Skipping Secondary

[Fletch78]

I've got a batch of oatmeal stout (Midwest kit partial extract with the liquid yeast upgrade) in primary. The instructions recommend a secondary fermentation. I have just been much busier than normal in the last couple of weeks, and just haven't had a chance to rack it over. What's the worst that can happen? It's going on week 3 in primary, and still occasional action in the airlock. I've read about autolysis in mead and winemaking, where the yeast start to eat each other when they run out of fermentables, creating off flavors. Will this happen in a short time frame like beer brewing over 4 weeks? In general, what exactly does happen when you don't rack to secondary right away?

Thanks!

 

[Fletch78]

BLAM!!!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/vs-pro-con-analysis-109318/#post1204663

Thank you Homebrew Talk!

Feel free to delete this thread.

 

[COLObrewer]

. . . . In general, what exactly does happen when you don't rack to secondary right away?

Thanks!

In general, the beer turns out great. If you have no need to go to secondary, (Clarity, dry hopping, etc) I wouldn't. That being said, I also wouldn't go past about 4 weeks because autolysis does indeed happen with beer.

Brew on my friend

 

[COLObrewer]

Oh, never mind

 

[Fletch78]

Update: It's still in primary, glass carboy, topped with a few layers of foil and rubber bands aging under the house in the low 60's. I'll bottle this eventually. But for now, the longer I keep it out of bottles, the greater of a chance it has to actually age appropriately.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Update: It's still in primary, glass carboy, topped with a few layers of foil and rubber bands aging under the house in the low 60's. I'll bottle this eventually. But for now, the longer I keep it out of bottles, the greater of a chance it has to actually age appropriately.

Also, the longer you just have foil instead of an airlock the larger your chances of allowing oxygen in there, thus an infection. Slap on an airlock with some cheap vodka in it ASAP