Secondary?

[yoi55]

I am just getting into homebrewing...I have made one IPA from a kit that turned out very good! I have one 6-gallon glass carboy that I used for both the primary and secondary fermentation (didn't transfer anything...left the sediment at the bottom the whole time).

I am going to brew a robust porter next, but am wanting to add vanilla beans during the secondary fermentation. I have read MANY different opinions on even using a secondary fermentation. But, I have read that it would be a good idea to move it to a secondary if other flavorings would be added (such as vanilla beans). But, I also don't want to subject it to too much oxygen.

What would be the best way to do this with just one glass carboy? Could I just leave it in the carboy the whole time with the sediment at the bottom and add the vanilla beans as well? Or, should I invest in another carboy to transfer it to for the secondary?

 

[brokebucket]

I would make extract and add it directly to primary after initial fermentation is complete. I am pretty new to this as well, but havent heard of any reason why this would be bad.

 

[RM-MN]

I'd buy a bucket fermenter and do the primary in that (making the batch a little large so when transferred to your 6 gallon carboy it would fill it to the neck), then carefully siphon it into the carboy you have and add the vanilla beans there. I suspect that adding the vanilla beans to the primary would have them disappearing into the trub and having the yeast absorb all the flavor. One other advantage to using the bucket for primary for this batch.....when it is finished and bottled/kegged you now will have 2 primaries and can do two batches at once.

 

[RmikeVT]

I rarely move anything to a secondary vessel before bottling/kegging. I dry hop in primary, I add oak (if short term oaking) in primary. The only time I will move something into a secondary vessel is if the beer is going to be there for longer than 2 or 3 months, so big beers that need aging.

It has been difficult for me, especially when I was a noob, but I have finally learned the discipline of leaving the beer alone. Stare at it all you want, but don't open the vessel unless you absolutely need to (to add something, or draw off a sample for tasting). I have found no advantage of using secondary vessel other than bulk aging.

 

[CRoth36]

Forget the secondary

 

[yoi55]

Ok, what I will do is start the primary in the carboy, then just add the vanilla beans after that's done and wait for the secondary to finish. I was worried what would happen to the vanilla bean flavor if I left the sediment in the bottom. If, for some reason, the vanilla flavor gets absorbed, I will still have a robust porter left anyhow lol.

 

[ASUlax9]

I only use a secondary to dry hop or if I am going to age the beer more than four weeks. That being said, there are still occasions when they are useful and you can double your primary fermentation capacity with another carboy.