To secondary, or not to secondary?

[adobemac]

So many opinions on this. I've got a 5-gal IPA that has been in primary for 9 days and stable FG, and I'm going to be out of town for the next two or three weeks. Can't bottle it yet (not enough time or bottles). Should I leave it in primary, or rack it to secondary for the long haul?

 

[S0meB0dy]

It will be fine in primary. I have left beers in primary for months with no ill effects. Let the yeast clean up after themselves and bottle it when you get back.

 

[dnslater]

Many here, including me, leave in Primary for 4 weeks as a general rule, unless doing something special like racking onto oak, fruit, etc.... Are you dry hopping? I would say your IPA is fine in the primary for a month or longer.

 

[adobemac]

Not dry-hopping this one. I figure after boiling with 3 oz Summit at 18.5% AA it should be an unmistakable IPA. Guess I'll RDWHAHB and start packing my bags.

 

[tennesseean_87]

THREAD JACK

I've got a 5 gallon APA that has been in an ale pail for 13 days, I assume with a stable gravity by this point, though I haven't taken a reading in a while. Considering whether to dry hop, and whether to rack to carboy. I tasted the gravity sample, which was .002 high of the expected range, and I thought it was pretty good tasting, and not in need of additional hopping. Will the hoppiness noticeably diminish over the next two months? Should I bottle right away, let sit in ale pail, dry hop in ale pail, move to secondary without hops, or move to secondary with hops? I ask because there are 5 gallons of apfelwein in the carboy that need at least another week before bottling. Will that much time in a bucket be bad?

 

[BBL_Brewer]

I second the motion of not to secondary

 

[JoeyChopps]

Tenn I am new to the no secondary practice and so far I am all about it. I did a black ipa and felt lazy so I dry hoped in the primary for 10 days and it worked out awesome. For now on I don't think I will ever secondary again Chopps

 

[HomebrewMTB]

THREAD JACK

I've got a 5 gallon APA that has been in an ale pail for 13 days, I assume with a stable gravity by this point, though I haven't taken a reading in a while. Considering whether to dry hop, and whether to rack to carboy. I tasted the gravity sample, which was .002 high of the expected range, and I thought it was pretty good tasting, and not in need of additional hopping. Will the hoppiness noticeably diminish over the next two months? Should I bottle right away, let sit in ale pail, dry hop in ale pail, move to secondary without hops, or move to secondary with hops? I ask because there are 5 gallons of apfelwein in the carboy that need at least another week before bottling. Will that much time in a bucket be bad?

@tennesseean_87: I would wait another week in primary and then bottle. Hop flavor and aroma do diminish with time. IPAs are best enjoyed sooner rather than later.

 

[tennesseean_87]

Oops, by 13 I meant 17. I had to check my calendar. Hopefully I'll find time to bottle this week!