BB Kit question on Secondary

[crazy_piump]

I brewed my second batch ever last Sunday the 23rd. It's a Red Ale that I was hoping would be ready by St. Paddy's day. My question is: After a week in the Primary could I bottle condition for two weeks or should I put it in a secondary for a week and then bottle? Is a week in the bottle long enough? Thanks for the input.

 

[livewir]

I just moved my first BB kit to secondary. My local brew shop and a friend both told me it will help clear up the beer before bottling.

Though I'm sure someone with far more experience would be able to give a better answer.


LiveWir

 

[Revvy]

A week in the bottle is NOT long enough...the beer won't be carbed nor will it have lost it's "green" taste.

2 weeks in bottles will only be slightly better you may or may not have carb yet...but if you've seen all the n00b "My beer tastes funky" threads that pop up here weekly, you'll notice that they have usually openned the bottle during the second week...So "greeness" and off flavors will still be present.

The magic takes 3 weeks minimum, sometimes longer.

If you were a kegger (Which I'm not so I'm only speculating) I think you could force carb it for 2 weeks and you'd have it for ST Paddy's day...but I'm not sure.

A lot of people choose to skip the secondary and head straight to bottle...but that doesn't change the fact the timeframe for bottle conditioning is still 3 weeks minimum....

You may be able to do it if you run out and get a Party Pig http://www.undergrounddigital.com/partypig.htm

Or the tap a draft system. http://www.northernbrewer.com/mini-kegs.html

But if you rush serve the beer before it's ready just for the sake of having your homebrew ready on St Paddy's day, you and your friends my be dissapointed...Especially if they're bmc drinkers...and you give them your first homebrew and it's too early, you may turn them off to your future brews...

I'd just get a bunch of really nice Irish ales...And plan on serving your beer when it's ready... And next year you'll have plenty of your own ready stuff in the pipeline.

 

[crazy_piump]

Good Stuff. Thanks again for the info.

 

[Revvy]

Been looking at tap a drafts...

Look what I found and highlighted.

Detailed Description
This system is a new way to package and dispense your homebrew using Co2 cartridges. Like a full size keg system, the TAP-A-DRAFT will also allow you to force carbonate your beer without taking as big a bite out of your wallet or as much space in your home brewery. The system uses 6 liter pet plastic bottles (the same type of plastic bottle that soda comes in), and small CO2 tap that uses 2 8 gram CO2 cartridges. The plastic bottles are re-usable and each hold about 1 1/2 gallons of beer. The system operates in a horizontal position, taking up a small space about 17" long by 7" wide, and fits nicely on a refrigerator shelf.

Beer (or soft drinks) can be bottle conditioned with priming sugar in the TAP-A-DRAFT bottle with the screw cap, to be tapped later when needed. Or, your beer can be forced carbonated in 5- 7 days with 2 CO2 cartridges in the refrigerator. When the beverage is ready to drink, it can be tapped and dispensed from a refrigerator over a period of up to 3 weeks without going flat or spoiling, because no air touches the beverage while it is dispensed. It will take about 2 Co2 cartridges to dispense one bottle.
Our TAP-A-DRAFT System includes a dual cylinder tap, two 6 liter Pet bottles with caps, and a box of 10 8 gram CO2 cartridges. Instructions included. Additional bottles and gas cartridges are available for purchase separately.