In Defense of a Secondary

[Microscopist]

I used to think I used a secondary until I started reading this thread!
My brews typically spend 7-14 days in primary and get transferred to a poly keg when I reckon they're a few points off final gravity. I let gas pressure build up in the keg and leave the brew for 4-6 weeks ( or longer - six months for some } to mature and drop bright. We'll then usually drink the first eight pints on draught - which is when the pressure runs out. The remaineder then gets bottled.
So I guess it's only a secondary for the bottled stuff.....

 

[sudbuster]

So, I am seeing more and more that veteran homebrewers shun the secondary fermentor, and maybe one day I will, too, but here is why I always use one.

There are two reasons, and it's actually more of a 1a and 1b.

It all comes down to my set up.

I have a 5 gallon carboy and a 3 gallon carboy.

I make 3 gallon AG batches.

I use the 5 gallon as my primary so I leave space for an active fermentation
and move to the 3 gallon for further conditioning and to reduce headspace once most of the fermentation is complete, usually about 2 weeks.

The other reason, also related to setup, is that I want that beer the hell out of my primary so I can brew another batch! At the pace I drink, 3 gallons lasts about two weeks (A respectable 2.29 beers a day average).

So with my current setup, I brew a new batch every two weeks, which requires me to use a secondary. Whenever I expand my setup, I may do away with it, but for now, it is the best thing for me.

Yeah, here we go on another secondary, no secondary round. From my experience, a secondary won't hurt you, but, depending on the brew, it may be necessary. I brew lagers 90%. A lager will pick up a "yeast flavour" if left on the yeast too long. I move my beers when and where I like at any time I choose by pushing with c02 into a co2 filled vessel. No worries, founded or not, about oxidation etc. There are those that cause a big, loud, and repugnant ballihue about not using a secondary. That is up to them, they are all ale brewers. Secondaries, tertiaries, etc all have there place in brewing a good beer. My advice, from making this stuff for over 30 years, is do what works for you and don't pay attention to the newest fad from new comers.

 

[gfinockio]

I should have noted this on the first post, I have an extremely cheap wife that does not support my brewing hobby, so I can not purchase another primary at this time. Am I the only one with a wife that hates this hobby?

Easy solution - get a new wife.

 

[KendallAdkins]

Easy solution - get a new wife.

Lol. She's really a lovely woman that keeps me out of trouble. Just doesn't like beer or spending "unnecessary" money.

 

[gfinockio]

Lol. She's really a lovely woman that keeps me out of trouble. Just doesn't like beer or spending "unnecessary" money.

I don't understand - beer is "necessary". Very confusing.

Do what I did - brew a kombucha for her. Tell her Gwyneth Paltrow swears by it. Do this every 6 months or so, in between beer brews. She'll accept your "hobby" then.

 

[Jsamp]

Tell her you will stop giving her the D if she doesnt let you get a new bucket.

 

[KendallAdkins]

Tell her you will stop giving her the D if she doesnt let you get a new bucket.

Haha. I don't like buckets. If I wanted a bucket, I would spend $2.85 at Home Depot, drill out a hole for a grommet and airlock and call it a day. I like glass.

 

[moreb33rplz]

With my process a secondary always gives me a clearer beer. But I have a bad process.

 

[Jsamp]

Haha. I don't like buckets. If I wanted a bucket, I would spend $2.85 at Home Depot, drill out a hole for a grommet and airlock and call it a day. I like glass.

I agree with your wife. Glass is an unnecessary cost. Lol

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Lol. She's really a lovely woman that keeps me out of trouble. Just doesn't like beer or spending "unnecessary" money.

Tell her the rock she's wearing on her left hand was enough "unnecessary" spending to cover your brewing hobby and then some!

 

[KendallAdkins]

Tell her the rock she's wearing on her left hand was enough "unnecessary" spending to cover your brewing hobby and then some!

I mean that sounds good from a man point of view. Not sure she would take it so well.

 

[KendallAdkins]

I agree with your wife. Glass is an unnecessary cost. Lol

This has nothing to do with beer, I just wanted to quote you so you would see it. Where do you live in WV? I grew up in the Huntington area.

 

[Jsamp]

This has nothing to do with beer, I just wanted to quote you so you would see it. Where do you live in WV? I grew up in the Huntington area.

Parkersburg.

 

[KendallAdkins]

Parkersburg.

Cool. I went to Spring Valley. We used to play you guys all the time.

 

[Jsamp]

Cool. I went to Spring Valley. We used to play you guys all the time.

I graduated from PHS in 2000.

 

[KendallAdkins]

I graduated from PHS in 2000.

07 for me.

 

[zoonose]

Word. It seems like "buckets are cheap" is the resounding chorus in this thread.

I get mine for free at a local bakery. She throws away more than I could ever use.

 

[KendallAdkins]

Word. It seems like "buckets are cheap" is the resounding chorus in this thread.

I love buckets for lots of things. Bottling, holding sanitizer, crushing grain into, bulk grain storage, a chair... Just not fermenting. I think I just have a negative attitude towards them because the only batch I've ever done in a bucket got infected, which was probably my fault. Still, can't shake the opinion.

 

[podz]

I think I just have a negative attitude towards them because the only batch I've ever done in a bucket got infected, which was probably my fault. Still, can't shake the opinion.

Good thing is that they are all sorts of products available, so you have a choice.

If you ever try to make raspberry wine, for example, you'll quickly find that it's wholly impossible to fit a mesh bag containing 15 pounds of berries down the relatively tiny neck of a glass fermentation vessel. If you don't like plastic, you could even do primary in a large brew kettle - there's really no need for an airlock until you transfer to secondary.

 

[Teromous]

there's really no need for an airlock until you transfer to secondary.

Unless you discover that a mischievous group of ants are performing recon inside your fermentation fridge to assault a giant malty vessel of goodness. I'd rather have an airlock on than leave it open as an ant cliff diving ledge. I am continually amazed at how resourceful they are at getting into places.

 

[Clef051]

I first quite using secondary, then glass for the most part. It has made brewing so much easier. Cleaning, adding dry hops, yeast harvesting are all easier with buckets. I only use glass now for sours.

 

[podz]

Unless you discover that a mischievous group of ants are performing recon inside your fermentation fridge to assault a giant malty vessel of goodness. I'd rather have an airlock on than leave it open as an ant cliff diving ledge. I am continually amazed at how resourceful they are at getting into places.

Why do you have ants inside of your house to begin with?

 

[MaddBaggins]

Why do you have ants inside of your house to begin with?

Lol.
If I leave something sticky and sweet exposed, I will definitely get ants in my house. They find a way in, just like the scorpions and crickets do.


Sent from my magic box, using only my thumbs.

 

[dobes]

I brew 10 gallon batches. Sometimes I use a secondary sometimes I don't. I like to experiment so I might split my primary into 2 secondaries and use 2 different hops to dry hop with. I might split a stout and add coffee to one and not the other. I've racked from my primary to a keg and the other to a secondary for many reasons. I like to do this just to see the differences in the beers with only a change or two.
Since I started doing this I never noticed no infection or oxidation in my beers. (I do purge my carboys with CO2)I think with good transfer and sanitation practices secondaries are fine. As far as them being necessary I would say no unless you are doing comparisons as I like to do or long term aging of your beers.

 

[ol-hazza]

So when lagering most would advise racking to secondary?

 

[Teromous]

Why do you have ants inside of your house to begin with?

I don't know...those sneaky bastards can get in anywhere. The other day I found them crawling into my outdoor electrical socket that even had spring-sealed metal weather covers over it.

 

[LLBeanJ]

So when lagering most would advise racking to secondary?

Yes. Or racking to a keg. Kegs makes for great lagering vessels, which means for those who keg and don't normally secondary, there's no difference in process between brewing ales and lagers.

 

[GCPHomebrew]

I'm going to have to agree with Adam. We go all out in brewing in all areasthen back off the secondary. Yeast starters, oxygen injectors, filters, ferm chambers etc. It's all added details to a simple task. In simplicity brewers, as with chefs, find complexity. When I started I was doing what the OP was doing. I was taking three weeks to bottle . 2 in the primary 1 in the second. That's with 2 primary's 1 secondary and brewing almost every week. I think secondary is useful and can be worthwhile. It should not be discarded as worthless. It should be thought of as something that takes some knowledge and care to do well and get benefits from. That being said I have been experimenting with primary only ie: 2 weeks primary cold crash 3 days, dry hop room temp 3 days, cold crash them keg and am pleased with the beer. But I will still secondary again. It will not leave my tool chest!


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[chawn]

The bottom line: your beer will have far less sediment with a secondary.

 

[jbaysurfer]

Ah, the old oxidation bogeyman. Is fear of "oxidation" really still a thing?

Oxidation is not a boogie man. Try judging a flight of beers in a big homebrew contest. It's one of the most common defects found in homebrew.