First Brew Into Secondary

[Skizotty]

Just transferred my first brew (IPA) into secondary. Smells amazing. Didn't taste it but will probably try a little while bottling. It is still pretty cloudy but hoping it will settle out. Let me know what you think.

 

[jbguzzi]

Looks ok to me. Give it a couple weeks. Before you rack it off, if you have room in a fridge, cool to 35-40 F for a couple days, that helps sometimes.

 

[HomeBrewerB]

I'm a newb so sorry if this is a dumb question but I thought when in the secondary you want as little head room as possible like keeping a 5gal batch in a 5 gal secondary? Thanks!

 

[kh54s10]

How long did you leave that in primary. It will likely be fine but that seems awfully cloudy. I would expect it to be almost clear. Did you suck up all the trub at the bottom of the primary? If so you need to be more careful transferring, you do not want to transfer the trub to secondary. You can also look into longer primary times and skipping secondary altogether.

 

[Skizotty]

I'm a newb so sorry if this is a dumb question but I thought when in the secondary you want as little head room as possible like keeping a 5gal batch in a 5 gal secondary? Thanks!

Yeah I think you are right but when I added my water after boil I don't think I added enough. It's at about 4 1/2 gallons. Live and learn I guess.

 

[Skizotty]

How long did you leave that in primary. It will likely be fine but that seems awfully cloudy. I would expect it to be almost clear. Did you suck up all the trub at the bottom of the primary? If so you need to be more careful transferring, you do not want to transfer the trub to secondary. You can also look into longer primary times and skipping secondary altogether.

Primary for 9 days. No I left all the trub. Just siphoned off the liquid. There was a ton of trub when I washed the bucket out.

 

[jbguzzi]

Yea, at that point in the fermentation the yeast activity is lower and air is your enemy. Oxidation. The less headroom is better to maximize the reduced co2 the yeast are making.
I stopped doing secondary transfers a while ago. There really is no need for it anymore. Only for extended periods you might need to. If you did suck in a bunch of trub then you may have defeated the purpose. No worries, let it settle out and have a beer.

 

[HomeBrewerB]

How long did you leave that in primary. It will likely be fine but that seems awfully cloudy. I would expect it to be almost clear. Did you suck up all the trub at the bottom of the primary? If so you need to be more careful transferring, you do not want to transfer the trub to secondary. You can also look into longer primary times and skipping secondary altogether.

What are the benefits of moving into a secondary? I know it clarifies and let's some of the flavors out but I have also heard many say keeping in primary for another week is alright as well. I think that's what you were trying to say?

 

[kh54s10]

Secondary fermentation is a bit of a misnomer. It is better described as a bright tank or clearing stage. It in the past was thought that leaving the beer on the yeast too long would impart off flavors from the dead yeast. It is now thought by many that the yeast will continue by cleaning up off flavors created during fermentation. If you leave the beer in primary longer it will allow the yeast time to finish the job (If they really do) and if not it just allows the beer time to clear (sediment to settle) without transferring. It also decreases the chance of infection or oxidizing the beer during the transfer. I now only secondary for additions or very long conditioning.

 

[jbguzzi]

Secondary fermentation is a bit of a misnomer. It is better described as a bright tank or clearing stage. It in the past was thought that leaving the beer on the yeast too long would impart off flavors from the dead yeast. It is now thought by many that the yeast will continue by cleaning up off flavors created during fermentation. If you leave the beer in primary longer it will allow the yeast time to finish the job (If they really do) and if not it just allows the beer time to clear (sediment to settle) without transferring. It also decreases the chance of infection or oxidizing the beer during the transfer. I now only secondary for additions or very long conditioning.

I second that, I routinely would leave in a glass carboy fermentor for a month with no issues. I use a conical now so it makes it easier and more sanitary for dumping yeast and transferring to kegs.

 

[HomeBrewerB]

I've seen several recipes that actually call for a secondary but for only a week or two and not a long month ya know.. It seems to me now that leaving in a primary for around 3 weeks is alright and clarifies it the same similar to secondary.

 

[kh54s10]

There are many recipes that call for secondary. Many were derived when doing secondary was thought to be necessary. It is now considered by many to only be an option. I have done both and have seen little to no difference between the beers that had a secondary and those that did not. That being said I have a Wee Heavy Scotch Ale in secondary now because I have left it conditioning for just over a month, this after 2 weeks in primary. I will be bottling it today or tomorrow. It is a 1.098 OG beer for About 10% ABV.