Secondary fermentation or not?

[RobE]

This is my first 5 gal batch (weizenbier) and it's day 5 in the primary and fermentation seems to have slowed/stopped. I was thinking about moving it to my 5 gal Carboy to finish. Should I move it to the secondary fermenter and if so, how soon?

 

[Lunchtime]

I would just leave it. Most people will tell you that you should only move to a secondary if you're going to be dry-hopping or adding fruit/oak chips. It will be better for you beer to just let it sit in the primary for a while.

 

[AdamPag]

Let it ride

 

[ChrisJPassarelli]

Yup, even after the original fermentation is done, the yeast keeps cleaning up other byproducts and making everything ship-shape. If you want to do secondary, perhaps rack after 10 days? Apparently after 2 weeks you can start getting some off flavors from the trub, but right now you have the benefit of a big ol' yeast colony hanging out and perfecting your beer. No rush.

 

[lgilmore]

A couple weeks in the primary and a couple in the secondary works well. I like the secondary for a couple of reasons. First if I fill the secondary, it opens the primary for a new batch. Also I like a clear beer to bottle and I am much better bottling from a secondary than a primary, but that is just me.

 

[pjj2ba]

If fermentation has stopped, then it is fine to go ahead and transfer. The only danger of transferring too early is that then you will get extra yeast settling out. You will get some yeast settling out anyways as it is the yeast in suspension that are doing the active portion of beer maturation. Eventually these too will settle out in your secondary

 

[irunxcjm]

Apparently after 2 weeks you can start getting some off flavors from the trub

This is not true on our scale. Many people, including myself, leave our beers on the trub for a month with no trouble. Pros worry about this when they have huge conical fermenters and the pressure of all that beer on a little space can cause trouble. So with us, a flat bottom and very little volume of beer, this should be a non-issue.

 

[homebrewdad]

This is not true on our scale. Many people, including myself, leave our beers on the trub for a month with no trouble. Pros worry about this when they have huge conical fermenters and the pressure of all that beer on a little space can cause trouble. So with us, a flat bottom and very little volume of beer, this should be a non-issue.

This. There are tons of posts here from homebrew vets who use 3-4 weeks as a rule of thumb for any beer, and who leave "big" bears on the cake for up to several months.

5 days? Leave it.

 

[Revvy]

Apparently after 2 weeks you can start getting some off flavors from the trub, .

That old idea of off flavors from the yeast is 30 years outdated, and had to do with yeast health and freshness, which modern yeast more than surpasses in both.

Even John Palmer has advocated not rushing the beer off the yeast for that very reason.

Leaving an ale beer in the primary fermentor for a total of 2-3 weeks (instead of just the one week most canned kits recommend), will provide time for the conditioning reactions and improve the beer. This extra time will also let more sediment settle out before bottling, resulting in a clearer beer and easier pouring. And, three weeks in the primary fermentor is usually not enough time for off-flavors to occur.

Now the thing to realize is that in the case of a wheat beer, if it's meant to be cloudy, with lots of yeast in suspension, then you don't want to go too long, nor do you want to rack to a secondary...the purpose of extended primary/secondary has a lot to do with beer clearing....but in a low flocculating, intentionally hazy beer, you don't want that.

So maybe an additional week after hydromter proved completion of fermentation then it's off to bottle or keg.

 

[rideincircles]

I am brewing a German altbier as my first time brewing and it is now 5 days in, I don't plan on going to secondary although I did get a ton of trub in the carboy since I dumped my 2.5 gallons of water into the brewpot while it was transferring. Right now I am trying to decide if I should ferment 2 or 3 weeks. As of yesterday, I counted a bubble from the airlock every 20 seconds or so. Trying to avoid starting a new post.

 

[BamaRooster]

I would let it ride 3 weeks, it will help to solidify and compact the trub cake on the bottom of the primary.

 

[MrSpiffy]

I guess buying the secondary carboy wasn't all that necessary, then... oh well. I'll have it in case I need it for certain styles of beer. Or, I can try brewing smaller 4 gallon batches or something.

 

[Lunchtime]

Ya, just use it to make more than one brew at a time.

 

[Revvy]

I guess buying the secondary carboy wasn't all that necessary, then... oh well. I'll have it in case I need it for certain styles of beer. Or, I can try brewing smaller 4 gallon batches or something.

Or like most of us make Apfelwien, wine, ciders or meads in them. I actually have gone out and bought a few more 5 gallon better bottles, not to secondary in but to make things that don't require a huge amount of headspace.

 

[AdamPag]

or just get a blow off and use that carboy to ferment in, thats what I done did.

 

[MrSpiffy]

Or like most of us make Apfelwien, wine, ciders or meads in them. I actually have gone out and bought a few more 5 gallon better bottles, not to secondary in but to make things that don't require a huge amount of headspace.

or just get a blow off and use that carboy to ferment in, thats what I done did.

Both excellent ideas!