Checking my Primary/secondary questions

[HomeBrewerB]

Firstly about primary, at 24 hrs I saw active signs of fermentation through airlock. At 48 hrs there is no sign of bubbles at all. I know a lot of you say an airlock isnt a fermentation indicator and I totally accept that!
My question is if i should OR if its ok for me to open the seal this early? Take a hydrometer test? I'm going to be leaving for a week and want to make sure that I don't have to repitch or do something drastic before I take off. I followed all ingredient instructions to the T, pitched at appropriate temp, and am storing in about 62*

Second, I am wondering about secondary fermentation. When I return from my trip the brew will have gone through two weeks in primary. My question is the benefit of buying a 5 gal carboy and transferring over to secondary for another week or two or simply leaving in my primary 6.5 gal bucket for an extra week? I know it helps clarify and bring out some flavors but just a little more clarification on the matter would be greatly appreciated! Also, do I have to do the secondary in a 5 gal carboy or can I do it in 6.5 bucket? I've heard to much headroom, oxygen, and big open top like a bucket can cause problems unlike the small opening in the carboy but why?
Thank you guys in advance for all your help! This is a killer website with super cool people
Cheers!

 

[unionrdr]

The airlock slowing or stopping at 48 hours just means initial fermentation is done. It'll then slowly,uneventfully creep down to FG. you can def leave it for a couple weeks to let it finish & settle out clear or slightly misty.

 

[HomeBrewerB]

Yea that's what I knda figured about fermentation.
Any input on secondary fermentor size or pros vs cons
Thanks!

 

[kh54s10]

I agree that is sounds like your initial (the vigorous portion) of your fermentation has finished. I do not secondary anymore and IMO the only thing it might do is make the beer a tiny bit more clear. I don't think the difference in taste would be noticeable to most people. If you do use a secondary I would go with a 5 gallon vessel. You will lose the protective layer of co2 that is present in the primary. There may be enough off gassing of co2 in secondary to re-establish the layer, but why take the risk. IMO - leave it in primary for 3-4 weeks then bottle.

 

[unionrdr]

+1 on leaving it in primary. That's what I do & it comes out fine.

 

[HomeBrewerB]

This recipe as well as many others I've seen call for a secondary for another 1-2 weeks. Would leaving in primary for another week or two kind of do the same process? Right now I only have 2 6.5 buckets so in the future it could be beneficial to get a secondary carboy so that I could be fermenting 3 beers at one time? Thanks.

 

[unionrdr]

It'll come out just as good leaving it in primary imo. But a secondary to open up a fermenter has it's merits...

 

[kh54s10]

Many recipes call for secondary. It use to be thought it was necessary, to get the beer off the dead yeast. It now thought by many/most to be an unnecessary and possibly detrimental step. (risk on infection or oxidation). I have a 5 gallon vessel that is rarely used now. I would get more primary vessels and maybe one 5 gallon in case you are adding ingredients to a secondary or long aging. I have three 6 gallon Better Bottles, a bucket and several smaller vessels for smaller experimental batches and one 5 gallon Better Bottle for the rare times that I do a secondary.

 

[HomeBrewerB]

Alright cool cool
Thanks man youve changed my perception for the better. If I end up getting a secondary it'll probley just be for higher processing or if I want to do a long secondary
Thanks again!

 

[jethro55]

This recipe as well as many others I've seen call for a secondary for another 1-2 weeks. Would leaving in primary for another week or two kind of do the same process? Right now I only have 2 6.5 buckets so in the future it could be beneficial to get a secondary carboy so that I could be fermenting 3 beers at one time? Thanks.

Another two weeks in primary might clear in the same way as a secondary. Not always. Yes, a secondary will reduce the need to wait for sufficient clearing in primary. Secondary is a way to eliminate the obfuscation of unwanted trub in the bottling bucket. Even if for only for a day or two.

 

[kh54s10]

Another two weeks in primary might clear in the same way as a secondary. Not always. Yes, a secondary will reduce the need to wait for sufficient clearing in primary. Secondary is a way to eliminate the obfuscation of unwanted trub in the bottling bucket. Even if for only for a day or two.

Using a secondary will reduce the wait for sufficient clearing in primary, but the total time will be the same. If you wait for the trub to compact in primary and siphon carefully to the bottling bucket there is, IMO, little benefit to a secondary.

 

[JLem]

To answer your other question - it is perfectly fine and safe to open the fermenter and take a sample if you like. Just be sanitary and smart about it.

 

[jethro55]

Using a secondary will reduce the wait for sufficient clearing in primary, but the total time will be the same. If you wait for the trub to compact in primary and siphon carefully to the bottling bucket there is, IMO, little benefit to a secondary.

Disagree. The beer is done fermenting in many cases. If we wait to clear for 3- 4 weeks in cases where healthy yeast/pitching rates are sufficient and proper fermenting temperature is maintained, then we wait only to avoid trub in the bottle. In these cases, the time from grain to glass is reduced by waiting for a primary bucket to clear. An expert level brew does not need to wait 3-4 weeks before bottling. A beginner brew is what you are talking about. Pitch rates are low, temperatures are not optimum.

 

[kh54s10]

Disagree. The beer is done fermenting in many cases. If we wait to clear for 3- 4 weeks in cases where healthy yeast/pitching rates are sufficient and proper fermenting temperature is maintained, then we wait only to avoid trub in the bottle. In these cases, the time from grain to glass is reduced by waiting for a primary bucket to clear. An expert level brew does not need to wait 3-4 weeks before bottling. A beginner brew is what you are talking about. Pitch rates are low, temperatures are not optimum.

I will agree to disagree. Even when you use a secondary you need to allow the primary fermentation to finish and then allow time in secondary. IMO the timing for either would be the same. Rushing the process will not make better beer. It will just make it faster.

 

[jethro55]

I will agree to disagree. Even when you use a secondary you need to allow the primary fermentation to finish and then allow time in secondary. IMO the timing for either would be the same. Rushing the process will not make better beer. It will just make it faster.

Making a faster beer should not be the goal for the beginner, I could not agree more. There is more than enough to learn before that. But no, the timing is not even close to the same when proper pitching rates and temperatures are used.