To rack or not to rack

[jim_reaper1066]

I put on a Common bitter a week ago, and had planned on leaving it in the primary for 3 weeks before bottling. However I have a HUGE amount of hops and trub on the bottom that was transferred from the boil kettle, at least 1.5-2 inches. So should I rack to a secondary to get my beer off all of this trub, or should I leave it all in the primary to improve the overall flavor and clarity? If I should rack I would likely do it tomorrow after a week in the primary, so any impute would be greatly appreciated before I go ahead. Thanks

 

[BargainFittings]

You can go to secondary but if you are not going to reuse the yeast then just hold it for the 3 weeks and go directly to your serving container: Keg or bottle.

 

[Hammy71]

If it's done fermenting and it will help you sleep at night....transfer away. Otherwise, leave it be. No harm will come from the trub, in fact some might say it can only help.......

 

[blkandrust]

I've left my Czech Pils in primary for 5 weeks before racking over to lager...

 

[Revvy]

You can go to secondary but if you are not going to reuse the yeast then just hold it for the 3 weeks and go directly to your serving container: Keg or bottle.

Reusing the yeast is NOT a stumbling block to long primaries, I harvest and wash yeast all the time from my month long primary beers. There's really nothing that can prevent anyone from opting to not secondary their beers if they want to.

Jim, there's been a shift in brewing consciousness over the 3-4 years, driven by discussions here but now in the brewing communtiy at large- Many of us have experienced and improvement in our beers by just leaving them alone for 3-4 weeks.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/secondary-not-john-palmer-jamil-zainasheff-weigh-176837/

 

[dirtdigger]

I'm new enough to the hobby, I probably shouldn't even comment.
With that, I am starting to understand the advantages of going with the longer primary, and nix the secondary.
If nothing else, it's one less thing to mess with!

 

[jim_reaper1066]

Thanks Revvy, I have been keeping up on that thread about Palmer and Jamil, and have decided to do away with secondaries as well. The only time I do plan to secondary is when I need to dry hop, or free up a carboy. My only concern this time around was the excess load of trub at the bottom may get carried into the bottling bucket. Guess I'll just suck it up and see how it goes.

 

[Revvy]

Thanks Revvy, I have been keeping up on that thread about Palmer and Jamil, and have decided to do away with secondaries as well. The only time I do plan to secondary is when I need to dry hop, or free up a carboy. My only concern this time around was the excess load of trub at the bottom may get carried into the bottling bucket. Guess I'll just suck it up and see how it goes.

Read especially what I wrote at post 26 in that thread, and I think even later. I've never had that issue even when there is lots of trub.

 

[BargainFittings]

Reusing the yeast is NOT a stumbling block to long primaries, I harvest and wash yeast all the time from my month long primary beers. There's really nothing that can prevent anyone from opting to not secondary their beers if they want to.

Jim, there's been a shift in brewing consciousness over the 3-4 years, driven by discussions here but now in the brewing communtiy at large- Many of us have experienced and improvement in our beers by just leaving them alone for 3-4 weeks.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/secondary-not-john-palmer-jamil-zainasheff-weigh-176837/

Not really stumbling block no. You can reuse yeast as needed if you wash out the hops and trub. If you repitch on the yeast cake it will build up over time.

I do not secondary many of my beers. It started more out of lazy habit than tried and true method but happily I found the beer did not suffer.