Is it ok to move to secondary after one week?

[ThePonchoKid]

I did my first all grain biab last week and it was messy. Lots of hop pellet sediment gone in to the primary. The fermentation has slowed significantly. I can move it to secondary and leave it for another week or two before cold crash/kegging?

 

[OldBunny]

I've never found hop pellet residue to be a problem. In fact, I know a couple of brewers who don't make any effort to keep hop residue out of the fermenter and they brew great beer. I'd leave your wort in the primary until you've reached a stable FG and then rack, if you feel the need.

 

[Irish13]

I've never found hop pellet residue to be a problem. In fact, I know a couple of brewers who don't make any effort to keep hop residue out of the fermenter and they brew great beer. I'd leave your wort in the primary until you've reached a stable FG and then rack, if you feel the need.

Agreed. Residue shouldn't be a problem, even if you move to a secondary there will still be some that transfers over . I typically move to a secondary after fermentation is complete or once it's close to FG. Then I'll leave my brew in the secondary until I'm ready to bottle or keg.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I've never found hop pellet residue to be a problem. In fact, I know a couple of brewers who don't make any effort to keep hop residue out of the fermenter and they brew great beer. I'd leave your wort in the primary until you've reached a stable FG and then rack, if you feel the need.

+2

Definitely make sure you have a stable FG over a few days before moving it off of the yeast.

 

[brycelarson]

You'll hear plenty of suggestions to leave it in the primary - there's a significant movement going not to rack off at all until it's complete.

I personally like to move to a secondary - but you need to wait until it's nearly done. The only way to know what your beer is really doing is with gravity readings. Once it's stable over a few days - then rack to 2ndary if you choose to.

We can't tell you whether your beer is ready or not. I have a wheat going crazy in the basement right now - I fully expect it to be 90% complete in just a few days. I'll give it an extra week in the primary then it's going right into the kegs. I also have an ale going that I'm keeping cool that will be at about 4 weeks before I move it out of the primary into secondary. Apparent activity isn't good enough - you need to check the numbers to see when it's ready. Listen to your beer - it'll tell you what to do and when to do it.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

You'll hear plenty of suggestions to leave it in the primary - there's a significant movement going not to rack off at all until it's complete.

I personally like to move to a secondary - but you need to wait until it's nearly done. The only way to know what your beer is really doing is with gravity readings. Once it's stable over a few days - then rack to 2ndary if you choose to.

Yes, wait until you have a stable gravity reading, then it's ok to move. Before then, and you'll be moving the beer off of the yeast before the yeast is done fermenting the beer.... which, obviously, defeats the purpose.
I didn't notice anybody bringing up the "secondary or not" debate, but the "significant movement" to not secondary (bright tank) most beers is because most beers don't need a secondary vessel in which to become clear, so it's not worth the trouble or risk of moving it unnecessarily. Clarification happens just as well in the fermentation vessel, therefore, unless you're adding an ingredient post fermentation that benefits from being off of the yeast (dry hops, oak, etc.), or planning on aging the beer for an extended time, moving the beer to a secondary vessel (bright tank) isn't needed.

 

[KISS Brew]

Clarification happens just as well in the fermentation vessel, therefore, unless you're adding an ingredient post fermentation that benefits from being off of the yeast (dry hops, oak, etc.), or planning on aging the beer for an extended time, moving the beer to a secondary vessel (bright tank) isn't needed.

This has been my experience as well. As long as your gravity has stabilized, I also have no issue dry hopping in the primary.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I also have no issue dry hopping in the primary.

Me neither, I do it all the time. If I ferment in one of my buckets, and am using whole hops for dry hopping, I just open it up when the beer's ready and throw the hops in. If I'm fermenting in a carboy or using pellets for dry hopping, I'll rack to a secondary carboy already containing the dry hops. IME, pellets will stick in the trub in primary, and whole hops are a PITA to get into a carboy mouth, so I do my best not to have to try. Both ways work really well for me, YMMV.

 

[ThePonchoKid]

I usually do primary bucket with spigot anyhow, so I'll measure it up now, and leave it regardless for another week, and then cold crash to keg thanks for the input

 

[ThePonchoKid]

holy ****e this tastes good. marris otter centennial smash w/ us 05, og 1048, current 1013

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

holy ****e this tastes good. marris otter centennial smash w/ us 05, og 1048, current 1013

That'll be a good beer!!