To secondary or not to secondary

[petemoss]

Hi gang,

So I am pretty new to all of this. I've read a lot but I don't have much practicle experience yet. I just racked my second batch to the fermentor (6.5 gallon big mouth bubbler).

Right now I am still very excited about home brewing, so I am wanting to start more and more new batches. Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of equipment. I bought the Northern Brewer deluxe kit that comes with a 6.5 gallon and a 5 gallon big mouth bubbler. So, I currently have my new batch in the 6.5.

I am currently doing their Cream Ale which says to leave it in the primary for two weeks and then bottle. I would love to start a new batch and have been wondering if I might get away with racking to the secondary after a week so that I can start a new batch in the primary. I have heard concerns about contamination when going to secondary if it is not totally necessary.

So, what do y'all think? Is it worth going to secondary just to start the new batch a week early?

Thanks,
PeteMoss

 

[doug293cz]

Best bet is to get more primary fermenters if you want to keep a pipeline full. Secondary is really only needed if you want to do something like add fruit, or long term bulk age a big beer. You can rack to secondary, but should wait until active fermentation is done, and most of the yeast has dropped. With unnecessary transfers you risk infection or oxidation for no real benefit.

Brew on

 

[j1n]

return the 5 gallon one and get another 6.5.

 

[Murph2002]

I know it may seem tempting, but racking the beer off the yeast after a week is too soon in most cases especially lighter beers like the Cream Ale you've brewed. Contamination isn't your biggest issue, provided you follow good sanitation practices, but you're likely to end up with some off flavors. In my beers that I've hurried, I've most noticably had diacetyl, a buttery flavored chemical produced during fermentation. Given time, the yeast reabsorb most of this, down to a level where it isn't noticable to taste. I'd reccommend at least two weeks in the primary vessel.

The term "secondary fermentation" is a bit of a misnomer. Secondary vessels are used for a number of reasons, but very little fermentation is actually taking place. For most ales, they're not necessary. If you're adding flavor after fermentation is complete (fruit puree, oak chips, cocoa nibs, etc...) then racking the beer over the flavor in a secondary vessel is an option. If you're adding liquid flavoring such as a fruit syrup or extract, it's not necessary. I rack most of my beers to a 5-Gallon glass carboy after 2-3 weeks in primary to cold crash and add gelatin finings before I move the beer to the keg because it helps the clarity of the finished product.

If you're looking to brew more frequently, you could use a blow-off tube on your 5 Gallon big mouth, or pick up a fermenting bucket. They're not as fun to watch, but they work just fine and are easy to clean.

 

[aprichman]

I would use the 5 gallon BMB as a primary for smaller 3-4 gallon batches

 

[brewcat]

I'd primary at least two if not three weeks. I used to secondary but haven't for a long time. I have some notes on most brews I have done and that cream ale kit is one of them. Looks like I only had it in the primary for 5 days and then the secondary for two weeks. From what I remember it turned out good. With that said, I'd just get a couple more primaries.

 

[RM-MN]

Unless you just "have to" look at the bubbles in the fermenter, just get fermenter buckets. The have several advantages over the big mouth bubblers, one of which is cost. You can buy 2 buckets for the price of one big mouth bubbler and they do the same job. I'd suggest you do buy the 2 buckets because it is too much fun brewing the beer to be limited by the amount of fermenters. I currently have 6, all of which are empty now but next winter when I start brewing again I expect to have all 6 in use at least part of the time. With more fermenters you won't feel the pressure to bottle too soon as you want to brew and your fermenter is full.

 

[petemoss]

Hey everybody, thanks for the replies. Yeah, it sounds like I just need to get another (maybe a few) more fermentors. I'll leave this batch alone and let it finish out where it is. Thanks again.