Do I need to transfer?

[unclebrew]

I made a porter two weeks ago. I am going to add vanilla. I have been told to transfer after two weeks, and then let it sit for another week. After that week, add the vanilla and then bottle one week later.

My question: Why do I have to transfer? Can I just let the beer sit in the primary for three weeks, add vanilla, and then bottle a week later?


Thanks

 

[wilserbrewer]

Yes, no need to transfer IMHO.

 

[Mojzis]

How will you add vanilla? Extract or beans, or beans soaked in vodka?

Next, you shouldn't transfer without know if fermentation is over or finishing or slowly chugging along. Have you used your hydrometer to check?

And yes you can let in sit in primary, many times secondaries are not needed. This is what I would do.

 

[unclebrew]

I will let the beans soak in vodka for a week before I add them

 

[unionrdr]

Def make sure it's at FG before adding anything or racking if you choose to. I'm going to be brewing my PM robust porter in the next couple days. I'll scrape & cut the vanilla beans back into their 3oz jar with vodka in the fridge during primary. I figured that'd liquify the pasty parts & soak out the flavor by the time I toss'em in. Gotta fix the air suckin auto siphone to use the secondary again though. I'm on the fence about this same thing myself.
I have a 6G BB,but dry hop in primary after FG is reached & it's clear or slightly misty. Not sure?...

 

[duboman]

You can certainly add the vanilla beans in the primary but it would be best to wait until the beer drops bright so the flocculating yeast does not drag the oils down with it.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah,I was kinda thinkin that the vanilla resins mixed with vodka might react nearly the same as hop lupulins?...

 

[sweetcell]

no need to transfer the beer to a secondary. save yourself a lot of work and do everything in the primary fermenting the beer is in now.