Secondary...what's a secondary

[raleighharwell]

O.K. I've made a few batches now and have never (to my knowledge) used a secondary fermentor.

I normally brew the wort to recipe, pour into my plastic pail with airlock, pitch the yeast, and wait 5-7 days. After this, I siphon directly into a keg and put in the fridge for a few weeks until carbonated and no longer green. Tastes pretty good; however, am I leaving out an important step?

I like the beer I'm making but could it be better with a secondary process? What's a secondary?



Thanks....

 

[Yooper]

This has some good info: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Home_Brewing_Process#Secondary_Fermentation

Secondary is really a misnomer, since no fermentation is really taking place. It should be called the clearing tank, or the bright tank.

 

[raleighharwell]

Thanks. Very helpful.

So, I should siphon the beer from the primary to a secondary with an airlock and let it sit again for a few weeks before siphoning into the keg?

Does the keg not act as a secondary?

What are the down sides to using racking directly into the keg?

Many thanks.

 

[raleighharwell]

I found all the answers I was looking for in the FAQ.

This site is incredible!

 

[knipknup]

I stopped using a secondary about 8 batches ago and haven't missed it one bit! I leave all my brews in the primary for 21 days, then keg. Some kegs have had to sit a few weeks until I cleared a spot in the brew-fridge. I guess that would 'technically' be a secondary...

 

[raleighharwell]

Gotch. One more question:

Is it better to leave the fermented beer in the primary with an airlock for a few weeks than to keg it immediately after fermenting?

Why would this make a difference?

 

[BlindLemonLars]

I like the beer I'm making but could it be better with a secondary process? What's a secondary?

One nice thing about using a secondary is that is frees up the primary for your next batch!

In my previous incarnation as a brewer, I never used a secondary and my beer was always rather cloudy. My current batch is in the secondary right now, and it's already very clear. To me, it seems like a worthwhile step.

 

[Bobby_M]

I believe the clearing has a lot to do with how long it is allowed to sit undisturbed whether it's on the trub in the primary or off it in the secondary. So, that could be 4 weeks in primary or 1 week primary/3 weeks secondary. The only reasons I'd move it to secondary is to free up the primary or if you're really scared about the trub affecting flavor (who knows really?).

To the OP, you might give your beer a LITTLE more time in primary before going right to keg because sediment will settle to the bottom of your keg instead of the primary. Once you have it cleared up, then rack to keg. You may also want to leave the keg at ale ferment temps for a couple weeks prior to chilling. It has the same conditioning affect as leaving it in bottles for a couple weeks prior to drinking (not to be confused with waiting for natural carbonation to occur). The yeast "clean up after themselves" during this period as far as I've read.

 

[knipknup]

Exactly what Bobby_M said, let it clear and rack with care so the junk isn't transferred to the keg. You will have a very clear brew within a week or so. If clear is really a concern to you, do this and then let the keg sit for 1 to 2 weeks before tapping. The first couple pints will probably still be a bit cloudy, but then it will clear right up.

On the other hand, I have had a few brews that never cleared. Particles in suspension, haze, whatever. There are a lot of variables, so if following these directions still results in haze or cloudiness, you need to look for the cause elsewhere.

 

[Craig5_12]

Sounds like you have plenty of room for beer in your fridge. I don't use a 2ndary either and once I feel fermentation is over (usually about 3 weeks) I put my primary in the fridge at about 34 degrees for a day or two. Then I pull it out and transfer to a keg or bottle. Dropping the temp really helps everything settle out and the end result is very clear beer.
I tried doing this with a 2ndary fermenter as a test and had trouble carbonating in the bottle because so much yeast settled out......