Too long in the secondary?

[maestrotee]

I got a little lazy recently and I have a question. How long is too long in the secondary fermenter, 2.5 gallon cherry ale? And, how much corn sugar on average should I add to 2.5 gallons to bottle (if it's still good even)? I figure that the water seal has never been opened so it should be in a sterile environment. It still looks good at least.

[Phil]

I got a little lazy recently and I have a question. How long is too long in the secondary fermenter, 2.5 gallon cherry ale? And, how much corn sugar on average should I add to 2.5 gallons to bottle (if it's still good even)? I figure that the water seal has never been opened so it should be in a sterile environment. It still looks good at least.

If you've been sanitary you can leave it almost indefinitely. 2-2.5 oz of corn sugar would be about medium carbonation.

here's a short BYO article that has a chart for priming amounts to volumes of CO2

[maestrotee]

Suhweeeet! That's what I was hoping to hear! I'm a little anal about the sanitation so I'm sure it is pure, water seal is still about half full. Thanks! I'm cleaning up my kitchen right now so I can take it down and start the bottling. So, take about 2.5 oz of corn sugar, heat it in about a quart of water, pour it into the bottling pail and I should be good to go? Am I on the right track? By the way, what are the reasonable parameters of gravity I should be looking for if it's still okay? This was the batch my wife was pretty excited about so I hope it turns out alright. I just want to bottle it cause I only have one airlock (I know, very sad) and I'm pretty excited about my Munton's Bock I will be starting up tonight. Yay!

[Mortician607]

A quart of water might be a little too much to disolve the sugar in. The most I ever use is a pint of water for 5 oz dextrose for a 5 gal batch.

[ApresSkiBrewer]

How long is long?

[Bugeater]

My apricot lambic has been in secondary for 3 years now. Probably about time to bottle.

Wayne

[Phil]

I melt priming sugar in as little water as I need to dissolve it, just by eyeballing.

I added a pound of cane sugar to the primary (belgian single that I undershot) and I think it dissolved in about a quart of water.

[t-rocket]

My apricot lambic has been in secondary for 3 years now. Probably about time to bottle.

Wayne

hehe, love it