To secondary or not to secondary?

My current routine is to leave in primary for around two weeks, then two weeks in secondary. Is moving to secondary even necessary or better?

I do secondaries because I was told of them, but I really do not know the benefits other than clearing the beer from moving to one fermenting carboy to another...whats the science/advantage of secondary? Do you guys usually leave the beer in primary for 4+ weeks?

I usually secondary, but only because I can be sloppy when I siphon and the secondary gives me a chance to let what yeast cake I suck up settle out again. But that's after a 3 week primary.

Lots of us do leave it for 4 weeks in primary. Sometimes I rack to secondary and sometimes not but the 4 week in primary allows the yeast of clean up flavors and clear beer. Using a secondary or not is totally a personal decision and both ways work fine.

I ask this question because I see that a lot of you leave in primary for four weeks or so but I read in John Palmer's How to Brew that:

"Leaving the post-primary beer on the trub and yeast cake for too long (more than about three weeks) will tend to result in soapy flavors becoming evident. Further, after very long times the yeast begin to die and break down - autolysis, which produces yeasty or rubbery/fatty/meaty flavors and aromas"

But then he says, "three weeks in the primary fermentor is usually not enough time for off-flavors to occur."

I'm confused.

Autolysis usually takes a lot longer than 4 weeks to start. Having a healthy yeast starter, plenty of DO in the wort, and sufficient FAN, and you should be okay for 4 weeks.

How to Brew - By John Palmer - Autolysis

As a final note on this subject, I should mention that by brewing with healthy yeast in a well-prepared wort, many experienced brewers, myself included, have been able to leave a beer in the primary fermenter for several months without any evidence of autolysis. Autolysis is not inevitable, but it is lurking.

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I always secondary all my bears. Good article on fermentation tests in the last BYO magazine. Blind taste test showed that the seconday beer was cleaner and more crisp. I don't think by a huge margin though. Just what I do.

Lots of brewers making fantastic beers do not use a secondary.
Lots of brewers making fantastic beers do use a secondary.

If you do not have the experience to decide if a beer needs a secondary then I would suggest using one.

I do not use a secondary for most of my beers.

Dog House Brew said:

I always secondary all my bears. Good article on fermentation tests in the last BYO magazine. Blind taste test showed that the seconday beer was cleaner and more crisp. I don't think by a huge margin though. Just what I do.

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I leave my bears in the woods.

Orfy said:

I leave my bears in the woods.

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As you should. You know what they do in there don't you?

Nurmey said:

As you should. You know what they do in there don't you?

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...they wipe their butts with wabbits because shiit doesn't stick to their fur...

I secondary EVERY batch because I don't want all that excess yeast in my bottles or kegs. It's as simple as that.