Brew Two in Primary

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captianoats

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So I just got my second brew in primay about an hour ago. It's an Oktoberfest extract kit. My first attempt (a wheat beer) was bottled about 2 weeks ago. I plan on popping the first bottle on election nite next tuesday. :mug:

Now, onto my question... Does anyone secondary in a bucket? Right now I have a fermenter and a bottling bucket, but no carboys. I am fermenting in my bottling bucket, and I plan on moving it to my fermenter as a secondary once my gravity levels out. That way I can move BACK to the bottling bucket at bottling time. I'm assuming this is fine, since I'll only be in secondary for a couple of weeks, but just wanted to make sure.
 
What you are doing is probably the best way you can at the moment. I would say as soon as you get the scratch together invest that 20-23$ in a bettr bottle carboy. You won;t want to go back. A lot less exposure or head space. Buy a 6.5g and 2 5gs and you will be set. This way you do a primary, wait a week or so, rack it,brew again. Then plan you next brew around when the second if going to free up. Work itright and you will be able to start a batch each week and by definition you will have one coming ready to drink each week once the pipeline is full.

I am getting there I had 2 primaries and two secondaries working tonight. I bottled both of the secondaries tonight. I am free to brew again now. I am doing a Centennial Blonde (from Biermuncher) tomorrow. I am also doing a Belgian style dubble tommorrow or Thursday I also washed the yeast from both batched and came out with a couple nice pints of each.

I now use my buckets for slop, for bottle washing and then bottling.
 
Do you mean I can put a 5 gallon batch into a 5 gallon carboy? I thought I would need a 6.5 gallon for airspace. I'll go grab a 5 gallon today if that's the case.

My supplier is out of big ones, and since he is retired and sells out of his basement, he's not too sure when he'll make another order for new ones. I just don't see any sense in buying off the 'net and paying for shipping if I don't have too.
 
I rarely secondary, keeping my beers in an extended primary for around 3-4 weeks, then rack off to package either in the keg or in the bottle. You want the headspace in a primary due to the activity of fermentation. A 5 gallon batch in a 5 gallon primary will result in much lost beer- never a good thing. Use your 6.5 for primary.

If you want to rack to a secondary (more appropriately called a 'bright tank') for dry-hopping or any additional flavoring, then you want to minimize the headspace to prevent any potential oxidation- hence the 5 gallon. Fermentation is finished at this stage, and you are just bulk-aging.
 
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