The White House Honey Ale - Secondary Fermentation??

Hi there,

I am pretty new to this, so please excuse my ignorance.

I am quite keen to try out the recipe that the Whitehouse posted on their website for the Honey Ale that they are brewing.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/09/01/ale-chief-white-house-beer-recipe )

The recipe talks about having to rack it off for secondary fermentation. From the limited reading I have done I believe that secondary fermenting is only really necessary if you are adding anything additional for the secondary fermentation (which the recipe is not), or if it is a strong beer (which it aint).

So the question is, why?, and could it just be left for primary fermentation until the gravity remains constant, and then bottled.

Thanks!,

Damon
New Zealand

I don't see any need in this beer for a secondary. They obviously did one but they also are far from experienced homebrewers as I see it.

It is a little more traditional of a method in that back in the day, secondary's were assumed but I wouldn't do it here.