metanoia

Recipes 

Haha, Happy Thanksgiving to you too. Somehow I doubt even Thanksgiving Day dinner could keep my mind off of brewing, even with us hosting and having plenty to do all day!

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Gertrude Street Brewing
Primary: SMaSHing Bitters [ESB], Hefeweizen
Bottled: Gingerbread Brown Ale, Two Hearted Ale clone
On Deck:

Thinking about racking to a secondary? Read this first.

dallasdb

Recipes 

I hear ya! I've been on HBT at least 5x today even with a house full of guests.

mattymc

Recipes 

Hey Guys,

I am a pretty new brewer. I did some brewing a few years back but it was a fully prepared malt extract (just add yeast). I just recently got back into it and moved to Extract/Grain.

My question is: it seems like it arguable how long to leave your brew in the primary for but it seems noone is talking about the secondary (carboy). It was my understanding that you left it in the primary until a certain point and then move it to secondary until it is ready to bottle. What is that point (if you want to use a carboy).

Do people not use carboys much? if so, why?

Thanks for the help guys! This forum is great.

Matty

passedpawn

Recipes 

Probably half the brewers here use carboys (glass and plastic).

I'd guess 90% of the brewers here don't do a secondary. The reasoning is that there is very little advantage over just leaving it in the primary. Most brewers here do a 2-week primary. I do 3, just to be sure, and some do a little less. Beer will clear more quickly if you do use a secondary, but the added risk of contamination and the hassle isn't justifiable unless you are in a big hurry to have a clear beer.

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Now there's some take delight in the carriages a rolling
and others take delight in the hurling and the bowling
but I take delight in the juice of the barley
and courting pretty fair maids in the morning bright and early

mattymc

Recipes 

Wow ok. Thanks for the info!

So you can you use JUST a carboy? Doesn't that make it hard to pitch the yeast through the little spout?

bobbrewedit

Recipes 

Nah, use a sanitized funnel, or pour carefully. I've never used a bucket. I must be one of the 10% ers, because I almost always use a secondary. Personal preference.

brycelarson

Recipes 

yup.

I do a secondary if I have to push my schedule. It'll clarify beer sooner than just leaving in the primary - but if I have time I just leave it in my primary carboy.

passedpawn

Recipes 

I just pour the yeast in. No funnel here. Never been an issue.

I'm not sure what you mean by "JUST". If you are thinking about buckets, I've never used a bucket for fermenting. I've never used anything but carboys.

__________________
Now there's some take delight in the carriages a rolling
and others take delight in the hurling and the bowling
but I take delight in the juice of the barley
and courting pretty fair maids in the morning bright and early