Secondary Fermentation Timeline/Conditioning

[theelement6]

Hello all,

My first secondary-fermentation brew (a pumpkin ale) is nearing the end of its first week in secondary. Couple of questions here:

- Does waiting longer in secondary add anything to the beer?

- Is it better to spend more time conditioning in the bottle after carbonating (>1 mo.) or more time in the secondary (>1 wk)? Or both?

Thanks!

 

[Bensiff]

Secondaries are pretty much pointless for most all brews you will do. All waiting around in a secondary will do is clear the beer out more which it will do just the same in a bottle.

 

[lebucheron]

Sticky!
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/when-go-primary-secondary-if-all-43014/

 

[theelement6]

Sticky!
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/when-go-primary-secondary-if-all-43014/

Thanks for the sticky, but it didn't really give me the answer I was looking for. When the beer is conditioning, the flavors are coming together in the bottle. When clearing in the secondary, is there any added taste benefit to spending extra time in the secondary carboy prior to bottling for the standard month time period?

 

[helibrewer]

Was the pumpkin added during secondary? IF so, then additional time in bulk aging will enhance the pumpkin character. The other benefit of extended time there is for flavor development and clearing. It will clear in the bottle but that's just more crap settling in the bottle.

If you are happy with the taste, then go ahead and package, letting the beer condition a few weeks around 70F or so before refrigerating.

 

[RM-MN]

Conditioning of the beer happens with time, not the container it is in. Leaving it in the secondary will condition it and will let more yeast drop out of suspension so you won't have as much to settle in the bottle. Either way will make good beer.

 

[Jaehnig]

I am also brewing a pumpkin ale and am wondering the conditioning times in the primary, secondary as well as the bottle before it will be ready for proper drinking. I don't have any idea on this since this is my first beer and have altered an autumn amber ale recipe kit to brew this. (easy transition since many of the same ingredients) thank you.

V/R,
BrewTech

 

[sww35]

I got a side question at ask kind of to tied to this point. I want to filter the beer through a strainer as I transfer it to my secondary. However, I have concerns about doing this for I suspect it will trap some yeast in the strainer and out of the beer and actually impact the development of the beer from doing this?

 

[beerman0001]

I got a side question at ask kind of to tied to this point. I want to filter the beer through a strainer as I transfer it to my secondary. However, I have concerns about doing this for I suspect it will trap some yeast in the strainer and out of the beer and actually impact the development of the beer from doing this?

Please never do this. It will oxygenate the beer, you don't want that after fermentation.

 

[sww35]

Care to share why this would be a bad thing? Not sure I understand?

 

[beerman0001]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Oxidation