Secondary Fermentation - what's the story?

[benoj]

Hi All,

I've brewed a couple of beers now but have only ever done fermentation in one vessel. I keep seeing things popping up about primary/secondary fermentation. AFAIK it seems that secondary fermentation is moving the beer from the first vessel to a second. What is the benefit of doing this, I am seeing mixed messages online about whether this is necessary or not (It _seems_ like this may have gone out of fashion now?)

Thanks,

Ben

 

[madscientist451]

Its an old school technique that you can skip unless you want to add fruit or are adding something to make a sour beer.

 

[RM-MN]

It's only a secondary fermentation if you add something to the beer that is fermentable. Things like fruit or honey would fit this. Otherwise it can be counterproductive to move the beer unless you are a large brewery. The large breweries move the beer out of the primary because they can get yeast autolysis from the huge amount of yeast that settles in the bottom of their conical fermenters if left too long and they need the fermenter available for the next batch. As a homebrewer you won't have batches big enough to worry about yeast autolysis and if you need a fermenter for the next batch you just buy another plastic bucket and lid.

 

[Tall_Yotie]

Going to repeat what was said above.

This used to be the way to do it when I started about 20ish years ago. Since then people have been doing their own research and finding out that they shouldn't blindly follow advice repeated from a 90's brewing book and instead go with tested results.

Some examples of things proven wrong:

-"You need a secondary fermentation vessel". Nope, just adds a chance to oxidize or infect your beer. No benefit, even some people argue it isn't necessary when adding fruit or other items. Does not improve final clarity or flavor.
-"Cane sugar makes you beer taste cidery". Crappy yeast that can with canned extract with infused hops (brew in a can stuff) makes bad flavors, people added sugar to increase ABV, and they blamed the sugar on the bad flavors.
-"You have to transfer your beer so the yeast doesn't go off / go cannibalistic". They say not to leave beer on yeast for more than a few weeks. Myself and many others have left beer on yeast for months on end with no negative results. The concern of this also requires yeast under pressure, but that would be a concern when you are brewing 75 barrels, not 1/6bbl.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

I keep seeing things popping up about primary/secondary fermentation.

May 2010: To Secondary or Not? John Palmer and Jamil Zainasheff Weigh In

March 2013: Ask the Experts: John Palmer

 

[Calder]

I am one of those Dinosaurs that still use a secondary fermenter. I consider it to be a second fermenter rather than a secondary fermentation.

I started when it was the recommended process, probably because brewing practices and the available yeast made it necessary to move the beer off the yeast. Cleanliness, yeast and many other things have improved over the years, and I agree that unless someone has a reason to move to a secondary fermenter, they should leave it and only use a single vessel for the complete ferment.

I do not move every beer to a secondary, but I do it for most. The main reason is to collect a clean yeast slurry to be available for a subsequent beer. I filter my wort thru a mesh screen to minimize gunk in the fermenter, and then rack to secondary to collect 'clean' slurry before adding anything to the beer, such as; gelatin (every beer - Allergies prevent using Irish moss), hops, oak, fruit, etc.

I have a reason to rack many of my beers to secondary, and as part of my recipes, I include a small amount of additional sugars (sugar or extract) to be added in the secondary to try and offset any oxidation.

Again, if you do not have a reason to move the beer to a secondary fermenter, then don't.