To secondary, or not to secondary?

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?

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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?

 

I second the motion of not to secondary

 

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

 

@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.

 

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