Secondary Necessary?

[Accoustiknoyz]

Hey brewers, I have only brewed a few times and was wondering the necessity of racking to a "secondary". I mean, it seems a lot of trouble keeping from oxidizing and maintaining sterile conditions, so does the benefit (clarity?) outweigh the risk? Here's where I am now. I've brewed a 4 lbLME + 2 lb DME India Pale Ale from kit and was figuring it had completed fermentation yesterday. I took a gravity reading at 1.018 and seemed pretty low, but there were bubbles around the wort. By tonight I thought I'd bottle, but the bubbles now encircle the work and the airlock gets a bloop maybe once an hour or so. Do I rack to secondary then wait again. leave it for several more days in the primary, or take a gravity reading tomorrow and bottle it if the gravity is the same?

PS The sample I took gravity reading in was delicious.

Steve (Chesapeake)

 

[olllllo]

In most cases it is truley the difference between "Necessary" and "Desired"

Is it Necessary to frost a cake? Is it Desired?

The time aging is an independent question and the answer is wait.

 

[mot]

this is going to be my next test I have 2 primaries a bucket and a better bottle I am going to buy to of the same kits, one goes in the primary then the secondary and one stays in the primary for about 3 weeks. wait and see if there is any difference.

I know on the jamial zanishef podcasts he says there not worth it, depending on the style or not dry hopping or anything like that

 

[Accoustiknoyz]

Thanks for the quick replies. I'll leave it then and reduce risk of infection or off flavors. I think the 2 at once experiment would really help define the differences. Let us know how that goes.

 

[bull]

if you want a good beer ,bottle right away ,if you want an excelant beer ,go to the secondary ,be very sanitary.its worth the trouble.

 

[malkore]

I'd say it largely depends on the style, and the yeast used. IF you have a good flocc. yeast, you won't have a big worry about siphoning it during bottling, and the beer will be pretty clear.

If you're striving for a crystal clear beer, and your yeast doesn't fall out due to its strain characteristics, then a secondary can be a huge benefit.

 

[Brewing Clamper]

Contrary to popular belief (my opinion), it is fairly easy to avoid contamination & oxidation when transferring to secondary so I do it almost every batch. I've yet to have an infected batch from a secondary transfer....

 

[Catfish]

I stopped using a secondary. It didn't make a difference in my experience. Mot, I will be interested to hear the results of your side by side.

 

[smithmikeg]

What do people do when moving the primary to rack into secondary to keep from stirring up too much sediment in the primary during said movement?

 

[Barley-Davidson]

What do people do when moving the primary to rack into secondary to keep from stirring up too much sediment in the primary during said movement?

Don't put your racking cane all the way to the bottom, that's what stirs up the trub.
I've also proped my carboy on an angle a few days before racking to concentrate the sediment on one side, and it seems to help.

 

[smithmikeg]

Ok, to clarify. I am moving my primary fermenter from the closet floor to the kitchen counter to rack into secondary. What should I keep in mind while moving the full fermenter?

 

[WortMonger]

Ok, to clarify. I am moving my primary fermenter from the closet floor to the kitchen counter to rack into secondary. What should I keep in mind while moving the full fermenter?

Make sure and let it sit awhile after moving. It will get all stirred up and should settle in about 30 minutes or so. Now depending on your secondary (keg,carboy,etc) you can purge with CO2 prior to racking to it to give the beer a blanket of CO2, or if the beer isn't but a few points from finishing fermenting rack into the secondary and don't worry about O2, the yeast will eat what little is in the secondary up and the fill the secondary with a blanket of protective CO2.

I use a sanke for my secondary and even carbonate while letting it finish in the keg. I use a setable relief spunding valve though (search the threads for them, they are pretty neat if you already have kegs). Just something else to think about.

 

[FlyGuy]

If you are bottling, it is definitely worth using a secondary for most beers. But if you are kegging, it is unnecessary, especially if you use fining agents.

 

[Cheesefood]

I like to think of it as whether it does anything or not is irrelevant - it forces you to not drink it for 2 more weeks.