How long is too long in primary?

[NorCalAdam]

do not recommend racking to a secondary fermenter for ANY ale, except when conducting an actual second fermentation, such as adding fruit or souring.

So my question is about dry-hopping. Would I need to rack to a secondary when dry-hopping or wait for fermentation to complete then dry-hop in the primary?

 

[Revvy]

So my question is about dry-hopping. Would I need to rack to a secondary when dry-hopping or wait for fermentation to complete then dry-hop in the primary?

Many folks, including me dry hop in primary these days. I just wait til week 3 of my 4 week primary and drop them in.

 

[jdlev]

Many folks, including me dry hop in primary these days. I just wait til week 3 of my 4 week primary and drop them in.

Blasphemy!!!

 

[Revvy]

Blasphemy!!!

??? WTF ???

I wasn't the first on here to try it either....I was a late convert to trying it. In fact if you read my earliest posts on this subject from 5 years ago, I was saying that I racked only to dry hop...but that stopped at least 3 years ago...but why the "blashpemy" comment? Dryhopping is NOT a form of secondary fermentation...it's a form of ADDING AROMA to the beer.

 

[NorCalAdam]

Many folks, including me dry hop in primary these days. I just wait til week 3 of my 4 week primary and drop them in.

Awesome! I hate moving, cleaning and anything to do with the glass carboy. Going to be stocking up on some cheap plastics this weekend.
I got a 90 min in the primary that I was going to move Friday, so I will leave and dry hop later on.

Thanks for the quick response.

 

[pyrobrew]

Is four weeks in the primary for a cooper's kit with cooper's yeast a good idea?

From what I've read their yeast doesn't seem to be the greatest.

 

[Revvy]

Is four weeks in the primary for a cooper's kit with cooper's yeast a good idea?

From what I've read their yeast doesn't seem to be the greatest.

It's fine, it's one of the ways to improve the quality of the kit beer.

 

[pyrobrew]

It's fine, it's one of the ways to improve the quality of the kit beer.

Perfect thanks for the reply Revvy, that solves it for me

(After reading many posts on this forum I started to wonder if because it's just a cheap coopers kit it might be better not to let it sit too long in the primary.)

 

[mikeysab]

Coopers kits definitely need help, but their yeast is fine. I did three of them before switching to PM's, and they all tasted the same. Their fermenter is a great piece of equipment....best one I have.

 

[Toga]

You can produce drinkable beer with the coopers kits. I have done a few. I personally did not care for the ones I tried. The biggest upgrade on those kits is to swap out the yeast for a better yeast. Leave it in primary for a few weeks at least to let it clean up bottle it up and enjoy in a few weeks when fully carbed.

 

[timbudtwo]

Many folks, including me dry hop in primary these days. I just wait til week 3 of my 4 week primary and drop them in.

I am interested in dry hopping but I never rack to secondary. Will the hops settle in the primary bucket and be okay to rack straight to bottle? I don't want hops floating around in my brew once its bottled and ready for drinkin.

 

[lumpher]

if it's a type that needs secondarying, i go 3 weeks in primary

 

[Justibone]

I am interested in dry hopping but I never rack to secondary. Will the hops settle in the primary bucket and be okay to rack straight to bottle? I don't want hops floating around in my brew once its bottled and ready for drinkin.

You should generally not allow hops to go into the bottles. You can put a mesh bag as a filter over your siphon and siphon to your bottling bucket that way. The bag won't keep out yeast, but it will keep out the larger stuff like hops, raspberries, the Death Star... you know, stuff that might be in your secondary mixed with the trub.