jdd120

Recipes 

So I have a Christmas brew in the primary. Brewed on the 8th. The earliest I will be able to touch it will be the 23rd (thanks work!).

Is it worth going to secondary at that point or with that much time will it have had a good chance to clear?

Orfy

Recipes 

This must be Topic of the week.

I've just read 4 other threads on when to go to secondary.

The answer is.....no one can say.
It depends on the beer, your method and circumstances along with what the hydrometer tells you.

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ohiobrewtus

Recipes 

If you wait to rack it until the 23rd, then it will still have plenty of time to age in bottles. If you plan on waiting until Christmas anyway, then I'd go ahead and let it clear in secondary for a couple weeks.

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jdd120

Recipes 

Yeah but the difference is that I know the 1-2-3 method, but because of life getting in the way I had to break that.

Just curious what happens when you break that rule.

DeathBrewer

Recipes 

that's a rule that needs to be broken. use your hydrometer, transfer to secondary when your beer is finished. leave it in as long as you'd like for clearing.

when bottling, they're going to need at least 3 weeks, bigger beers need longer, and most normal beers are best at about 6 weeks.

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Orfy

Recipes 

It's not a rule.

It's a rule of thumb for those who aren't sure of what to do.
There are very few set in stone rules for making beer.
Even the set in stone rules can be broken if you know what you are doing or you are feeling lucky.

Brewing is flexible and you should fit it around what you are doing. IMHO
There is no need to do a secondary if you don't want to. Or extend the Primary by a week or two if you want.
No harm will come. Even go to a third vessel if you think it needs it.

__________________
GET THE GOBLIN
Have a beer on me.