How long in the secondary??

[DeuceK]

I just transferred my Cherry Wheat to the secondary fermentor (5 gallon carboy) and I'm not sure how long I should keep it in there. I took a hydrometer reading while transferring to my secondary and it was about 1.010, which is the FG from the recipe: http://www.brew-winemaking.com/ProductPDF/3474.pdf It was in the primary for one week. The recipe says 2 weeks to ferment should be fine, then bottle condition for 2-4 weeks. Does this 2 weeks of fermentation include the 1 week primary, or is it 2 weeks in the secondary?

Thanks!

 

[cheschire]

Im pretty sure that 2 weeks to ferment means you dont need to put it in a secondary before bottling. If you do put it in a secondary, it should end up taking more than 2 weeks. I'd wait for more answers though... Im not exact on that one

 

[SmugMug]

I don't use a secondary, but if I did, I wouldn't use one for a wheat. A wheat is going to be naturally hazy.

 

[Ceedubya]

Whats a secondary????

Seriously, I have learned here that ther is probably no need to secondary most ales, especially a wheat. I have been letting mine ride for about 14 days in the primary then into the keg, or as in the case last night into the bottles (I bottled a Honey Ale last night).

I have been using this same technique for all my lower gravity ales, and have had great success. I just pulled the first of my Moose Drool clone the other night that I used this same technique and it was AWESOME!

Since you are already at your expected final gravity, I would let it set for maybe another week then go ahead and bottle. It will be fine.

 

[jgln]

I use a secondary because the beers I brew have a lot of sediment and I like using a bucket with a spigot to bottle so it is necessary. I usually do one week in primary then one week in secondary and I usually use a clarifier to speed up the process, then bottle because by then the fermentation is done and the beer is as clear as I need it to be. Since I do a lot of wheats I am not too concerned about clarity I just want to minimize the sediment in the bottles. But that is just how I do it and I think the two weeks in the fermenter is to ensure it is done fermenting and fairly clear. It all really depends on your bottling technique and how clear you want your beer to be IMO.

 

[chode720]

I'd say for a wheat beer, no time in the secondary is needed. I just brewed a Wit and let it ferment out and then bottled. As stated before, you dont really need a secondary on a wheat beer b/c it will be hazy. If you are worried about enough junk settling out, just leave it in the primary an extra week then bottle.

I only use my secondary when i am trying to brew a clear beer so I can cold crash it and get all of the sediment and yeast to fall out

 

[krc333]

I usually leave my beer in the primary for at least 3-4 weeks. Is that too long without moving it to a secondary? (partial mash brewer)

 

[ifishsum]

I usually leave my beer in the primary for at least 3-4 weeks. Is that too long without moving it to a secondary? (partial mash brewer)

Nope, that's what I usually do if I'm skipping the secondary.

 

[KELLEHERC]

On a recent batch I had a lot of foam and a lock blow off while brewing a stout.
The next batch was a Smithwicks clone and I used two stages.
When I moved to a secondary the gravity reading was right about where the FG should be and there looked to be very little fermenting going on in the secondary.
I left it in the secondary for about 9 days before bottling.
The result was a GREAT beer with very little sediment.

I would agree with what most people here have said about two stages
(not only in this post but many others)

- more of a 'bright tank' just to clear the beer
- you can usually leave it in the second for longer periods and not worry
- the beer is done when the gravity reading says it is done
- trial and error. It might be good for some beers but not necessarily all.

 

[beerkrump]

Oooh, a secondary or not thread....

DueceK, no need to secondary a plain wheat. Two weeks in the primary and then to the bottles. Always check your FG, which looks good.

krc333, 3-4 weeks is fine in the primary. You said, "usually". Play with it. Brew a batch. After two weeks, transfer half to the secondary and leave half in the primary. Two more weeks then bottle. You'll then find out whats best for your brewery.

 

[jgln]

I'm thinking of doing a thirdary, you know if more is good for razor blades and hops then why not a thirdary or maybe a forthary.

 

[krc333]

I think part of my problem has been not being consistent with how I brew. My last couple of batches have been a bit down. My two batches have had a slight carmel taste and the same off flavors. (one was a ESB clone and the other a dark wheat beer) I let both set in the primary for 4 weeks before bottling.

Bought a mash tun and wort chiller last weekend so I’m going to try my hand at all grain this weekend.

 

[BADS197]

I just transferred my Cherry Wheat to the secondary fermentor (5 gallon carboy) and I'm not sure how long I should keep it in there. I took a hydrometer reading while transferring to my secondary and it was about 1.010, which is the FG from the recipe: http://www.brew-winemaking.com/ProductPDF/3474.pdf It was in the primary for one week. The recipe says 2 weeks to ferment should be fine, then bottle condition for 2-4 weeks. Does this 2 weeks of fermentation include the 1 week primary, or is it 2 weeks in the secondary?

Thanks!

Based on this without any reading of replies...

1. primary for at least 2 weeks.. 3 is acceptable or more If a heavy beer, its up to you.

2. IF you want to clear it up more so it's not as cloudy, secondary for another week or two or three... its again, up to you. Most of the time it's not necessary.

3. bottle and let sit for at least 2 weeks for it to carb.


I let mine sit for 2-3 weeks and then just bottle it.

I've used a secondary on beers that I've added something to, like rasberries or pumpkin.

 

[talenos]

I let my wheat stay in primary for 5 weeks. It's the clearest beer I've made to date.

Turned into a crystalweizen.

 

[DeuceK]

Wow! A lot of input here, thanks everyone! Since it's already in my secondary I think I'll leave it there for about a week and then bottle condition for 2-4 weeks just as a benchmark to compare future batches to. As I mentioned, it was already around 1.010 when I transferred to the secondary and so far there's not much going on in the airlock after ~36hrs. Next batch I'll just leave in the primary for 2-3 weeks and see what the difference is. I'll probable try a Blue Moon clone or the famous Blood Orange Hefeweizen!

Thanks again!

 

[jgln]

Wow! A lot of input here, thanks everyone! Since it's already in my secondary I think I'll leave it there for about a week and then bottle condition for 2-4 weeks just as a benchmark to compare future batches to. As I mentioned, it was already around 1.010 when I transferred to the secondary and so far there's not much going on in the airlock after ~36hrs. Next batch I'll just leave in the primary for 2-3 weeks and see what the difference is. I'll probable try a Blue Moon clone or the famous Blood Orange Hefeweizen!

Thanks again!

Just curious, what is your method to bottle? To me if you siphon off the top then yes a secondary makes no sense. Like I mentioned, the only reason I secondary is I like to bottle using a spigot that is about 1" above the bottom of the bucket and since what I brew leaves a lot of trub behind it won't work, all that junk would wind up in my beer.

 

[DeuceK]

When I bottle, I'll siphon the beer out of the secondary (carboy) and into a bottling bucket with a spigot. Transferring the beer twice sounds like a lot of extra work and more room for contamination/oxygenating to me, but it's my first batch and I'm just going by the directions in the recipe kit. In the future, I'll probably skip the secondary (for wheats) and just transfer once to my bottling bucket.

 

[DeuceK]

I'm planning to bottle today after work. Recipe says to let the bottles sit at 60-70 F during conditioning. How about 75? I don't have anything built to keep the bottles between 60 and 70, but I can make it around 75 the same way I did during fermentation. Any thoughts?