3 Week Primary or Transfer to Secondary for Remaining 2 Weeks?

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EinGutesBier

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I'm debating whether to let my Scottish dry ale to sit in the primary for 3 weeks (1 week is almost through) and then bottle or put it in secondary for another 2 weeks after the first is up.

Will there be any negative impact on the remainder of the fermentation process if I transfer to secondary after one week? What I like to do is ferment in a bottling bucket so I can either go straight to bottles after a primary or, in this case (which I've never done before), easily transfer it to a secondary with a bottling tube.

I'm just trying to figure if it's worth it, for the advantage of clarifying the beer, but am concerned if the trade off will be a stunted remainder of the fermentation.

Any advice? Thanks guys/gals.

I should probably mention that it'll be a 1 week of primary tomorrow evening. Also, if I do transfer to secondary, it would be from my plastic bottling bucket to another identical one. I know that glass carboys are better for secondary, but I don't have one right now.
 
The answer is that you only have one fermenting vessel not two.

The secondary is a conditioning vessel.
Let all the fermenting take place in the fermenter then if you want to leave in there to condition or move to the secondary vessel for conditioning.
 
orfy said:
The answer is that you only have one fermenting vessel not two.

The secondary is a conditioning vessel.
Let all the fermenting take place in the fermenter then if you want to leave in there to condition or move to the secondary vessel for conditioning.

I am going to be a prick and agree with you. I don't think secondary fermentation is a valid term. You go from the fermenter to the brite tank (conditioning, like you said) then to bottles or keg.

It's like when I hear idiots say for an election, the second primary. What are you, stupid ? Second primary, how can that happen. I hear dumb asses on the news saying it too. (I'm around New Orleans, so that may explain it).

Ooh, sorry. I ranted. :drunk:
 
Thought there might be a little wiggle room for me to plead that I wasn't 100% stupid for what I had said, I will claim ignorance with a touch of poor phrasing. (I was under the impression the fermentation process continued, whether or transfer it or not or even bottle condition the beer)

That said, thanks for the correction - I'd hate to say something like that again and end up looking foolish. Terminology aside, my question still stands, though I think Orfy gave some sound advice in letting the fermentation run its course. I think when the 3 week fermentation is done, I'll just go for bottle conditioning like I usually do. Thanks again for the input; most appreciated.

Brewer3401: I think I can understand your frustration with what I had said. Your example really struck home with me!
 
The prevailing argument I've seen here (3:1 ratio probably) is for a longer primary as opposed to quick move to secondary... just browse and/or search around and you'll see many topics debating this. A lot of board members have foregone the secondary and claim to make better beer...

I'm trying this method myself as we speak - I have an English-style Special Bitter in primary for 4 weeks to the day. Going into a keg in about a week... we'll see how it turns out. Before I was a steadfast follower of 7-10 day primary, then off to a clearing (secondary) tank...
 
I have in the past let beer sit in the fermenter for 2 weeks, then added gelatin and crashed to 34 F for a week.

I remember it was very clear. Not brilliant, but a lot better than 7 days cold without gelatin.

My next ale, I will ferment 10 days, add gelatin & crash to 34 F and let sit at least 7 days.

By doing this, I can brew 2x per month.
 
I think the most obvious question here is to ask whether of not Primary Fermentation is complete or not. Have you taken Hydro readings to insure that it is over? Have you been fermenting at the lower spectrum of the temperature range for your given Yeast to slow things down? Take 2 Hydro readings at 48 hour intervals. If the readings are the same, then make your mind up. Personally, if it was me, and the hydro readings were the same, I would rack into my secondary and bottle in about a week.
 
I generally take the beer out of the primary fermenter after 1-2 weeks (depending on laziness) - I've read that leaving the beer sitting on top of all that dead yeast at the bottom for too long can cause off flavors in the beer.
 
With enough beer in the que, a few weeks in the secondary certainly isn't a bad thing. Wheats I don't secondary usually, but that's more laziness than anything.

RS
 
I'm gonna to stop doing secondaries for all my brews. If its main purpose for the majority of people is for clearing, there are many other techniques to use to achieve clarity.


I don't really like JZ (for another conversation), but he has said longer sitting on the yeast is good for the beer as the yeast, while finished with fermentation, will continue leeching their characteristics onto the brew. My Brown is going on three weeks and will go into bottles either next weekend or when I feel like it.
 
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