why use a secondary?

[klcramer]

I have read that you don't need to use a secondary but what is the advantage of it?

 

[cweston]

Bulk aging and clarification.

If your beer is three weeks old instead of one week old when you bottle it, it is that much closer to it's peak flavor. Apparently, aging in bulk is somewhat more effective than aging in the bottle. (No, I don't know why.)

But the main thing is clarification. A two week secondary, especially at a little lower temp than the primary, will help much more "stuff" (trub, yeast waste, etc) fall out of suspension and onto the bottom of your carboy. You'll get a cleaner tasting and more aesthetically attractive beer.

 

[klcramer]

why can't you just leave it in the primary for 3 weeks?

 

[cweston]

You can, but it's not as effective.

After primary fermentation is complete, you have a lot of trub at the bottom of the fermenter. By siphoning the beer off the top of all that trub, you eliminate the possibility of that trub ending up in the final beer or of those spend yeast cells contributing any off flavors to the final beer.

 

[klcramer]

I see thanks

 

[Grimace]

Plus it frees up your primary so you can brew another beer!

 

[homebrewer_99]

...or you can have 6-7 primaries like me...

 

[sonvolt]

You can, but it's not as effective.

After primary fermentation is complete, you have a lot of trub at the bottom of the fermenter. By siphoning the beer off the top of all that trub, you eliminate the possibility of that trub ending up in the final beer or of those spend yeast cells contributing any off flavors to the final beer.

But this would literally take months.

Plus it frees up your primary so you can brew another beer!

This is the better reason.

 

[SBN]

Adding a secondary made all the difference in the world to my brewing success, clarity wise, and really does accelerate the conditioning. 99, when I was a younger adult around Aledo, we should have been hanging out together.....of course, you were likely an infant back then!

 

[homebrewer_99]

Adding a secondary made all the difference in the world to my brewing success, clarity wise, and really does accelerate the conditioning. 99, when I was a younger adult around Aledo, we should have been hanging out together.....of course, you were likely an infant back then!

HAHA!! If you look at my profile you'll find that I am 2 years OLDER THAN YOU, Sonny boy! I had my first taste of alcohol (whiskey rubbed on my gums) the day I arrived home from the hospital at 5 days old...Irish tradition ya know?

Incidently, we were born 1 day apart from each other...plus I'm from Jersey. I didn't move out to IL until '87...but it's the thought that counts...

 

[sonvolt]

Hey guys . . . I'm from the Peoria area - Washington, Il to be exact.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Hey guys . . . I'm from the Peoria area - Washington, Il to be exact.

As you can see, I'm in Atkinson, off I-80, exit 27.

 

[david_42]

I think one major advantage of using a clearing tank is it forces you to wait an extra two weeks and gives your ale a chance to mature a bit. More so than some of the little weenies we have here

 

[homebrewer_99]

I think one major advantage of using a clearing tank is it forces you to wait an extra two weeks and gives your ale a chance to mature a bit. More so than some of the little weenies we have here

I have the patience so I agree. I wait it out and ALLOW it to clear. There's no need trying to rush nature because she has her own schedule.

As you can see I have 2 in primaries and 1 in a secondary right now...and I want to brew another one this weekend.

 

[Cheesefood]

Hey guys . . . I'm from the Peoria area - Washington, Il to be exact.

I know I've been through Washington, but I can't remember why. Is Washington off of War Memorial (24)?

Is Deep Elum Brews still open in Peoria? That's the place that first sparked my interest in homebrewing. I went to Bradley in the 90's. I really miss Peoria. People think it's a s-hole, but I loved it there.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I know I've been through Washington, but I can't remember why. Is Washington off of War Memorial (24)?

Is Deep Elum Brews still open in Peoria? That's the place that first sparked my interest in homebrewing. I went to Bradley in the 90's. I really miss Peoria. People think it's a s-hole, but I loved it there.

My son-in-law graduated from Bradley in the '90s. He's a chemist.

 

[sonvolt]

I know I've been through Washington, but I can't remember why. Is Washington off of War Memorial (24)?

Is Deep Elum Brews still open in Peoria? That's the place that first sparked my interest in homebrewing. I went to Bradley in the 90's. I really miss Peoria. People think it's a s-hole, but I loved it there.

Yeah! Washington is off of 24.

As for Deep Elum, it has been closed for some time. Let me ask - when you went there, was it in the bike shop or the brew pub. When Deep Elum first opened, he had a little room adjacent to John S. Rhodell's Brewpub and Brew-On-Premise. Great beer, great atmosphere, and friendly Scottish brewer - if you are in Central Illinois, you should try to get there.

At some point, Deep Elum moved to another location where it was a bicycle shop/LHBS. He has long since closed shop and left town.

 

[Cheesefood]

Yeah! Washington is off of 24.

As for Deep Elum, it has been closed for some time. Let me ask - when you went there, was it in the bike shop or the brew pub. When Deep Elum first opened, he had a little room adjacent to John S. Rhodell's Brewpub and Brew-On-Premise. Great beer, great atmosphere, and friendly Scottish brewer - if you are in Central Illinois, you should try to get there.

At some point, Deep Elum moved to another location where it was a bicycle shop/LHBS. He has long since closed shop and left town.

I was there from 94-98 and it was in the Bike Shop / HBS mode at the time. I interviewed him for a TV show I worked on at the time. The owner was a hoot. My favorite line: "The one thing I learned in high school was how to ferment sugar into alcohol".

Bill, what's your son-in-law's name?

 

[homebrewer_99]

I was there from 94-98 and it was in the Bike Shop / HBS mode at the time. I interviewed him for a TV show I worked on at the time. The owner was a hoot. My favorite line: "The one thing I learned in high school was how to ferment sugar into alcohol".

Bill, what's your son-in-law's name?

Trent Kaufman.

 

[Cheesefood]

Trent Kaufman.

Nope. Looks like he graduated in 94. I didn't start there until the 94-95 school year. I see they gave you a grandaughter.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Nope. Looks like he graduated in 94. I didn't start there until the 94-95 school year. I see they gave you a grandaughter.

You're looking in the yearbook aren't you?

Yeah, he gave us granddaughter #5. She's 9 now.

Since that time, granddaughter #1 gave us greatgrandchildren #1, 2, and 3. While granddaughter #2 gave us greatgrandchild #4 last July.

Overall, we still have 3 granddaughters and a grandson without...or should I say "to go".

 

[Cheesefood]

You're looking in the yearbook aren't you?

Yeah, he gave us granddaughter #5. She's 9 now.

Since that time, granddaughter #1 gave us greatgrandchildren #1, 2, and 3. While granddaughter #2 gave us greatgrandchild #4 last July.

Overall, we still have 3 granddaughters and a grandson without...or should I say "to go".

Online alumni directory. Same thing, less pictures

 

[homebrewer_99]

Online alumni directory. Same thing, less pictures

...ahhhh....