El Pistolero
Well-Known Member
Q: I'm not really too concerned about the the clarity of my brews. Do I really have to use a secondary fermenter?
A: No, it's not absolutely essential to use a secondary...many home brewers make perfectly good beer without one. However, will your beer be better if you do use a secondary? ABSOLUTELY! Secondary fermentation is about clarity, but also about removing off flavors from your beer. To quote one of the masters:
A: No, it's not absolutely essential to use a secondary...many home brewers make perfectly good beer without one. However, will your beer be better if you do use a secondary? ABSOLUTELY! Secondary fermentation is about clarity, but also about removing off flavors from your beer. To quote one of the masters:
The above comes from a Ray Daniels article on secondary fermentation.During secondary fermentation, the yeast reduces or removes certain undesirable flavor components (diacetyl, acetylaldehyde, and some sulphur compounds), thereby maturing the beer into a more drinkable condition. During this latter phase of fermentation, the majority of the yeast in the beer also settles to the bottom of the fermenter, leaving the beer clear and bright. Thus, at the end of secondary fermentation, beer is generally ready to be carbonated and consumed.