secondary questions...

[dave-m]

I keep reading differing views on the use of a secondary fermenter. Is it a personal preference thing or a more advanced (than beginner) method? My True Brew equipment kit didn't come with one and I've successfully brewed about 5 batches with out one. Could some of you more experienced brewers expound on why you use them and what you see as the benefits to them are?

Thanks and Cheers!

 

[El Pistolero]

Here's a good read on secondary fermentation by Ray Daniels. Personally, I don't think a secondary is absolutely essential, but they will make your beer better.

 

[Beer Snob]

It certainly gives you a bit more time. If for instance you dont have the time to do the bottling at the time your fermentation has stoped, you rack it to the secondary and it can stay there for a while since its off the yeast. There is certainly nothing wrong with not using a secondary.

Using a secondary allows your beer to clear a little better. I have to say that my inicial reasons for using one was that I thought it would be a "more advanced" method. A progression in the hobby if you will....

 

[rodders]

I wasn't advised to use a secondary initially so my current batch is only the second one to employ this approach. I am using another brew bucket rather than a carboy. How would you say that the carboys compare with using another plastic bucket with a lid and airlock?

I was impressed with the difference it makes. The sediment at the bottom of the bottles was almost none existant.

 

[Pumbaa]

How would you say that the carboys compare with using another plastic bucket with a lid and airlock?

Well . . . Carboys have a smaller hole at the top then buckets so it is a bit ez'er to make sure ya have a complete seal on your fermentors. Also when you realy dont want to think about anything make a batch of beer and pitch the yeast. Get good and drunk as the yeast starts to do it's thing and then watch all the chruning and airlock activity . . . cant do that with a bucket cuz you cant see though a bucket. This does take a bit of planning of your "drunk" wich some say is a sign of alchoholism. I say planning a "drunk" is being resposable. Would ya rather I got drunk in my kitchen so I could just pass out or would ya rather I did it 50 miles from home, spur of the moment, and had to drive back

Only bad things I can think of for carboys is they dont handle drops well and you have keep them full to help fight the urge to throw your spare change in them. Buckets are a few bucks, 6.5 gallon carboys cost me $20.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

I wouldn't really consider it an advanced step so much as just 'another' step. It's really just a matter of transferring your beer to another vessel without contaminating it...that's it; and getting another vessel is just a matter of buying/acquiring it. It does test patience, however, especially your first few batches.

 

[Truble]

My kit did not come with a secondary either, so I did 2 weeks in the primary, then bottled. After that batch, I went to secondaries. I did this for two reasons-better clearing and ability to go longer before bottling. The beer I made without a secondary was great, even considering it was my 1st batch. I do think the quality of the beer improved with the use of a secondary. I would think that for some brews, like stouts, that need to ferment longer than regular ales, getting it off the trub after the main ferment is complete in about 7 days or so is key to preventing off flavors from said trub form leeching into the brew. Still, you would be surprised how much extra debris falls out in the secondary. Note that if you go straight to bottle, a lot of that debris goes with it.

 

[WhatsOnTap]

I just started using a secondary and these guys are right...the beer is much clearer upon bottling and there was about 1/8 of an inch of yeast and stray hop leaves that settled out in the secondary alone! That was after just 5 days in there and I brewed a stout.

The patience thing is a biggie with a secondary though, so I try to put a date on the calendar of when to rack to bottles, but inevitably I end up justifying a reason to bottle early (like yesterday!).

The thing that put me off about a secondary is the increased chance of infection, but realistically if you use good sanitation practices you'll be okay and have better beer for it!

 

[dave-m]

Allright. That confirmes what my own thoughts were on the subject. I am going to get used to using a secondary. I have a "Mississippi Mud" clone in the primary now (brewed on Sunday 1/15).The OG was 1.050 and it took off like mad for the first 3 days. It has slowed to about one "burb" every 30 seconds now. I'm thinking I'll rack into a secondary on Sunday 1/23 (7 days) Is this when I take another gravity reading? How do you know when it's time to bottle out of the secondary?

Thanks again!

Peas....

 

[david_42]

Take a gravity when you rack and taste the sample. Record your impressions, so you can compare them to what the ale tastes like when you bottle (about 2 weeks and take another gravity then) and after the ale has carbonated and conditioned for 2-3 weeks in the bottle.

There are many ways to make beer. Methods that work for one style, don't work for others. Witness the radical differences between making ales and lagers. The proof is in the tasting. Stick with a fairly simple approach for your first batches and then you'll be able to guage how each new technique changes the results.

Mississippi Mud - I've only seen this style once, but had the impression it was like a black&tan blend. Could you post the recipe?

 

[vtfan99]

When to bottle after the secondary is basically up to you. The "general" practice is at least 2 weeks, but I usually only wait a week, depending upon the beer style. Homebrew will get better and clearer with age (to a point), so the longer you let it condition in the secondary, the clearer and more "mature" the beer will become.

If I'm brewing something heavier, like a stout, or if Im brewing a lager, I try my best to let it sit for a minimum of two weeks.....but Im not the most patient man in the world.

However long you end up waiting, your beer will thank you...you cant go wrong.

 

[dave-m]

Mississippi Mud - I've only seen this style once, but had the impression it was like a black&tan blend. Could you post the recipe?

I didn't keep record of recipe. It was a kit that my local HBS had assembled for sale. They do a lot of different ingredient kits that "clone" popular beers.

This one as I remember was comprised of

6lbs light LME
8oz chocolate malt (crushed roasted barley)
1 oz nothern brewers (bittering)
1 oz nothern brewers (finish)

I also added 1lb of corn sugar to raise the OG to 1.050.
I hope this ends up about 5%abv

The idea behind this brew is to have a VERY dark color with out being a "heavy" drinking beer. It should come out tasting like a Michelob with a about 1/4 of a guiness blended in. We'll see.....

 

[dave-m]

I tranferred to the secondary on Sunday 1/22. Gravity has dropped to 1.011

Do you think it will get lower still in the secondary? It had slowed to about 1 bubble every 60 to 70 seconds in the airlock.

BTW- I tasted it and was super pleased. It has a really "roasty" flavor from the chocolate barley. Does this flavor mellow, or does it stay dominate?

I plan to leave it in the secondary for a minimum of 7 days. Hopefully I will have a drinkable brew for the big game on Feb. 5th.