First time using secondary

All,

I'm doing a beer this weekend, and after talking to the LHS, I bought a Better Bottle as a secondary. I also bought another packet of yeast, so I'll be using 2 packets of yeast.

Do I use one packet in the primary and one in the secondary, or do I use both in the primary and then none in the secondary?

Thanks!

first off, what yeast? why did you decide on two packets? is it a high gravity beer? if you do use both, put both in the primary fermenter. also, consider not using a secondary unless you have a good reason for doing so.

Posting your recipe would help in determining how much yeast you need to pitch but your going to want to put all your yeast in to the primary. The secondary is used to clear the beer of the yeast while aging, not to add more.

Recent wisdom says to skip the secondary all together and opt for a month long primary. I would go this route and use your better bottle as another primary because the addiction will take hold and you'll want more primaries any how.

Well, the LHS said that it wouldn't "hurt" to use 2 to make sure that I had enough. I'm using Safale US-05 for a 5 gallon pumpkin extract. The secondary is being used because I was also told that I should put the canned pumpkin into the secondary and then rack on top of it. I'm not sure how that would impart much flavor though.

It wouldn't hurt their wallets for you to use two is what he really meant

Make a starter and save the second pouch for another batch.

I wouldn't suggest adding pumpkin to the secondary. Use it in the boil or mash. It will be a big head ach filtering it out of that secondary.

You only need 1 packet of yeast. No need to make a starter with dry yeast, in fact they recommend that you don't when using dry yeast. Obviously add it to the primary. Don't get panicked if it's not going after 24 hours.

The reason to put the pumpkin in the secondary is for there to be less activity when it ferments the pumpkin sugars, so you don't lose all the aroma from the pumpkin. The beer will still have plenty of yeast in suspension to ferment this additional sugar.

+1 longer primary, fermentation may not start for a few days.

enjoy

B