Big mouth bubbler

[wrestleb]

If I use a plastic BMB with spigot for primary can I leave it in the same vessel for "secondary" fermentation? How long can the beer stay in stay in the same vessel?

Recipe I am about to brew recommends 7-14 days in primary then up to 3 weeks for secondary then dry hop for 7 days. Can I leave for about 6 weeks without racking to a carboy?

 

[day_trippr]

What kind of beer are you brewing? Good chance there's an excess week or more in that schedule.

I would strive to avoid unnecessary racking - I only do it for my chocolate imperial stout and that's only to avoid having a half pound of rum-soaked cocoa nibs disappearing in the trub. Otherwise I never use a secondary vessel and go straight to keg when it's time.

In a temperature-controlled environment I don't think six weeks on the yeast cake is a concern.
Uncontrolled at this time of the year, yeah, maybe that could be a problem...

Cheers!

 

[wrestleb]

It's a Hoppy wheat beer. Thanks I'll give it a shot.

 

[day_trippr]

As I suspected, that schedule has a lot of excess time built in.
Wheat beers - especially hoppy wheat beers - are best enjoyed young.

I suggest entirely skipping that prescribed three weeks of doing nothing and start your dry hopping 10-14 days from the pitch.
Let that simmer for 5 days, then do your regular packaging process.
Unless you had a problematic fermentation (eg: big time under-pitch) that beer will be better for it...

Cheers!

 

[MX1]

You can even do that NEIPA thing and start the dry hop during active ferment

 

[Upthewazzu]

"secondary" is a bit of a misnomer in this situation. It was traditionally used by lager brewers to naturally carbonate the beer while the fermentation process finished off. For some reason all of the kits you buy online still prescribe to this old way of doing it, even for ales. Typically, the fermentation process will be complete in 14 days or less (sometimes in 6 or 7 days). Leaving your beer sit for another 3 weeks is a waste of time, IMO. Once that's complete, you can just throw your dry hops into the BMB and let them hang out for 5 days or so. Keep in mind that they will probably clog up your spigot unless you cold crash the beer before racking to the keg or bottling bucket.