Primary vs. Secondary fermentation

[mikeymac1183]

I am currently brewing a recipe that calls for after 5 days in the primary fermentation tank transfer it to the secondary. My question is, do I need a glass carboy or can I just another 7 gallon bucket? Also, probably a stupid question but does the secondary fermentation tank we'd the airlock ? I am assuming so....thanks for the help I am very new to brewing

 

[Molybedenum]

I wouldn't rack it at all, just leave it on the yeast for a few weeks.

 

[Revvy]

You don't need to rack to a secondary at all unless you are adding fruit or oak, few of use do these days, and opt for a month long primary instead.

I suggest you read THIS thread, it's become the "uber discussion" on this topic thread.

To Secondary or Not? John Palmer and Jamil Zainasheff Weigh In .


As to the vessel you use for secondary, you want less space in there then what is now, you want to eliminate headspace. That's why folks go from a 6.5 gallon bucket (with a gallon and a half of headspace) to a 5 gallon secondary vessel with no headspace beyond what's in the neck.

 

[mikeymac1183]

I am actually adding sweet and sour cherries after primary fermentation...sorry forgot to add.....thoughts?

 

[Revvy]

Then what I said about vessel size applies.

 

[OHIOSTEVE]

I would go by gravity rather than the 5 day arbitrary transfer. Keep in mind that yeast can take a while to actually start up. I think revvy has a sticky about it taking up to 72 hours. If that is the case then you would be transferring after only 2 days of actual fermentation.

 

[biestie]

The thing you need to understand as a new brewer, is if a recipe calls for you to do anything with regard to primary fermentation based on time, it's totally f'd. Most homebrewers including the experts have determined that secondaries aren't necessary, but it's still a legitimate practice if you choose to use it. On the other hand determining that primary fermentation is complete based on some arbitrary time, especially a time as short as 5 days, is a bad idea.

Edit... the post above beat me to it.

 

[Revvy]

Ohio and Bestie both nailed it.

If i do secondary or recommend it, I suggest folks wait til day 12 after yeast pitch to take their first grav reading, and then on day 14...if the grav reading is the same then they should go ahead to rack it. But most folks these days only use a secondary if they are adding oak or fruit.

If I were you I would take a grav reading after it's been in the fermenter for around 12 days...if it is at the gravit ythe recipe says it should be, I would wait another 2 days, and take another reading.

If the numbers are the same, meaning the yeast can't find anymore sugars to eat, then it is up to you whether you want to leave it in primary for a couple more weeks or rack it to a secondary.

Since you're adding fruit I'd rack it after 14 days IF fermentation was truly complete.

But it's best to just let the yeast do it's thing then take a gravity ready to let you know how far along it is.

 

[2brew1cup]

I would like to say that racking to a secondary is not only to add oak and fruit. Lets say you have a beer like a belgian strong, tripel, dubbel, anything thats going to take more than 2 month in its fermentation process. You want to get the beer off the proteins present in the trub. I actually rack most of my beet into secondarys. Call a local brewerys brew master and see what they have to say about its importance.

 

[Revvy]

I would like to say that racking to a secondary is not only to add oak and fruit. Lets say you have a beer l, like a belgian strong, tripel, dubbel, anything thats going to take more than 2 month in its fermentation process. You want to get the beer off the proteins present in the trub. I actually rack most of my beet into secondarys. Call a local brewerys brew master and see what they have to say about its importance.

True, and most of us do BULK AGE in a secondary or tertiary, for that matter. My 17.5% abv has been in tertiary for over a year. But when we're discussing this topic with a new brewer who's wondering about his 5% ale that the instructions say to rack after 7 days, we tend to stick wtih the more pertinent or relevent info to the thing at hand. I mean most of my long answers about it mention bulk aging. But it really didn't necessarily seem all that relevent to answering his immediate concern. As the convo expanded more than likely someone would pipe in, which you did.

 

[mikeymac1183]

Actually this is a 10.4% ale... A Mad Elf clone ....the recipe I am following is that of someone who has brewed it multiple times

 

[phish2160]

True, and most of us do BULK AGE in a secondary or tertiary, for that matter. My 17.5% abv has been in tertiary for over a year. But when we're discussing this topic with a new brewer who's wondering about his 5% ale that the instructions say to rack after 7 days, we tend to stick wtih the more pertinent or relevent info to the thing at hand. I mean most of my long answers about it mention bulk aging. But it really didn't necessarily seem all that relevent to answering his immediate concern. As the convo expanded more than likely someone would pipe in, which you did.

what 17.5% abv brew did u make? U have the recipe? Care to share?

 

[scoundrel]

what 17.5% abv brew did u make? U have the recipe? Care to share?

Actually this is a 10.4% ale... A Mad Elf clone ....the recipe I am following is that of someone who has brewed it multiple times

Yes please and the Mad Elf recipe too!!!

 

[mikeymac1183]

Feel free to email me at [email protected] for Mad Elf Recipe

 

[day_trippr]

Feel free to email me[...]

What, is it a double-secret clone recipe?
Why not just cut 'n' paste it here?

Cheers!

 

[mikeymac1183]

I have a hard copy of it....scanner/ printer is currently not working and it's much easier to type on pc then phone