If you ferment in a conical with a bottom mount spigot...

[krausenmustache]

Do you need to rack to a secondary?

Now for the sake of this topic, lets assume that we all rack to a secondary for the purpose of removing the trub/yeast.

Assuming that, could you just drain the trub and continue with conditioning/fermentation? maybe even pop the top and toss in an oz of hops?

 

[khiddy]

Leave it in the conical, and drop the trub out of the bottom spigot. That's the main advantage of a conical, so that you don't have to rack it to anything else during the process, which means less chance of contamination or oxygenation.

Of course, that means that you tie up your conical with a single batch of beer for 3 weeks or more at a time, which is why I plan to make quick-turnaround beers in it, rather than long-aging brews. Hefe/American Wheat: yes. Barleywine: no.

 

[krausenmustache]

Leave it in the conical, and drop the trub out of the bottom spigot. That's the main advantage of a conical, so that you don't have to rack it to anything else during the process, which means less chance of contamination or oxygenation.

Of course, that means that you tie up your conical with a single batch of beer for 3 weeks or more at a time, which is why I plan to make quick-turnaround beers in it, rather than long-aging brews. Hefe/American Wheat: yes. Barleywine: no.

or get two conicals

 

[ChshreCat]

or get two conicals

But then after two batches are in, then they're both tied up. What do you...

Oh yeah...

Get three conicals.

 

[krausenmustache]

But then after two batches are in, then they're both tied up. What do you...

Oh yeah...

Get three conicals.

now youve got it

 

[Jipper]

Do you need to rack to a secondary?

Now for the sake of this topic, lets assume that we all rack to a secondary for the purpose of removing the trub/yeast.

Assuming that, could you just drain the trub and continue with conditioning/fermentation? maybe even pop the top and toss in an oz of hops?

No, you don't need to rack to secondary for most beers. The yeast don't know if there are any other yeast at the bottom and will not drop faster if the trub is pulled out.

I pump into my conical, take my readings, rinse out my pump, oxygenate and then dump some trub before pitching. Then I dump again 2-3 days later, then again 7-8 days later, and once more before kegging. No racking needed.