Secondary fermentation?

[barefoot_trashko]

Was reading on another thread a bunch of guys who said they don't do 2nd and Palmer supposedly is suggesting longer (3 wks) in primary.

I've done 3 batches so far. First 2 were 1 week primary and 2 secondary. Got an Oatmeal Stout 3 days into primary. Any reason to not let that go 3 weeks then bottle?

 

[Scut_Monkey]

No secondary is a common topic around here and is becoming more and more accepted as a legitimate way to get equivalent if not better beer. In my view to leave an oatmeal stout in primary for 3 weeks would be fine assuming that your fermentation is healthy.

Proponents of primary only do occasionally use a secondary for dry hopping or fruit additions. It is true that Palmer is a proponent for primary only as well and he has said it multiple times. He admits that How To Brew is out of date on this topic.

I would suggest searching for "primary only", "no secondary", etc. You will see it has been discussed to death. Best of luck.

 

[TastySalmon]

It depends on what you're trying to do with the beer. If you're dry hopping or using gelatin, you will need a secondary.

 

[ryandlf]

I even dry hop or use gelatin in primary, just wait until the fermentation is over and don't use the gelatin if you're planning on reusing the yeast.

The reason a lot of people are leaving it in primary these days is because the yeast continues to "clean up after itself" after the fermentation is done. It does the same thing in secondary, you just have a whole lot less yeast in there.

 

[JLW]

+1 I have recently started leaving my beers in primary for a month and only using a secondary if dry hopping. I have noticed that my beers are much clearer.

 

[headfullahops]

I used to secondary all my brews no matter what. As of the past year or so, I haven't moved any brews to a secondary unless I am dry hopping. I can't say that the beers are better with no secondary but, I can say that they are at least the same. That's a whole lot less effort and less opportunity for infection (assuming that your initial sanitization was sound, of course).

With ales, I have pretty much stuck to the schedule of kegging from the primary two weeks after pitching. If I am dry hopping, I will transfer to a secondary 9 days after pitching and keg at the same two weeks after pitching.

 

[krumb]

This topic deserves its own subforum. New posts, daily.