1 week in

the porter i brewed has been in the fermenter for a week.i dont think im going to go to a secondary.should i still take a hydro reading or aleast take the lid off to see /smell any off flavours.

I'd just check it when you're ready to bottle. Especially for a porter, a secondary fermenter isn't all that critical. Give it another week in primary, but take a hyrdometer reading before racking to the bottling bucket, just to make sure it's done fermenting. I wouldn't worry about taking one before then (although in an ideal world, you'd check it a couple times to make sure it wasn't still fermenting; practically speaking, I've never checked more often that right when it goes into the fermenter and right before it goes into the bottles/kegs.

Give it another week then see where it is. Porters are pretty forgiving so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

If your skipping 'secondary' (which is totally acceptable for some styles, etc) so you can get to drinkable beer quicker - beware that nothing can speed along 'green' (i.e. not properly conditioned) beer. You can bottle now if your fermentation is done and have carbonation within a week or two, but that doesn't mean its not going to get much better with age.

Currently my practice is a 3 week or so primary and straight to kegs... Not eveyone uses a secondary, but the masses practice approximately 3-4 weeks prior to bottling/kegging so that the beer is appropriately aged after carbing for two weeks (so your looking at 5-6 weeks total on average). Even then a lot of beers get better with time...

I would suggest leaving it in the primary and not touching it for at least another week, I'd suggest two, check the gravity when ready, and then bottle or keg it.

EDIT: Note that I am speaking in generalities here. Some people have a 3.5%-4% "house beer" they can brew for 2 weeks and force carb in a keg in a week and have good drinkable beer in 3 weeks. However, for most beers (beers > 4% ABV, etc) most people practice some patience and have waited 6 weeks or so before drinking the fruits of their labor. Generally the bigger the beer, the longer the aging... So if you brew somethign at 7%, plan to wait 8-12 weeks, etc. You can drink as soon as a beer is carbed, but when you get to the last one 2-3 months later, you are going to regret it, b/c its usually a lot better 'matured' and/or 'mellowed' out.

What was your OG? If it's a bigger beer I recommend atleast 2-3 weeks if you are not going to secondary.

i ll check back on the og. i dont remember off hand.

i was thinking of leaving it in primary for 3 weeks .then bottling for 3 or more weeks

i will use a secondary when i start to brew more,a kit or type of beer calls for it.right now im just worried about contamination.

bull shark of beer said:

i ll check back on the og. i dont remember off hand.

i was thinking of leaving it in primary for 3 weeks .then bottling for 3 or more weeks

i will use a secondary when i start to brew more,a kit or type of beer calls for it.right now im just worried about contamination.

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3 weeks in primary = good plan...definitely check the gravity before bottling/kegging.

3 weeks in bottles is minimum...they will taste WAY better after 6 weeks.

secondaries are rarely necessary, if ever, no matter what your recipe may say.

as long as you are transferring with a racking tube and siphon starter and everything is sanitized, you shouldn't have to worry about contamination

Cheers!

On multiple readings:
I don't think it's worth it to check gravity until you think you're ready to bottle (min 2wks). Check right before you intend to bottle; if you're within a few points of your gravity, go right ahead. If you're more than a few points high, I'd take another reading in a day or two to make sure it's not still dropping.