Do you secondary?

[Ceedubya]

I have a full extract wheat beer that is a late addition to my new years eve lineup. I brewed last Sunday night and had active signs of fermentation the next morning. Full blown krausen by Monday night. Today it is still active, bubbling, and foamy on top.

I was hoping it would be done by today so I could secondary for 7 days then crash cool, keg, and force carb. But, I have been debating skipping the secondary all together, leaving it in the primary through next week then cool and keg. My concern is the amount of trub in the bottom of the fermenter.


So, how do you view the secondary ferment? Please answer and comment.

 

[Jim Karr]

I've never done a secondary. Sometimes beer sits on the trub for three weeks.......nobody dies, beer turns out great.

Don't bother with a secondary.

 

[janzik]

I think I've done a secondary for almost everything I've done. Only because it was how I was "taught". I have done a few where I just left it in the primary carboy for 2 to 3 weeks and bottled. Generally I leave it in my primary for 10-12 days anyway. I'm guessing since it's a wheat, it isn't a terrible thing if it's cloudy.

(edit) Wow, I didn't really answer anything there... I think it wouldn't be a bad thing if you just left in the primary.. jmo..

 

[Ceedubya]

I've never done a secondary. Sometimes beer sits on the trub for three weeks.......nobody dies, beer turns out great.

Don't bother with a secondary.

So one vote for never! This is they way I am thinking of going, especially with this beer. The last beer I did a secondary on turned out sub-par. Not blaming it on that, just seems to add one more chance for infection.

 

[Displaced MassHole]

Before reading up on the issue here I used to secondary every batch every time. Now-a-days I rarely do it. Usually just let it sit in primary for a month and then bottle or keg.

 

[ifishsum]

I do it for everything right now mostly because I only have one suitable primary system (my carboys are only 5 gal) and I want to brew more than once a month - plus I've been happy with my results since I started doing secondaries. I did primary a 2.5 gallon AG batch the other day in a spare carboy that I'll probably just leave there until it's time to bottle.

 

[sirsloop]

generally not... I have a few times tho...

 

[s3n8]

Only when dry hopping...

Or when I am feeling lazy, have no bottles, or no time, or need extended bulk aging (big beers).

Then again, most of my brews are dry hopped (or high gravity).

 

[Saccharomyces]

Unless it's over 1.080... why bother. As far as dry hopping, that's what kegs are for.

 

[Parker36]

I secondary for most beers mostly just because I have a lot more 5 gallon carboys than 6.5gal secondaries.

 

[stevea1210]

My first few batches I followed the 1-2-3 method. I have abandoned that for the last 15 or so batches.

I now go three to four weeks in primary, then to the keg.

I did however choose the "depends" option. I have had a few special occasions that I did do a secondary. However those are the rare exception for me. I'm not anti-secondary. I just find it not needed, and more negatives than positives for a "normal" batch.

I recommend the 3 -4 week primary then bottle or keg. the beer is truly helped by little the yeasties clean up after themselves.

 

[Malticulous]

I have 3 primaries and one secondary. If I had another secondary I would secondary more beers. It's hard to spend the money when it could be more wisely spent on grain and hops.

 

[Jumbo82]

For a while I was using a secondary on every beer (aside from ones in my conical, of course), but around the time I started making hard cider I noticed a couple of acerbacter infections after transfering (I had been using the same tubing for transfers, not a good idea). I ended up replacing the tubing which solved the problem, but for a while I avoided secondaries just to be on the safe side. I still secondary most of the time (especially when I want to re-use the yeast cake for another batch), but sometimes I don't.

 

[Jaha35]

I just bought a 5 gallon BB secondary for my X-mass present. I just use 2 primaries now so we'll see how I feel about it later. If anything it will be a way for me to open up a primary faster without having to bottle right away.

 

[Jamo99]

I only secondary big beers and when dry hopping if I'm washing the yeast. For your situation I would definately let it sit as long as possible before kegging and force carbing. Leaving it on the yeast cake for longer will make it less "green" tasting.

 

[Gonefishing]

When I started brewing about 4 years ago the prevailing wisdom seemed to be to secondary, so I did it for every batch once I discovered that my beers cleared up pretty well. Then I took about 2 years off and now the advice is just leave it on primary. Well, lazy bastard that I am I like the easy way, so now I'm into long primaries and no secondary unless dry hopping. I think even that might be changing to pellets in a bag in a keg!

 

[david_42]

Very rarely. Haven't used one in at least four years. If brew doesn't clear in the keg, I'll filter.

Meads and melomels are a different story.

 

[eddie]

The only times I use a clearing vessel are when I intend to dry hop, add fruit or bulk age for an extended time. Other than that, it's three-four weeks in the primary then keg or bottle.

 

[s3n8]

Unless it's over 1.080... why bother. As far as dry hopping, that's what kegs are for.

Well, I don't have kegs... And if its less than 1.080 is it really worth drinking?

 

[ohiobrewtus]

I always use a secondary unless the beer at 50% or more wheat in the grainbill. This makes clearing in secondary a waste of time.

 

[DeathBrewer]

I always use a secondary unless the beer at 50% or more wheat in the grainbill. This makes clearing in secondary a waste of time.

why? i've found it can make the process faster for a wheat (not that i always do it) when you transfer to secondary for a short time. they're still plenty cloudy when you use secondary...the wheat and the yeast make sure of that.

the idea that you should not use irish moss, secondary, etc. in a wheat beer is missing the point, IMO.

there are big differences between cloudy, hazy and thick.

 

[DeathBrewer]

I secondary for most beers mostly just because I have a lot more 5 gallon carboys than 6.5gal secondaries.

this is true for me and now that i'm brewing pretty often again, i'll need to start using more secondaries!

 

[Brew-boy]

why bother? that's old school.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Always, every batch!!

 

[Shonuff]

"Never" is a very strong word. I "hardly" every use a secondary except for some sour beers or beers with fruit.

 

[Fingers]

Every single one. I tend to brew several months ahead of consumption so I put it all to secondary and leave it safe until it's time to keg. I don't like garbage in my kegs.

 

[Righlander]

I've been leaving mine in primary 3-4 weeks my last few batches. I think the end result seems about the same as 2 weeks primary then 2 weeks secondary. I will say this though, using a secondary is kind of nice because there's not as much crap in the bottom of a secondary to avoid siphoning. Of course when you leave a beer in a primary 3-4 weeks the stuff on the bottom is more hard packed and it is pretty easy to avoid.

 

[Bigsnake]

I've started not doing a secondary on ales that will be ready to bottle in four or five weeks.

I'll be using secondaries with my big beers that I want to keep in fermenters for awhile. I'll put them in there after spending around four weeks in primary.

 

[blowmax10]

I have one 6.5 gallon primary and three 5 gallon secondaries so yes i use then so i can brew more

And my beer will never sit in a keg long enough to age

 

[TheJadedDog]

I used to do it for everything but now I base the decision on style. For a wheat I'd say you can skip it.