Why do people use a secondary?

[MMW]

Why use a secondary? Because we're homebrewers and we like to jack with our beer. What good are toys you can't play with?

Oh, and because it's useful at times as well

 

[michael.berta]

For all of the "I don't secondary crowd" how do you dry hop?

I have been using a mesh bag and still endup clogging my Keg every time

I dry hop with pellets. I put them into the primary once it's almost done. The pelets are on the top and they settle out after a week or so.

 

[KYB]

I've done primary only with all my beers with great results. I had to secondary my RIS after 3 weeks to bottle a batch, and the RIS never bottle carbed all the way. When I dry hop I primary for 2-3 weeks, and toss in a bag of hops for another week. My bigger beers I primary for 4 weeks, then bottle or keg. My IIPA turned out pretty clear. Less work for me, with no disadvantages IMO.

 

[ChshreCat]

Using a secondary lets me get clearer beer than a primary only method, for a few reasons.

1. I can be a little sloppy and/or greedy when I transfer and pick up a bit of the yeast cake. The secondary lets this settle back out.

2. I primary in a nearly opaque bucket and secondary in a better bottle. If the beer takes a little longer than expected to clear, I won't see it in the bucket but I will in the better bottle.

 

[olllllo]

Geez, I hope we can get this settled because all of you that are doing it wrong are clearly messing up my beer. /sarc

 

[cubbies]

I secondary because I typically have a very thick cake in primary and no matter how careful I am, I still pick up a bunch of gunk on the way. Plus, my primaries wont fit in my fridge to cold crash, which I like to do.

 

[FireNightFly]

Personally after reading most of HBT I wonder why a secondary even came with my kit (ie. Better Bottle), but then I realized I can use it to make wines. I doubt Ill ever go secondary on my beer unless I need the room.

 

[jgln]

I like to use buckets and bottle with a spigot so transfering to a secondary with a spigot gives me clearer beer since less trub will be at the bottom and most all of the beers I do have trub way above the spigot level so in order to use the spigot I pretty much have to. If I used carboys and siphoned to bottle I could see where it makes no real sense. When I do use carboys I don't secondary.

 

[HoppyDaze]

I like to use a secondary. In my experience, the beers that I secondary have always turned out better. I have recently started to just dump the entire contents of my kettle into my fermenter, trub and all. This saves time on brew day....So, I like to get the beer off the trub once it has fermented out. Once the beer is in the secondary fermenter I can leave it there basically as long as I want

 

[DKershner]

My setup uses a primary & secondary because:

• My primary is a bucket, which is great to clean up the krausen mess since I hate carboy brushes, but doesn't seal very well.
• I cannot see inside my bucket
• It is easier to harvest yeast if I feel like it

I basically see every fermenting vessel as equal for the most part, except that you cannot primary in a 5gal carboy (or I don't like to anyway). Since price in my area goes glass carboy > cornie > plastic carboy > bucket...I generally just keep 2 buckets around to primary and then buy a bunch of plastic secondaries.

 

[Joos]

This should be a poll rather than an unending argument.By the way I use secondarys for some beers and I don't for others.FOR NO REASON AT ALL!!muhahahaha

 

[FireNightFly]

This should be a poll rather than an unending argument.By the way I use secondarys for some beers and I don't for others.FOR NO REASON AT ALL!!muhahahaha

Thats just evil, just evil!

 

[Fingers]

I drink beer that is typically three to four months old. When I rack it out of my secondary there is still a significant amount of sediment on the bottom. As it is, there is still a little bit in the keg when it kicks.

It doesn't take very long to rack to secondary for aging and clearing. Getting that crap out of my keg is worth the extra few minutes. My beer pulls clean from glass one.

 

[BigCask]

Why Michael Berta? Why? Aren't there enough threads on this that make the point already?

-BigCask

 

[homebrewer_99]

This should be a poll rather than an unending argument....

This could have also been a thread about why do some people only do primaries?...

 

[permo]

I just racked my first ever brew from primary (bucket) to secondary, glass carboy. I am seeing after the first few hours that the top portion of the brew is starting to clear as yeast falls to the bottom. I am thinking that one potential benefit could be a clearer/cleaner final product? Also, I would think that an extended secondary fermentation would allow flavors to blend and mellow over time. I am no expert in brewing, but am well versed in the world of cooking and there are many similarities.

I have done a ton of research, and my research indicates that a secondary is not a necessaty to make good homebrew. I consider it just another way to improve your brew....also gives you another opportunity to impart flavors ie..dry hopping, spicing..etc..etc..

but what do I know, I am just starting out!

 

[ekranzusch]

heh permo you'll be fine, brewing is definately a lot like cooking IMO. I think it would be tough to be a great brewer if you are a horrible cook. This topic is really just one of personal preference as far as I'm concerned. Both sides have good arguments and points, and both ways have their downsides too. It's all been said before. I'm using a secondary right now purely because I didn't want to bottle right away (a few months ago now lol) and now I got a kegging system so suck it bottles!

 

[homebrewer_99]

I just racked my first ever brew from primary (bucket) to secondary, glass carboy. I am seeing after the first few hours that the top portion of the brew is starting to clear as yeast falls to the bottom. I am thinking that one potential benefit could be a clearer/cleaner final product? Also, I would think that an extended secondary fermentation would allow flavors to blend and mellow over time. I am no expert in brewing, but am well versed in the world of cooking and there are many similarities.

I have done a ton of research, and my research indicates that a secondary is not a necessaty to make good homebrew. I consider it just another way to improve your brew....also gives you another opportunity to impart flavors ie..dry hopping, spicing..etc..etc..

but what do I know, I am just starting out!

All good points...exactly the same approach I take to brewing...

 

[Jaybird]

I just racked my first ever brew from primary (bucket) to secondary, glass carboy. I am seeing after the first few hours that the top portion of the brew is starting to clear as yeast falls to the bottom. I am thinking that one potential benefit could be a clearer/cleaner final product? Also, I would think that an extended secondary fermentation would allow flavors to blend and mellow over time. I am no expert in brewing, but am well versed in the world of cooking and there are many similarities.

I have done a ton of research, and my research indicates that a secondary is not a necessaty to make good homebrew. I consider it just another way to improve your brew....also gives you another opportunity to impart flavors ie..dry hopping, spicing..etc..etc..

but what do I know, I am just starting out!

All good points...exactly the same approach I take to brewing...

Yep me too!
Time is our friend in the brewing world, why not use her to out advantage!
Cheers
Jay

 

[Scut_Monkey]

I only use a primary when I can but typically I need my primary fermenter back. I think a good number of people use a secondary for reasons such as mine where circumstances and equipment limitations make it most convenient.

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

I crash chill my beer in my keggerator, but I can not fit my primary in it.

 

[LTS]

All I know is that I've read a ton of books and they all do it the same way. Clearly if you are not following my process you are doing it wrong!

I've used a secondary almost all the time. I do this because I have extra cleaner and sanitizer around and frankly since I do an extra transfer and manage to keep my beers from getting infected I am clearly better than you.

Right.. RDWHAHB..