Shell game need advice

[Joedub]

Ok So I have 3 fermenters one is plastic other two are glass. The plastic one has a blonde ale which has been fermenting for 2 weeks OG 1.046 SG 1.014(as of today). The other glass one has a bourbon barrel porter which is 1 week old OG 1.065 SG 1.020 (as of today). My third one is empty but I need a empty fermenter for my porter because it needs a secondary for some additions.

I plan to brew a Dry stout on Monday in the hopes I can get it ready for St Patrick's day. How should I move these around in order to make room for the stout while still having a the porter in a secondary? Is it ok to move the porter to secondary now? Should I move the blonde to a secondary for a week bottle then move the porter to that vessel for a secondary thus freeing the plastic fermenter?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[RM-MN]

Gee, such tough choices without the real answer included as one of the choices. How about buying another fermenting bucket and forget about the other choices that are poor substitutes at best. Midwest Supplies lists a bucket with lid, drilled with grommet for the airlock for under $15. Your local homebrew store might even have one in stock.

 

[itsme6582]

It's number 3. I win.

 

[VTBrewer]

I agree with a new primary. That being said, getting a stout ready in 4 weeks may not turn out the way you'd like

 

[itsme6582]

Are they all 6.5 gallons? If so, leave them where they are. Brew the stout and put it in the empty fermenter. Wait to rack the porter to secondary until you can bottle the blonde ale. Using the plastic container will be fine as a secondary.

 

[Joedub]

They are 6 gallon carboys and 6.5gallon pail. I bought the second carboy for the porters secondary. I really don't want to buy another carboy or pail.

Is the porter really not ready to move? I thought as long as 75% of the fermentation was done in the primary it would be fine? Also at 69% attenuation I have a feeling it is pretty much done. They are all extract brews.

 

[OHIOSTEVE]

They are 6 gallon carboys and 6.5gallon pail. I bought the second carboy for the porters secondary. I really don't want to buy another carboy or pail.

Is the porter really not ready to move? I thought as long as 75% of the fermentation was done in the primary it would be fine? Also at 69% attenuation I have a feeling it is pretty much done. They are all extract brews.

leave the two where they are, and use the empty to primary your stout. You should really leave the beers in primary until they are DONE. IF you use a secondary ( I do as a bright / cold crash tank) it should be a 5 gallon carboy for a 5 gallon batch to minimize head space.

If you do not want to invest in another 5 gallon carboy, at least get a bottling bucket.. you can rack directly from primary to your bottling bucket and bottle from there.

 

[itsme6582]

They are 6 gallon carboys and 6.5gallon pail.

Then I would definitely keep everything where it is. That blonde should be ready to bottle next week. There is no rush to move the porter. It's probably best to keep it on the yeast cake as long as you can stand it. If you want to get the porter into the secondary now, you could rack it to your other glass fermentor. Either way, you still have an empty carboy for the stout. You also might consider that you've already missed to boat on the stout being ready for St. Patty's Day. Then you could sit back and plan things out stress free.