Question on Secondary Fermentation

[OmahaJoe]

This was my first ever attempt at brewing beer and I went with a Scotch Ale extract kit. I think everything turned out really well but I opted to ferment in my carboy instead of my primary bucket only because I wanted to watch the fermentation...I am now thinking that was not a good decision beucase I want to rack to a secondary but all I have is a 6.5 gallon bucket. If I rack into this bucket I will have at least 3 or 4 inches of head room and I am fearing that will oxidize the beer.

Am I being paranoid or what should I do? Any suggestions would be awesome, thanks everyone!

 

[badhabit]

You can rack into the bucket no problem or you can just skip the secondary and hold in the primary 3 to 4 weeks before bottling.

 

[badhabit]

You can rack into the bucket no problem or you can just skip the secondary and hold in the primary 3 to 4 weeks before bottling.

You will need some kind of bucket or carboy to bottle from no matter what you do.

 

[OmahaJoe]

I am definetely going to leave it in the primary for 3 weeks, but I wanted to rack it to a seconday for a couple of days and let it clarify for a bit longer. Then I was planning to rack to a bottling bucket, add priming sugar and bottle. Do you think leaving it in the bucket for 2 or 3 days will cause any issues, assuming I rack it correctly, etc..?

 

[JLem]

I am definetely going to leave it in the primary for 3 weeks, but I wanted to rack it to a seconday for a couple of days and let it clarify for a bit longer. Then I was planning to rack to a bottling bucket, add priming sugar and bottle. Do you think leaving it in the bucket for 2 or 3 days will cause any issues, assuming I rack it correctly, etc..?

No, but there's also no need to rack to the "primary" bucket. It will clear just fine where it is.

 

[Revvy]

No, but there's also no need to rack to the "primary" bucket. It will clear just fine where it is.

Yeah, that's the point of extending primary, to eliminate the need to rack to a secondary for clarity. In fact many of us who do so, believe our beers are MORE clear than when we racked to a secondarty, our yeast cake is harder and the beer is clearer.

 

[OmahaJoe]

JLem and Revvy, thank you VERY much for the replies (you guys are legends on here!) I will just leave it where it is and only rack to the bottling bucket when its time to bottle.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Please step away from the fermenter: there's yeast partying in there!!!

 

[markmc40]

Please step away from the fermenter: there's yeast partying in there!!!

+1

I'm skipping secondary for the first time with this batch I have in primary now. I'm sure you have, but if not, search Revvy's thread on it. I needed some reassurance because of recent back surgery and didn't want to rack anything if I didn't have to. Less steps + better beer = a win in my book.

 

[BamaRooster]

JLem and Revvy, thank you VERY much for the replies (you guys are legends on here!) I will just leave it where it is and only rack to the bottling bucket when its time to bottle.

+1 Listen to these guys, they know what they are doing!

 

[GASoline71]

I got a Hef in the primary now for 2 weeks. Will be the first beer I haven't racked to a secondary. Lookin' just fine.

Plus... it's a Hef... so it's gonna be "cloudy" anyways.

Gary

 

[Hockeyhunter99]

BTW. there is no reason to worry about head room. leaving headroom in a bucket will not oxidize your beer. splashing and adding oxygen to the beer will oxidize it but not just sitting with a couple inches of air. i have done 1 gal beers in 3 gal buckets with plenty of head space. no worries.

 

[JLem]

JLem and Revvy, thank you VERY much for the replies (you guys are legends on here!) I will just leave it where it is and only rack to the bottling bucket when its time to bottle.

Wow... Revvy definitely deserves legend status here....I'm just happy to drag on his coattails a while!