Conditioning in secondary vs. primary WRT flavor clean-up

[Ike]

OK, lots of learning going on around here the past couple days, for yours truly!

I've spent quite a bit of time wading through LOTS of theads discussing racking to secondary vs. leaving it in primary a bit longer and then going straight to bottles. I've read how it seems to be a matter of opinion. I've read about the advantages of each (clearer beer from secondary, less chance of infection if you skip racking to secondary, etc) but have a specific goal to reach, and wonder which would be better, or if there would be no difference either way.

At the moment, I'm very fermentation temperature-aware, because I have minimal control over it right now. I'm running 6.5 gal glass carboys in swamp coolers, so there's a little control (fan vs. no fan, ice in bath vs. no ice, you know the story) but it's pretty rudimentary. SO because of this, I want to do everything I can in the conditioning phases to help the yeast clean up any off flavors and fusels, just in case.

Is this better accomplished by leaving it in primary, over the cake? Or is there enough yeast activity left suspended in the beer that I can rack to secondary and still expect the flavors to improve?

For the record, current batch is a Scottish Ale kit from the LHBS, with WLP028 doing the work. BUT, I'm interested in this as a general question, rather than just WRT this particular ale or yeast.

If keeping it in primary is best, that's what I'll do. If moving to secondary will still allow the cleanup, I will do that so I can get started on that Requiem Raspberry recipe that the entire world is ranting and raving about!

THANKS!

Ike

 

[BamaPhil]

...If keeping it in primary is best, that's what I'll do. If moving to secondary will still allow the cleanup, I will do that so I can get started on that Requiem Raspberry recipe that the entire world is ranting and raving about...

It will still condition in a secondary, just as beer will continue to mature (and eventually, stale) in a bottle.

Freeing up a primary to make more beer is a perfectly noble cause to use a secondary

 

[C-Rider]

For that ale the only reason to move to "secondary" is to free the primary.

 

[jethro55]

For that ale the only reason to move to "secondary" is to free the primary.

That would be your own personal reasoning - not the only reason.

I secondary as soon as it hits close to FG so that I can get the clearest bottled beer that I can. And also so that there is no time for hardened krausen leftovers to form in my primary - it cleans up quickly without lengthy chemical process.

 

[McKnuckle]

Just as it makes more sense to have more yeast present for efficient fermentation, it follows that more yeast will metabolize fermentation byproducts more efficiently. So "cleaning up" should be done in the primary. If you use a secondary at all, it's better to wait til fermentation is complete, clean up is complete, and clearing has begun. One purpose of a secondary is to help clarify beer. So if you transfer beer that's already begun to clear vs. beer with lots of suspended material still present, your secondary will start off on the right foot.

 

[Ike]

Just as it makes more sense to have more yeast present for efficient fermentation, it follows that more yeast will metabolize fermentation byproducts more efficiently. So "cleaning up" should be done in the primary. If you use a secondary at all, it's better to wait til fermentation is complete, clean up is complete, and clearing has begun. ....

THAT'S the info I needed. That said, thanks to all who responded as well!

Ike

 

[RM-MN]

Make sure that you transfer to a smaller vessel for secondary so the beer fills it completely to the neck. By the time clearing has begun there will be no more CO2 produced so your beer will only be protected by the little that is dissolved in the beer and will outgas. Too much headspace in secondary is a good way to get an infected beer. The bacteria that can infect beer require oxygen.

 

[C-Rider]

That would be your own personal reasoning - not the only reason.

I secondary as soon as it hits close to FG so that I can get the clearest bottled beer that I can. And also so that there is no time for hardened krausen leftovers to form in my primary - it cleans up quickly without lengthy chemical process.

We could go round and round on this. LOL But how's this for clear beer that only saw a primary and a week at 32* in the primary?

[url=https://www.homebrewtalk.com/photo/ohikilolo-fest-61150.html] [/URL]

 

[jethro55]

That looks really, really great C- Rider !!!

No need to go round and round on the different ways to get there. Mrs Jethro55 and I have gone round and round on different ways of doing everything for 41 years. I think that my ways of doing things are better than hers. And she is certain that she is right.

 

[CSAYank]

We could go round and round on this. LOL But how's this for clear beer that only saw a primary and a week at 32* in the primary?



[url=https://www.homebrewtalk.com/p...b1_coldcrashohikilolosept2013-61150.jpg[/img][/URL]

So what you did is have your beer in primary for 2 or 3 weeks, then a week at 32* ( cold crashing? ), then bottle and carb?