupture, and they release rubbery and sulfuric off-flavors into your beer.

Breweries and beer kegs may have changed, but wineries and distilleries still use wooden barrels where contact with the wood is an essential part of the aging of the wine or whisky. Filling these barrels is called racking as well. Thanks for shedding some light.

Your email address will not be published. Oxidation from contact with air is also a constant danger during transfers.

Oxygen pick-up by beer during transfer is one of the major causes of premature staling in finished beer and a contributor to unwanted haze formation. Turbulence is also bad for beer—if the racking of a beer is too vigorous or conducted at too high a speed, the transferred beer may lose its ability to develop a good head of foam.