should I use a secondary?

[Mitchum]

I just brewed my first 2 batches, 1 on tuesday, and another the Tuesday before.
Ive read alot about secondaries and it doesn't seem like a necessity to me.
That being said im going on a small vacation for 4 days next saturday.
whenI leave my first brew, an amber ale, will have been in the primary for 18 days.
Is that long enough that I can bottle it? Or should I rack it to a secondary since I wontbe home to moniter it?

Same question for my second batch, which is a summer wheat. It will be in primary for 11 days? Should I leave in primary, or rack to secondary?

 

[flars]

A few more days in the primary will yield a clearer beer to bottle. A few more weeks would not create any sort of problem either. Let them stay in the primary while you enjoy some vacation time.

 

[Mitchum]

A few more days in the primary will yield a clearer beer to bottle. A few more weeks would not create any sort of problem either. Let them stay in the primary while you enjoy some vacation time.

Thanks for the quick reply. I was just nervous to leave them while I was gone.
Should I bottle when I get back? Im excited to get my first batch bottled.

 

[flars]

I have never bottled a beer that has not been in the primary for at least three weeks. Usually takes that long for all the sediment and excess yeast, suspended by CO2 in solution, to drop out since I don't cold crash.
I have an IPA in the primary that has dropped another SG point between day 12 and day 14. I'm very willing to give my beers extra time to clear and prevent any problems developing in the bottle.

 

[DurtyChemist]

If you want to bottle I'd say Tuesday or later would work then let the bottles sit 3 weeks around 70. It's a good idea to make another beer while you wait.

 

[Mitchum]

Seems like the hardest part of all of this will be waiting to enjoy the beer.
I guess I will just have to keep adding to my bottle collection