Secondary fermentation

[rtstrider]

Hello fellow brewers! Per my previous thread I purchased the beer kit

http://www.brewersbestkits.com/pdf/1051 2016 Witbier Recipe.pdf

This is my first brew ever and I'm not even close to expecting perfection. This is more of a go through the motions and get the feel for it. My wort is actively fermenting. Do I need to do the secondary fermentation or is that more of a recommendation? I would like to bottle and enjoy the brew sooner rather than later being this is the first go around. If it is really needed then I'll go ahead and do it but I wanted the more experienced take on this.

 

[LLBeanJ]

Nobody does that anymore. Okay, that's not true, some still do, but the trend seems to be away from doing a secondary unless it's really needed (and if you don't know why you need one, then you likely don't). I certainly wouldn't bother with it.

 

[govner1]

Nobody does that anymore. Okay, that's not true, some still do, but the trend seems to be away from doing a secondary unless it's really needed (and if you don't know why you need one, then you likely don't). I certainly wouldn't bother with it.

I think stating "Nobody does that anymore" is at best a broad generalization & assumption on your part that you enjoy an omniscient view of home brewing!
I for one use secondary 90+% of the time. Not only for clearing, degassing, but dry hopping and/or flavor & spice additions.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Absolutely zero people do secondary anymore. None, zip, nada, zilch, nil, nobody, nix, nought, no one, not a bit, ever. Or what @LLBeanJ said.

Any additions that need to be made can be done in primary. There's no reason to complicate the process yet unless you really like cleaning and sanitizing twice as much equipment.

 

[PlaugeOnWheels]

You might as well just rack it into a toilet for your secondary fermentation. The result would be the same.

 

[LLBeanJ]

You might as well just rack it into a toilet for your secondary fermentation. The result would be the same.

That's where it all ends up eventually, amirite? Well, sometimes it might end up on a bush on the side of the road, but usually it goes in the toilet.

 

[kh54s10]

I think stating "Nobody does that anymore" is at best a broad generalization & assumption on your part that you enjoy an omniscient view of home brewing!
I for one use secondary 90+% of the time. Not only for clearing, degassing, but dry hopping and/or flavor & spice additions.

Did you read his whole post. He did state that some cling to outdated processes. The beer will clear just fine in primary, What the heck is degassing in the making of beer? Add the dry hop or spices to primary.

Eliminate the extra step and the chance of contamination due to taking that step.

But if you really want to do a secondary, that is acceptable.

 

[rtstrider]

Good deal! So if I understand this correctly measure the gravity a couple of days in a row after the airlock shows no signs of activity? If the gravity stays the same for those few days then it's bottling time?

 

[LLBeanJ]

Good deal! So if I understand this correctly measure the gravity a couple of days in a row after the airlock shows no signs of activity? If the gravity stays the same for those few days then it's bottling time?

Yes, that would be accurate, particularly if you were going to keg it; however, since you're bottling, you may want to give it an extra week in primary to clear and to make certain that it really is finished.

 

[kh54s10]

Good deal! So if I understand this correctly measure the gravity a couple of days in a row after the airlock shows no signs of activity? If the gravity stays the same for those few days then it's bottling time?

Right, but do not rush it. Keep the fermentation temperature controlled to the mid sixties. The fermentation might take longer than the visible signs.

I would go 10-14 days before taking your first gravity reading. The shortest I have done is 14 days, took one reading at the gravity I was expecting, then kegged.

With bottles this could be risky, if FG has not been reached there could be fermentation in the bottles causing bottle bombs.

 

[govner1]

Absolutely zero people do secondary anymore. None, zip, nada, zilch, nil, nobody, nix, nought, no one, not a bit, ever. Or what @LLBeanJ said.

Any additions that need to be made can be done in primary. There's no reason to complicate the process yet unless you really like cleaning and sanitizing twice as much equipment.

Funny, I do along with quite a few of the guys I brew with!

 

[brandonlovesbeer]

2ndary has been proven over and over to not be necessary.
Mostly unless you are going to be doing some sort of longer term aging or adding other ingredients.

I never do secondary. Unless I'm planning to add oak chips or something like that.

 

[jan_b19]

Hello fellow brewers! Per my previous thread I purchased the beer kit

http://www.brewersbestkits.com/pdf/1051 2016 Witbier Recipe.pdf

This is my first brew ever and I'm not even close to expecting perfection. This is more of a go through the motions and get the feel for it. My wort is actively fermenting. Do I need to do the secondary fermentation or is that more of a recommendation? I would like to bottle and enjoy the brew sooner rather than later being this is the first go around. If it is really needed then I'll go ahead and do it but I wanted the more experienced take on this.

The only reasons people do secondaries is either to get it of the dead yeast if the beer has to lager or condition(or if they add fruit puree for fruit beers). If the beer has to sit for a extended period of time (2-3 months) people like to rack it to a secondary because it is said that the yeast starts eating some compounds in the trub and this could produce off-flavors.
The dormant yeast on the bottom also begin excreting amino and fatty acids and if you leave the beer on the yeast cake for longer than three weeks (after the fermentation stopped) this might result in soapy flavors.
When you leave the beer even longer the yeast will die (yeast dies all the time but i mean ALL the yeast will die rapidly) something we call autolysis. This will produce rubbery, meaty flavors which ruin the beer.


However, racking to a secondary comes with some risks. Because there is less yeast active in the secondary (you took it of the yeast basically)there is a higher chance of infection by bacteria or you can oxidize the beer.
For a new brewer's first, low gravity, pale beer the risks probably outweigh the benefits.


Me, I always rack to a secondary. Through careful transfer, secondary fermentation is beneficial to nearly all beer styles.

But, for now, don't do it until you have some experience with racking (without oxidizing) and sanitation.

 

[jan_b19]

Funny, I do along with quite a few of the guys I brew with!

So do I! I like to condition the beer for a few weeks before i bottle.
However as i said above; It's his first brew and the risks outweigh the benefits if the beer is racked poorly.

 

[skraeling]

ive personally stopped doing secondaries as well. Not worth the effort on my part, still tastes like beer no matter which way you do it.