Stretching My Primary

Mookie · Nov 21, 2010

I have seen a lot of talk about doing a Primary only fermentation for ales and keeping them on the primary for 3 to 4 weeks.

Is this acceptable if using a fermentation pale or should I ferment in a glass carboy? I once read something about air leaching through plastic carboys and assume the same could happen with a plastic bucket.

Thanks,,,,,,John

frazier · Nov 21, 2010

Six months, I'd use glass. Four weeks, plastic (food grade of course) is fine.

Smokeater233 · Nov 21, 2010

Either is fine...no issues with air leaching (or any other leaching if you are using a food grade pale like the ones in the equipment kits).

Mookie · Nov 21, 2010

Using Ale Pale from Local Brew Shop.

If this works, I might be putting the carboy in the garden shed. Wish me luck.

BennyN · Nov 21, 2010

I use an Ale Pale and never rack to a secondary. I'm always happy and cleanup is super easy. To me, taking the extra step to rack to a secondary is an extra chance of infection, or an opportunity to introduce more oxygen. But I've never left a beer in for more than three or four weeks.

LaurieGator · Nov 21, 2010

Buckets are also good if you are going to secondary onto fruit.

Revvy · Nov 21, 2010

I did 5.5 months in a bucket, and the beer is fine.

cyclonetx · Nov 21, 2010

I haven't used my carboy in several years. I strictly ferment in my plastic bucket and have not noticed a difference in the quality of my beer. I got tired of trying to safely haul my full carboy around. Also, cleaning the bucket is much easier than dealing with a carboy brush.

Brewer_Bob · Nov 22, 2010

Is there any empirical evidence that food grade buckets are oxygen permeable? Even if they are, I highly doubt more oxygen finds its way through the bucket and into the beer then during racking to a secondary.

Stretching My Primary

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Stretching My Primary

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