Using a bucket for a Secondary?

ConorE728 · 07-02-2009, 08:38 PM

I was reading through How to Brew and they suggested against using a bucket as a secondary fermenter? Has anyone here used a bucket and had any problems? I have a spare bucket with a spigot that I am not using right now and the receipe calls to rack to a secondary to clear and dry hop?

KayaBrew · 07-02-2009, 08:43 PM

Lots of folks here just leave their beers in primary (skipping the secondary altogether) for 3-4 weeks. I've been doing this forever to no ill effects.

Schnitzengiggle · 07-02-2009, 08:49 PM

Nothing wrong ith using a bucket as a secondary. I personally have yet to do so, but I have definitely used as a tertiary. Secondary fermenter is a misnomer, they are usually used as "bright tanks" or clearing vessels. Oviously when racking onto fruit or other substances that contain sugars then the term secondary fermenter becomes true.

I personally use an extended primary. I leave my brews in the primary for about a month, and then rack directly to the bottling bucket. Careful siphoning to bottling bucket will ensure a clear finihed product.

As a matter of fact I just dry hopped a APA today. It has been in the primary for about 18 days. I poured my pellet hops (1 oz of Amarillo, and 1 oz of Cascade) directly into the wort, no bag, no weight, just righ in there. I will allow it to sit for about 10 days.

Secondary seems to be alot more work for very little pay-out. Yes it can aide in clearing your beer, and is the obvious choice for fruit beers etc..., but you can definitely dry hop in the primary.

Good luck.

Arkador · 07-02-2009, 08:53 PM

If i transfr to a secondary, I prefer a clear carboy, because I can see how the clarity is, and tell when the yeast is settled out before kegging.

There is nothign wrong with using a bucket. Like many here, I have started to go streight to keg from primary unless I want that extra clarity, or have a fruit addition.

RCCOLA · 07-02-2009, 09:21 PM

While I normally don't love the whole linking thing,I'm feeling lazy on this one.Here's how I do it.
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/secondary-buckets-123504/

WorryWort · 07-02-2009, 10:17 PM

I do not secondary, except for dry-hopping which is quite common from my understanding.

However, plastic buckets aren't ideal, but it doesn't mean you can't use them. A plastic bucket has two major differences from a carboy: the lid/opening and the material.

The opening will actually make it easier to dry hop, but it also aids in the introduction of oxygen both because of the size of the opening when it isn't covered and possible lack of a proper seal when it is.

The material is harder to sanizitize because it scratches. It doesn't mean your beer is infected, not by a long shot, but if you brew a lot a carboy is a better investment in my opinion. I still use plastic for primaries once in a while.

Also, plastic is oxygen permeable to some extent. While you certainly couldn't breathe through it, it will allow oxygen into the beer over longer periods of time. So again, that means it isn't ideal.

There may be other reasons. But I think those are the main ones.

If you limit it to 2-3 weeks and don't open the top during that time you should be fine.

RedOctober · 07-02-2009, 10:25 PM

Unless you're adding oak chips, hops, fruit, flavoring....do yourself a favor and leave the beer alone.

jescholler · 07-02-2009, 11:03 PM

Actually if you're dry hopping, it's best to use a secondary fermentation vessel. You want to rack the beer off the flocculated yeast because that yeast would absorb some of the dry hop aroma.

If you wanted to get the most out of your dry hopping, add the hops after you've removed the beer from the trub. You could probably just add more hops and get the same effect if you dry hopped in the primary.

Reference: Brew Strong podcast - Dry Hopping

D-Ring · 07-03-2009, 01:46 AM

Done it with no problems.

Schnitzengiggle · 07-03-2009, 06:26 PM

To the OP, as you can see there are many schools of thought on secondary vessels, and dry-hopping, as well as glass vs plastic.

There are many veteran brewers who only use buckets while others like only glass carboys, and still others are advocates for Better Bottles. It is similar to the Hatfield's and the McCoy's, the feud can go on forever.

Many here have had great success with dry-hopping in the primary, while others say it is a necessity to dry-hop in the secondary. Everybody has their own opinion how things should be done, and of course, some even think the way they do it is the only way it should be done.

One last thought that I wanted to share is that humankind has been brewing for thousands of years. In that time, many different fermentation vessels (size, shape, and materials) and techniques have been used. Although some practices have been proven to be better than others, It is my belief that on the homebrewers level that the difference between a plastic and a glass fermenter is negligeable. There are obvious differences between glass and plastic when it comes to such tasks as cleaning and secondary fermentation, as well as weight and size etc...

As long as your practices are consistent and sanitary, you can make excellent beer with either glass and plastic, whether it is a food grade plastic bucket, glass carboy, or PET Better Bottle, primary or secondary dry-hopping.

RDWHAHB, and enjoy!