BrewOnBoard

Recipes 

Like I said, what's the difference?

I understand the premise behind conditioning one's beer. I liked the analogy of a poster (revvy?) who compared it to letting chili sit for a day to mix flavors. So after fermentation is done, why then does the prudent brewer transfer to a secondary and THEN transfer to bottles? (I'm trying to grasp the concept of the secondary) How is time in a secondary better than the same amount of time spent in a bottle?

Bring on the wisdom!

BrewOnBoard

devaspawn

Recipes 

Someone will probably pop in with the science behind it but the general consensus is that bulk aging is better. Meaning aging 5 gallons of beer in a single vessel is better than aging it in 54 individual significantly smaller vessels. Sorry that I can't explain it better than that but like I said, the general consensus...

From experience I can say that I have done the experiment where I have bulked aged a batch in a keg and aged a 12 pack and that "green" flavor is gone much sooner in the keg than the bottles.

__________________
Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war;
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.

Prim 1: Ogre's Inverted Extra Red Ale
Prim 2: Ogre's Hair of the Dog Imperial Amber Ale
Prim 3: Ogre's Relaxed APA
Sec 1: Honey Blonde Ale with Hefe Yeast
Sec 2: Scotch Wee Heavy
Sec 3: Ogre's Simple Mead
Keg 1: Ogre's Brown Ale
Keg 2: Ogre's Extra Red Ale

homebrewer_99

Recipes 

The secondary is used for clearing (allowing for more yeast to drop out of suspension). Without a secondary this extra yeast makes its way into your bottles.

The clearer the beer going into the bottle the cleaner the beer coming out.

__________________
HB Bill

Jaha35

Recipes 

As far as I can see around the HB world, secondary fermentation or aging is done primarily for clearing the beer. this serves a couple purposes.

1. the beer is clearer so it looks nicer. You may not care but maybe you want to impress friends, etc.

2. It reduces the possibility of sediment in your bottles to stir up and get in your pour and possibly change some flavors.

3. It saves on cleanup because your bottles will be cleaner after pouring. Sediment hardens and is a pair to scrub out.

I have seen some argument for flavoring getting stronger in a secondary however I have seen a lot of warnings that too long in a secondary can actually hurt flavor more than help it. So it's all a matter of preference I suppose.

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Primary 1: empty <=== How sad...
Primary 2: empty
Secondary: Otter's Altbier
Bottle Conditioning: Dovey's Broody Bitter Ale
Drinking: Monty's Irish Red Ale (MY FIRST HOME BREW!!!), Jaha's Root Beer
On Deck: Fuller's London Pride Clone, Newcastle Clone

Happy Holidays to all at HBT!!! Thanks for all the help. I have learned more from the great people on this forum than in any book or instruction manual!

"Life's too short to drink Domestic."

blancothebronco

Recipes 

Yeast are a social animal, they prefer to be among friends. 5 gallons of bulk aging lets them party harder than in a 12oz bottle. (this could be bull****, I'm pretty drunk and quite the newb)

Righlander

Recipes 

Well, there's pretty much going to be some sediment in your beer no matter what. So leaving it in the primary/secondary longer will get rid of more of it than if you bottle after like 10 days. That sediment is easily disturbed. And can create lame flavors. Why not have as little of it as possible in your beer? Clean beer is nice and clear. Why have a bunch of it sitting in the bottom of your bottles when you can get it almost totally out of the picture before it even touches the bottles. The less the better in my opinion. Bottles aren't secondaries!!!

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Primary:
Primary:


Kegged: Altbier
Bottled: Pumpkin Ale
Bottled: Ed Wort's Apfelwein
Bottled: Amarillo IPA

devaspawn

Recipes 

...And with this yeast extra yeast in your bottles that didn't drop because you didn't use secondary and didn't give the beer long enough before you bottled you risk the "yeast farts" factor. Literally these are the worst farts that I CONSISTENTLY had when I first started brewing. Anyone can deal with the occasional HORRIBLE fart can deal with it. Those around you can deal with it. When it happens ALL the time it's not funny anymore. You gross yourself out. Bad times...

__________________
Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war;
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.

Prim 1: Ogre's Inverted Extra Red Ale
Prim 2: Ogre's Hair of the Dog Imperial Amber Ale
Prim 3: Ogre's Relaxed APA
Sec 1: Honey Blonde Ale with Hefe Yeast
Sec 2: Scotch Wee Heavy
Sec 3: Ogre's Simple Mead
Keg 1: Ogre's Brown Ale
Keg 2: Ogre's Extra Red Ale

BrewOnBoard

Recipes 

Awesome! Best explanation ever!

Yes, I know.


Sweeeeeeeet!!!!!!!!!!!
BoB