American Brown Ale 2ndary fermentation time

This is my first time posting on here!

I brewed a batch of American Brown Ale about 10 days ago. I've had it in my secondary fermenter now since saturday 12/18. I was wondering how long i should leave it in there for before I bottle?
The only caveat is that I am traveling from the 23rd through the 27th. If i do not bottle until the 28th, it would essentially be the the secondary for 10 days. Will this be a problem? Is it better for the beer even?

Also, once I do bottle, how long should I let the bottles sit. I would imagine at least two weeks to carbonate and develop some more flavors.

Thanks!

10 days in secondary will not be detrimental. A recipe calling for as much as three weeks in secondary would not be out of the ordinary. It helps the beer clarify.

At least two weeks in the bottle. You can start drinking at that point, though the beer will generally improve with more time.

Note that many homebrewers see using a secondary as optional. You can just leave the beer to condition in the primary for 2-3 weeks, then bottle. Secondaries are good for huge beers that need months of conditioning before bottling, or for things like dry-hop or fruit additions.

thats interesting about keeping it in the primary for 2-3 weeks. I thought I had read somehwere that the yeast that collect in the bottom (the trub??) could damage the beer if left there too long.

Most of the reading that I have done say leave in the primary for 2 to 4 weeks. I think the off flavors would come from leaving it on the trub for more then 4 weeks.

Scott

The common advice to rack to secondary usually is motivated by a fear of yeast autolysis - that is, people are afraid that the yeast at the bottom will start dying, releasing off-flavors as they do so.

Frankly, you don't need to worry about this.

In former days, when the homebrew industry was but nascent, the yeast you could get was of poor quality. Autolysis may have been a problem then. Now, our yeast is much better and you sometimes hear of people leaving their beer on the yeast for up to a year without ill effects.
That said, if you're planning on aging more than two or three months before bottling, I would probably use a secondary. But for any ordinary beer, it's generally not necessary.

this is all great advice. thank you all!

just a note... i decided to bottle sooner than later and will be doing tonight. This will be in hopes that by New years, ill be able to try some of the beers to see how they are. and for very wishful thinking of being able to serve it to some friends for the party were having!

Welcome to forum! If you are desperate for quick beer 2 weeks is fine. Better tasting is 3-4 weeks. Leave the beer in the primary the whole time, then bottle or keg. Secondaries are completely unnecessary for most beer applications. Brew up another batch quick so it can sit longer. Then do another to fill up your new empty 'secondary' hehe!

So, i am slightly confused now. so here are a few questions. With the secondary not being needed

Secondaries are completely unnecessary for most beer applications.

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why do most posters have the beers brewing in secondaries? is that just because they are all bigger beers which need it?
Secondly, I had been told by one of the workers at a local brew store that a secondary for a week or so, it always helps the beer clear more. Is this false?

Im just trying to learn as much as i can here to help me out in the future ya know? I have what basically could be 4 fermenters then (two have spigot holes in the bottom for bottling) and if no secondary is really needed, then i could theoretically have 4 batch's going at once correct?

Also, i think this may have been answered earlier, but if i decide not to bottle tonight, leaving the my batch in the secondary for another 6 days will not be harmful correct?

When I use carboys I secondary and heres why. Let the beer ferment completely and rack to a secondary then crash. See that 1/4" layer of yeast at the bottom after 4 or 5 days? Well that now stays in the carboy and doesnt go into my kegs which is fine by me. Is it that big of a deal? No not really, just personal preference.
I purge my carboys with CO2 before racking so oxdation is much less of a problem. I know JZ and others now say no need to secondary......whatever, but I use my secondary as more of a BBT now than anything else.
YMMV

bball3414 said:

So, i am slightly confused now. so here are a few questions. With the secondary not being needed why do most posters have the beers brewing in secondaries? is that just because they are all bigger beers which need it?

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Old habits die hard? Misconceptions? Truth? It's kinda one of those things. A lot of people insist it is better, a lot insist it is pointless. The ONLY way to be sure is to try both yourself and see which you prefer. I'm of the 3-4 weeks in primary, then bottle camp.

bball3414 said:

Secondly, I had been told by one of the workers at a local brew store that a secondary for a week or so, it always helps the beer clear more. Is this false?

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If the crap is going to settle out, it is going to settle out in the primary just as it would settle out in the secondary. I'd say that moving to a secondary would actually stir up some of the sediment in the primary and put it back in suspension causing you to be more cloudy.

bball3414 said:

Im just trying to learn as much as i can here to help me out in the future ya know? I have what basically could be 4 fermenters then (two have spigot holes in the bottom for bottling) and if no secondary is really needed, then i could theoretically have 4 batch's going at once correct?

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Yes. Be careful with fermenting in the bottling buckets. You need to be extra sure the spigot is sanitized.

bball3414 said:

Also, i think this may have been answered earlier, but if i decide not to bottle tonight, leaving the my batch in the secondary for another 6 days will not be harmful correct?

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Correct. Extended times in the fermentation vessel (primary or secondary) are not a big deal. If you use plastic it is not a good idea to leave it for VERY long time (read as months). If you are in glass in a stable temp environment, months are okay. You don't want heat cycles that will cause the airlock to 'breathe' back and forth.

Desert_Sky said:

When I use carboys I secondary and heres why. Let the beer ferment completely and rack to a secondary then crash. See that 1/4" layer of yeast at the bottom after 4 or 5 days? Well that now stays in the carboy and doesnt go into my kegs which is fine by me. Is it that big of a deal? No not really, just personal preference.
I purge my carboys with CO2 before racking so oxdation is much less of a problem. I know JZ and others now say no need to secondary......whatever, but I use my secondary as more of a BBT now than anything else.
YMMV

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Not trying to be an @ss by any means - but a serious question (I don't cold crash): Would crashing in the primary not cause the same flocculation?

Huff360 said:

Not trying to be an @ss by any means - but a serious question (I don't cold crash): Would crashing in the primary not cause the same flocculation?

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Good point, and it should. And if I were using a conical it wouldnt be much of an issue being that I could keep trub and yeast of the kegs easier.

However with a racking cane and carboys it always seems that Im left with much more yeast in the bottom of a spent keg than if I cleared beer in a bright tank. After a few hundred experiments and kegs with and without using a bright tank if you will, Im stuck with the notion that Im leaving more behind if I clear that from directly from the primary.

I think its because when I rack I move the carboys into the kitchen and in the process stir up alot of whats on the bottom. Who knows......but in theory you're correct.

Understood. I was just curious if there was some magic happening after the racking that wouldn't happen otherwise.