Primary vs. secondary

[brewtx]

I don't have my fermenter with me. I brewed this batch at home and went back to college. Is it vital that I rack to a secondary? It's an AHS Texas blonde. Would it be okay if I left it in the primary or should I drive back and move it to a secondary? Thank you.

 

[heyblinkin]

Leave it in the primary. Unless you are planning on dry hopping, adding fruit/spices, or aging for an extended period of time, there is no real advantage to using a secondary.

 

[rbenn]

It will not harm your beer taste to leave it in the primary. I usually only rack to secondary for dry hopping or to slightly filter the beer by removing it from all the trub and hops.

 

[Darwin18]

There is a thread by this same name floating out there. If you do a search for it you'll come across. Lots of opinions but in the end they all make beer.

 

[LLBeanJ]

Not vital at all. In fact, mostly unnecessary, unless you have a good reason, such as the ones that heyblinkin mentioned. Some folks like to use a secondary to let their beer clear, which in that case it's not really a secondary at all, but there are many of us who don't bother with it and view transferrig to a clearing vessel as having more potential risks/downsides than benefits.

 

[finigan4710]

Can you secondary ferment ales also?

 

[BansheeRider]

Can you secondary ferment ales also?

Yes, but all fermentation should be completed before racking to secondary.