Okay to use a secondary?

[beerfactory]

I would like to brew today and I only have one primary fermenter. It would be very possible for me to primary in a corny keg but do not like to, as it doesn't have the headspace.

This is my sixth batch with beer; I do not much experience. Am not afraid to make mistakes but do not want to commit gross error.

I naturally carbonate in the keg. Last brewed an IPA on 3/26. So... here's the question: If I rack my IPA into a carboy for a week before I keg, will it be okay? Will it still have the yeast to naturally carbonate? Will it taste bad for not sitting on its yeast cake for the second week?

 

[eadavis80]

If you brewed it on 3/26/16 it mostc likely has reached FG by now, depending on how good the fermentation was. I would take a reading and if it's at 1.013 or less, you can rack it, IME. If it is higher than that, I'd let it sit. Ideally, you'd let it sit for 10 days at least before a transfer, but I think it's more about the gravity than the number of days. I racked a beer after 8 days last night as it was already at 1.011.

 

[beerfactory]

Anyone have experience with naturally carbonating a beer which has been racked to secondary? I am wondering if I will have to force carbonate.

 

[brewbama]

Once your beer is in the keg you can naturally carb it. I recommend a spunding valve to regulate pressure and ensure proper carbonation.

 

[beerfactory]

Once your beer is in the keg you can naturally carb it. I recommend a spunding valve to regulate pressure and ensure proper carbonation.

thank you. I have never used a secondary before and was not sure if its use precluded natural carbonation.

 

[C-Rider]

What is the purpose of the secondary? Why not just transfer to the keg when fermenting is done?

 

[beerfactory]

What is the purpose of the secondary? Why not just transfer to the keg when fermenting is done?

I want to put this particular beer in 2.5 gallon kegs. I have two and one was not quite empty.

 

[RM-MN]

I left a beer in the (primary) fermenter for 9 weeks and it still had plenty of yeast suspended to carbonate the bottles. I suspect that it takes several months to settle out enough yeast that the beer won't carbonate.