Noob Questions - secondary fermenter

I have just gotten a basic kit with the primary bucket and a bottling bucket. I do not have a carboy. So what do I do about secondary fermentation, here are my options:

1. Just keep it in the primary bucket until its done.
2. Use the bottling bucket as as a secondary, is it possible?
3. I have some 5 gal plastic carboys which I understand are not that great for brewing.

what is the best choice.

Also, on taking hydrometer readings. What do you use to hold the wort during the reading. Can you sanitize and use th tube the hydrometer came in? How do you draw the beer for the reading? Just dip the tube in? Turkey baster?

thanks for any help.

Secondaries aren't a requirement. Lots of people never use them and have great success. Go with #1.

Regarding the hydrometer, you are also going to need a hydrometer jar (couple bucks). The case for the hydrometer isn't large enough to allow the hydrometer to float properly.

For taking samples, yes you can use a carefully sanitized turkey baster. You can also use the outer part of an autosiphon if you have one. The best way is to get a wine thief to sample the beer -- some also have a little valve at the bottom to stop the beer from getting out so that you can use it as a hydrometer jar!

imho, secondarys make for clearer beer. If you plan to brew a lot of light ales or lagers, they're well worth the $20. Good luck bud.

I didn't use a brite tank (secondary) on my first 4-5 brews. They were good, but not like I'm doing now.
Get comfortable with the basic methodology, and if you still like brewing, you will step up to a brite tank.

Seeing how you are working with just a bucket and not a carboy, you don't really need anything extra to take a gravity reading. Just put the hydrometer right into the bucket.

Matt
There is no reason why you couldn't use your bottling bucket as a secondary if you wanted to. If you don't have 2 lids just move the lid to the other bucket.

The main reason for using a secondary is to clarify the beer. This does 2 things makes the beer look better and helps leave some yeast and trub behind. Yeast doesn't taste to good so as long as you don't drink that little bit of sediment in the bottom of your bottles you should be OK either way you go.

best wishes and welcome to the forum and hobby

yeah, i pretty much agree that buckets are fine for both primary and secondary. ive heard is that after a few weeks some beers will be especially prone to oxidation via diffusion through the plastic, and also if you use buckets you also run some risk of contamination from scratches where nastiness can hide. really though, i cant think of a case where ive heard of or experienced spoilage because of these things. i use carboys for both primary and secondary. i think some beers will benefit by clarifying, and will mature in flavor, with use of a carboy secondary much better than a bucket (which i wouldnt take a risk with for more than a week on the off chance it will oxidize or spoil otherwise). aging in the bottle, for me, takes up space and keeps the bottles out of "rotation" as well as exposing the beer to the yeast that regrows in the bottle for carbonation, though im not sure if this really hurts flavor at all.

good luck

I'd have to agree there is a chance of oxidation anytime you transfer and the extra headspace of a bucket especially a 7 gal. bucket would slightly increase those chances therefore if it were me I would transfer as soon as the fermentation started to slow down. That would give the yeast a chance to build up a protective layer of CO2 right on top of the beer.

With regard to scratches in the plastic bucket those can be prevented simply by soaking the buckets in warm or hot water and oxiclean or Automatic dishwashing soap for 24 hours then rinsing. Don't scurb the bucket or if you must use only a very soft rag.

As far as the oxygen permeablitiy of HDPE buckets I don't think I'd age my beer for 2 or 3 months in one, but I don't need to because I use corny kegs for secondaries, but I wouldn't think a couple of weeks in a HDPE bucket would make any difference. And I've never read of anyone saying they have personnally had a problem with them oxidation wise.

I do believe that a carboy would be a better secondary than a bucket as long as the beer is protected from light. That's why I use corny kegs as secondaries they cost about the same as carboy's but you don't have to worry about light or them shattering and cutting you. Plus cornies weigh a lot less than a glass carboy and you can shoot them with a little CO2 and push any Oxygen out.

I've got Charlie's book and I like it. IMHO John Palmer's "How to Brew" is a little more up to date. Palmer also has a web site www.howtobrew.com