JBZSTL

Recipes 

Is it necessary to transfer a stout for secondary fermentation or am I wasting my time? I have been told that with a stout it really isn't necessary and from everything I have read there is no true consensus.

JohnnyO

Recipes 

I don't believe it's necessary. The only reason I've read that you need to transfer to secondary would be to aid in clearing the beer (no point with a stout) or to dry hop (if you're dry hopping a stout, you are a true visionary my friend).

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Fermenting: Nothing
Drinking: APA, My Own Personal Helles
On Deck: American Wheat

Clonefarmer

Recipes 

If given enough time for the yeast to drop out there is no need. If you wanted to cold crash, add fruit, chocolate or coffee it can be useful.

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JayInJersey

Recipes 

<- Firm believer in one beer one vessel for fermentation .



But this is one of those 6 in one hand half dozen in the other arguments

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Hazard Brewing

JJL

Recipes 

It doesn't really matter much either way for a stout. Actually, this is the case with most ales. The benefits you gain from a secondary are mostly cosmetic. I wouldn't bother with the secondary unless you are planning to add some additional ingredients after primary fermentation or you are planning to wait a while before you are going to bottle it. I typically use a secondary, but only because I never know when I am going to get around to bottling.

Zamial

Recipes 

I would definitely secondary a stout. I am NOT doubting your skills but rather mine...I know I always get some trub when I siphon but in a beer I could probably not see through well it would probably pretty easy to do. I do not like to chew my beer...

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“I'm not drunk, I'm from Wisconsin.”
We have been out drinking your state since 1848!

TheGeek

Recipes 

Racking to secondary is usually more of a pipeline necessity for me, I need the bucket for bottling or something else so I rack to free it up. heh.

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Nerd:Beer is science!
Hippy:Beer is art!
Me:Beer is GOOD!

WickedLB

Recipes 

+1 on no secondary. After 3 weeks in the primary, you should have little issue racking to a bottling bucket (or keg) and leaving the trub behind.

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Coming Soon: Saison, Amarillo SMaSH, Oktoberfest
Primary1: APA
Primary2: Belgian Wit
Keg 1: Empty =(
Keg 2: Blonde Ale

BigB

Recipes 

I agree there is no need for a secondary. I personally would leave a stout in the primary for 4 weeks, then bottle. If you use an autosiphon to transfer to the bottling bucket, you should have little to no trub transferred. If you let the bottling bucket sit for 30 minutes after mixing in the priming sugar, then you should get no trub in the bottle. Now if you are kegging, all the more reason to skip the secondary.

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echotraveler

Recipes 

very interesting... if i knew this before! i would have use the glass carboy as fermenter instead of using the plastic bucket.