OK so don't secondary ferment! But now What?

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You wouldn't get the backlash if you're response wasn't a little jab at what other people chose to do w/ their life or money.

Person asks a question. I am not allowed to answer? Yes, yes I am. Not a jab when someone asks for opinions.

Carry on!
 
Just re-posting this question to bring it to the current page...
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Looking for some advice for my specific situation: I am fermenting in essentially a bottling bucket (7.9g bucket w/spigot), and it is fairly opaque so it is a bit difficult to see inside. Also, when I transferred the boiled wort into the bucket/fermenter on brew day, I was lacking a strainer, so all the hops & hot break material was transferred into the fermenter as well. (Details of the brew, aal-grain IPA, 1.068 OG, w/ 5oz hops.) Would transferring to a secondary help much? The spigot is low enough that a bunch of the trub will likely come through when transferring...in my guess anyway. Also, when using a fermentor w/spigot to transfer, does tipping help at all? (Doesn't seem like it would really.)

You input is appreciated!

For the record, this is what I am using to ferment (with spigot attached)
http://www.homebrewing.org/30L-HDPE-...al_p_5834.html

(Thanks again!)
 
Looking for some advice for my specific situation: I am fermenting in essentially a bottling bucket (7.9g bucket w/spigot), and it is fairly opaque so it is a bit difficult to see inside. Also, when I transferred the boiled wort into the bucket/fermenter on brew day, I was lacking a strainer, so all the hops & hot break material was transferred into the fermenter as well. (Details of the brew, aal-grain IPA, 1.068 OG, w/ 5oz hops.) Would transferring to a secondary help much? The spigot is low enough that a bunch of the trub will likely come through when transferring...in my guess anyway. Also, when using a fermentor w/spigot to transfer, does tipping help at all? (Doesn't seem like it would really.)

You input is appreciated! :)

For the record, this is what I am using to ferment (with spigot attached)
http://www.homebrewing.org/30L-HDPE-Fermenter-79-gal_p_5834.html



I ferment in 10L plastic jerry cans, with spigot. Initially I bottled straight from the spigot but found I got less trub and more consistent carbonation using a bottling bucket(those last few bottles got a lot of yeast). I used to put a block of wood under the spigot to keep the trub away too, this might help you now.
An auto siphon is a huge help for transfer (both from kettle and to the bottling bucket).
 
I ferment in 10L plastic jerry cans, with spigot. Initially I bottled straight from the spigot but found I got less trub and more consistent carbonation using a bottling bucket(those last few bottles got a lot of yeast). I used to put a block of wood under the spigot to keep the trub away too, this might help you now.
An auto siphon is a huge help for transfer (both from kettle and to the bottling bucket).
I had planned on transferring to a bottling bucket regardless of whether or not I transferred to a secondary fermenter. My question really pertains more to whether or not I would see much benefit in doing a secondary in this particular case.
 
Looking for some advice for my specific situation: I am fermenting in essentially a bottling bucket (7.9g bucket w/spigot), and it is fairly opaque so it is a bit difficult to see inside. Also, when I transferred the boiled wort into the bucket/fermenter on brew day, I was lacking a strainer, so all the hops & hot break material was transferred into the fermenter as well. (Details of the brew, aal-grain IPA, 1.068 OG, w/ 5oz hops.) Would transferring to a secondary help much? The spigot is low enough that a bunch of the trub will likely come through when transferring...in my guess anyway. Also, when using a fermentor w/spigot to transfer, does tipping help at all? (Doesn't seem like it would really.)

You input is appreciated! :)

For the record, this is what I am using to ferment (with spigot attached)
http://www.homebrewing.org/30L-HDPE-Fermenter-79-gal_p_5834.html

This answer is for the OP as well.

I didn't look at your bucket link but "all" my buckets are bottling buckets so technically I do exactly what your asking. I dont use a racking cane either and I don't really care how much junk from my boil kettle gets into my primary. I have a Bazooka screen on that and what ever gets through gets through.
So if I don't use a racking cane and Im not concerned with what gets in my fermentation bucket what do I do?
Well I also over brew a bit..5.5 gallons to be exact....that is my bottling target so I have a bit to wast if I care to... I then lean my bucket back just a tad as others have suggested except I lean it backwards the other way away from the valve maybe a 1/2" is all. Then I just take a section of sterilized hose and stick on the bucket valve and let the whole bucket drain into another clean bottling bucket after pulling maybe 1/2 to a full bottle and tossing it, just to make sure things are flowing clean....Why do I do this you might ask...because when I stir my priming sugar in I don't want to disrupt all the yeast and trub I let settle out for 2 weeks....That's the only reason. I could use tablets and forgo even this step but I don't like messing around with them and possibly missing or double tabing a bottle.
What very little yeast I get in my finished bottles doesn't bother a thing unless you shake the bottle to disturb it. Then the beer can be a tad cloudy. I just pour slow and leave an ever so tiny bit of dregs in the bottle to be rinsed out.

I'm all about two things 1) Simplicity and 2) Getting down to as few things touching my beer as possible.
I do still have one step that could be eliminated ..but any infections I have ever gotten has happened before bottling, not during or in the bottle itself.. so Its working just fine.

IMG_1637.JPG
 
Person asks a question. I am not allowed to answer? Yes, yes I am. Not a jab when someone asks for opinions.

Carry on!

What was the question you were asked let alone answered ?
You're only response in this thread has essentially been directed at me.
I didn't see you offer any helpful advice,just chimed in to mention that kegging was a waste,opinion yes but nobody asked for it.
It is a bit of a jab to those that keg as you apparently view it as a waste of ones money,something I think we're all capable of spending the way we see fit.
Did I P.M. you randomly and say it's time to throw out your bottles and start kegging?
Did anyone ever say to quit bottling? No,No they did not...
 
Just read the first page and I'm surprised at how many start high and slowly lower. When I used a bucket (in conical now) I would push the cane down to the bottom (gently and slowly when approaching the bottom) and then pull up a bit, THEN start racking. The amount I pulled up depended on:
Did I filter into the bucket? If so, up a 1/2" or less, can even be on bottom!
If I dry hopped direct (not in muslin bag or paint strainer bag) I used to do that, then I'd pull up about an inch or so.
You just keep watch on the tube, if it gets cloudy pull up, as you get near the end, you push down until it gets cloudy.

As for the poster on p1 who said that's what the space on the bottling bucket below the siphon is for, I say Baloney! Use a dip tube. Oh yes, make one before you bottle your first beer, read up on it here, it is one of the best bottling tips ever!

Cheers!
 
Have people here found that they have problems keeping the grub from being siphoned when they have a low-flocculant yeast?


Just bought a filter because I'm sick of it. I know bending the dip tube or making a floating one will help. I will see how I like the filter.
 
Unless i have a ton of turb, I just drop the autosiphion to the bottom once I get it started.... It will create a divot in the turb then all clean clear beer - if you leave it be. When bottling, I just label the last few bottles as such, as they tend to have a bit more sediment...

As for the primary only vs secondary debate, I have made good to excellent beer both ways.....also have made ok to bad beer both ways.....lately I have tended towards the single fermenter out of laziness and the desire to keep things simple stupid - KISS. I use secondary if I need to free up a fermenting bucket, or If I know it will be hanging out there for a while (have had a bad beer experience after letting one sit on the yeast for a coupple months)
 
I have found that the curve at the bottom of your carboy will make the very center have a lot less trub. You should be able to just hold it steady right above trub line.
1xq0n
1xpjb
 
I also use a 2ndary, and i bottle ... i feel so cheap ... :smack:
Also where can i get one of those clips for the auto siphon ?? ... :beard:
 
I also use a 2ndary, and i bottle ... i feel so cheap ... :smack:
Also where can i get one of those clips for the auto siphon ?? ... :beard:

You can probably get one at any LHBS, or order it online from any one. They're really cheap and very heplful. I must have done 15-20 batches without and you're standing there holding the thing while you could be doing something else. I guess you could call it the 'hands free' method of siphoning.

I also secondary :), but I have switched to kegging and if it's something you're pondering, I well recommend it!
 
Looking for some advice for my specific situation: I am fermenting in essentially a bottling bucket (7.9g bucket w/spigot), and it is fairly opaque so it is a bit difficult to see inside. Also, when I transferred the boiled wort into the bucket/fermenter on brew day, I was lacking a strainer, so all the hops & hot break material was transferred into the fermenter as well. (Details of the brew, aal-grain IPA, 1.068 OG, w/ 5oz hops.) Would transferring to a secondary help much? The spigot is low enough that a bunch of the trub will likely come through when transferring...in my guess anyway. Also, when using a fermentor w/spigot to transfer, does tipping help at all? (Doesn't seem like it would really.)

You input is appreciated! :)

For the record, this is what I am using to ferment (with spigot attached)
http://www.homebrewing.org/30L-HDPE-Fermenter-79-gal_p_5834.html

I transfer all the trub from the kettle to the fermenter. After siphoning to the bottling bucket, it doesn't look like enough trub left to go up to the spigot - so I think you'll be ok.

But just in case, maybe you could keep your fermenter tilted away from the spigot just a little while it's fermenting to end up with less trub on the spigot side of the bucket.

Another option - on bottling day, open the spigot and run any sediment into a waste container until it runs clear.

(I haven't tried exactly what you're doing, so I'm only making guesses.)
 
I transfer all the trub from the kettle to the fermenter. After siphoning to the bottling bucket, it doesn't look like enough trub left to go up to the spigot - so I think you'll be ok.

But just in case, maybe you could keep your fermenter tilted away from the spigot just a little while it's fermenting to end up with less trub on the spigot side of the bucket.

Another option - on bottling day, open the spigot and run any sediment into a waste container until it runs clear.

(I haven't tried exactly what you're doing, so I'm only making guesses.)
Yeah, I have it slightly tilted now, but there is a lot of trub and some is already partially covering the spigot...so, like you said, I had figured that I would release some (on bottling day) as waste, prior to transferring into the bottling bucket.
 
Last year I was bottling an amber and the last 6 bottles had an incredible amount of sediment. I set that 6 pack aside and forgot about it. After the first 48 bottles were gone it had been about 2 months and I was down to just that six pack filled with gunk (yeast trub etc). The last 6 bottles ended up pouring the clearest and were the tastiest.

So the point is give it time and it wont matter, at least in my experience. I haven't cared about trub or any unruly yeast since, if things get a little cloudy set that 6 pack aside and it will be fine.
 
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