Time in Pirimary before Secondary?

[jimjube]

I was thinking of setting up a cycle of sorts. I know times will be different depending on the beer I am making, but as a beginner I am not getting fancy yet. Does this sound about right to anyone: Two weeks in Primary, Two weeks in Secondary, Two weeks in bottles? Any suggestions.

Primary - 6 gallon carboy with airlock and headspace
Secondary - 5 gallon carboy with airlock and no headspace

Thanks

 

[Golddiggie]

Ales, porters, stouts, or anything using ale yeast: 2-4 weeks in primary minimum, NO secondary, 3+ weeks at 70F to bottle carbonate.

Big beers, old ales, barley wine's, etc.: 4+ weeks in primary, rack only for flavor elements you want to get off of before adding new ones, or for EXTENDED aging (several months)... 3+ weeks at 70F for bottle carbonating.

This is actually plastered all over the place here... A great many of us are not using secondary vessels (or bright tanks) for the majority of what we're brewing. IF you're actually going to initiate a second fermentation cycle and NEED to get the wort off the original yeast, fine. But, you don't need to rack just to get the brew to clear. It will clear up just fine, and just as fast, in primary, on the yeast. There are plenty of benefits to leaving the brew ON the yeast cake in fact...

 

[jimjube]

yes thank you. using an ale yeast, finding lots of opinions on this forum. I am making a hoppy bitter. perhaps I will not use the secondary, the main reason I want to use the secondary (5 gallon) carboy is so that I may free up my primary (6 gallon) carboy to get started on another batch.

Apart from the work involved, I don't imagine it will hurt the beer to rack it into the secondary fermentor.

 

[JLem]

Apart from the work involved, I don't imagine it will hurt the beer to rack it into the secondary fermentor.

well, you increase the chance of contamination and oxidation everytime you rack your beer. So if you don't have to transfer the beer it is better to leave it alone. I would recommend getting a second fermenter.

 

[chaydaw]

yes thank you. using an ale yeast, finding lots of opinions on this forum. I am making a hoppy bitter. perhaps I will not use the secondary, the main reason I want to use the secondary (5 gallon) carboy is so that I may free up my primary (6 gallon) carboy to get started on another batch.

Apart from the work involved, I don't imagine it will hurt the beer to rack it into the secondary fermentor.

That means it's time to get multiple fermentors!! It's inevitable. Give in to the urges!!

 

[BoxofRain]

the main reason I want to use the secondary (5 gallon) carboy is so that I may free up my primary (6 gallon) carboy to get started on another batch.

Aside from oaking or adding fruit, that's pretty much the only reason I would rack to the secondary.

To better answer your question. I don't even consider taking a gravity reading until after three weeks. Sometimes life will get in the way and I will go 5 or 6 weeks before checking gravity a few days in a row then racking it to a keg.

Consider buying some buckets as primary. They are not as sexy as carboys but they are cheap, easier to work with and light becomes a non-issue.

 

[fishnfever]

I do 2 weeks in my fermenter 2 weeks in a secondary and 2 weeks in a keg. This has been my rule of them for just about a year now.
works well for me.

As others said you can leave it longer and I have at times when life gets busy. You may want to purchase a bucket to have on hand for the times you have your main fermenter in use.

Cheers

 

[birvine]

Unless I have a reason, I leave the beer 3-4 weeks in the primary, then bottle or keg and leave it there for 3 to 4 weeks... for the most part. Of course, I 'need' to sample the beer every few days to make sure I know how it's coming along!

B

 

[RallyFanatic]

I'm no expert, but my first 2 batches I did 1 week in primary and 2 in the bottle (I was a slave to kit directions) and the beers were simply OK. My last batch sat for about 2 1/2 weeks in the primary, dry-hopped for a week in secondary, and 3 weeks in the bottle. So much better!

I've researched this quite a bit, and there seems to be no science behind what is the right answer since so much will depend on the type of beer, the type of yeast, the conditions surrounding the fermentation...etc.