One gallon batch. Secondary or no?

[linusstick]

Years ago with my five gallon batches I stopped racking to a secondary and noticed no quality difference. I just started brewing again this month and have two batches in primary. I was going to rack to a secondary tonight and wondered if I should even bother? I just wonder with such a small amount of beer if it might be more beneficial because the trub to beer surface seems more exposed than a big batch. Does that make any sense or should I continue on my primary only route? I'm wondering if the small size makes it needed more or makes it more irrelevant

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I'd let it ride... Unless perhaps it is something you are going to not package soon.

 

[Cyclman]

I wouldn't.

 

[kh54s10]

IMO, it is wiser to use primary only. Unless you have a way to get almost all of the beer transferred, you will lose some doing the secondary and then lose more when transferring to your bottling bucket. Or just by bottling. Leave out a step and lose less beer.

 

[InLimbo]

To add to everyone else, I vote no secondary but for a different reason: risk of oxidation. 1 gallon of beer is a relatively small body of mass, it'd only take a little bit of oxidation to affect such a small batch size. I wouldn't risk it.

 

[Revvy]

With a one gallon batch you have the ability to do what not a lot of brewers can do easily with larger batches, one of the best things we can do towards beer clarity, and you can do it in your Fridge... And it won't result in loss of precious beer or risk oxidation.

Two Words...

Cold Crash.

 

[linusstick]

To add to everyone else, I vote no secondary but for a different reason: risk of oxidation. 1 gallon of beer is a relatively small body of mass, it'd only take a little bit of oxidation to affect such a small batch size. I wouldn't risk it.

I'm going to do a gravity reading on Sunday. I didn't think about the small body of mass and oxidation. If I just pull lid open halfway to get the dropper in and close it again, would that be something to avoid? I'm so used to regular sized batches that I'm starting to think small batches are less time consuming but more of a chore.

 

[Revvy]

I'm going to do a gravity reading on Sunday. I didn't think about the small body of mass and oxidation. If I just pull lid open halfway to get the dropper in and close it again, would that be something to avoid? I'm so used to regular sized batches that I'm starting to think small batches are less time consuming but more of a chore.

The disruption to take a gravity reading and the disruption to actually physically move the beer from one container to another are the difference between skiing the bunny hill and skiing Mount Everest. Take a reading if you feel the need. It's the one thing we tell people is the best tool a brewer SHOULD have in their arsenal, yet it seems the one people seem to have the most resistance too....

Though honestly, if you're not moving the beer, and are leaving it for a length of time beyond fermentation to condition, then really why do you need a gravity reading at all? You're not needing it to KNOW if it's time to move the beer, so why take it at this point? If it's soley for ABV purposes, and you're familiar with the yeast, and have made similar beers with that grain bill, the just "fudge" what the abv is, just approximate it. You don't have to report this beer's ABV to any authority like a commercial brewery does.

A gravity reading is a diagnostic tool... and something to help nervous new brewers know that if airlocks don't bubble it doesn't mean their beer isn't fermenting... but you've probably been brewing long enough to know that you can trust yeast to do their job... so trust it.

The only reason small batches seem like a chore is because you're making it so by overthinking this stuff, we're making beer, not performing brain surgery.

Relax, remember.

 

[beerguyfrmsd]

Years ago with my five gallon batches I stopped racking to a secondary and noticed no quality difference. I just started brewing again this month and have two batches in primary. I was going to rack to a secondary tonight and wondered if I should even bother? I just wonder with such a small amount of beer if it might be more beneficial because the trub to beer surface seems more exposed than a big batch. Does that make any sense or should I continue on my primary only route? I'm wondering if the small size makes it needed more or makes it more irrelevant

Since your dealing with only a 1 gallon batch I would say No. Racking to secondary will risk losing even more volume when racking from secondary to bottling, and risk of oxidation, and more work that is not needed. Just relax and enjoy the primary brotha

 

[GrimBrewer]

Stay in primary. Normal ale will take max of three weeks to ferment and condition which is fine for a bucket. Take as much readings at start of new technique or yeast type. Once you know the yeast and temp in your system you can start skipping readings.

And yea, google cold crashing.