Buying A Secondary

[Goo]

Hiyas, putting my second brew together this weekend (ESB kit probably), and I'm going to try giving it a couple weks in a secondary

So. I waltz into the local HBS, to avoid looking like a dork, what should I need to know about selecting a secondary!

Reading around I got this far

Glass

Pros
-Can see the beer clarify
-Less chance of oxidization - air cant leech through it, glass wont impart any weird flavors

Cons
-Difficult to handle at times, can be dangerous if break
-Expensive
-Little more involved when racking (no convenient tap!)

Plastic

Pros
-Cheaper
-Easier to handle
-Tap for racking

Cons
- Plastic is permeable over time to air


Anything else I need to consider? Any recommendations?

Thanks in advance! :beerbang:

 

[Screwtop]

Anything else I need to consider? Any recommendations?

Thanks in advance! :beerbang:

IMO

just one thing, another ordinary old farmyard variety 30L plastic fermenter is always worth having, ya can never have too many fermenters.

 

[Kingy]

plastic is fantastic

 

[Pumpy]

I love to see the beer in the glass but always scares me to death moving it


Pumpy

 

[DJR]

Plastic all the way. If you're going to be lagering or aging for 6 months or something then use glass, but i've lagered in plastic for 2 months with no detectable flavours.

You can get another fermenter or a 25L water cube, either is fine. If you go the 25L water cube option, get a spare lid and drill a hole in it, pop a grommet in and put in an airlock, but the alternative is to leave the cap slightly loose to allow the gas to escape.

If you know any pubs in the area ask them if they have any 20L spirit container drums - i picked up a free 20L spirit container, already clean since it had Jack Daniels or some other rocket fuel in it. Of course you want something bigger but 20L is better for a smaller batch with no headspace in the cube.

 

[Pumpy]

Plastic is the Go!

 

[Goo]

Awesome thanks guys, plastic it is then!

Anything special I need to consider when racking (sanitation aside)? I've done some bulk priming before so I guess its pretty much the same.

I'm assuming you just run a tube out of primary from the tap, coil round bottom of secondary, sit the lid on top of the secondary as best as is possible to avoid as many nasties as possible from finding their way in, and start racking slowly to avoid splashing, then throw a lil bit of something fermentable in before you seal it up to get a lil CO2 cushion happening?

 

[Brewtus]

then throw a lil bit of something fermentable in before you seal it up to get a lil CO2 cushion happening?

Please define a 'lil bit' and any preference? LDM, sugar, coopers lollies, honey? :unsure:

 

[Goo]

then throw a lil bit of something fermentable in before you seal it up to get a lil CO2 cushion happening?

Please define a 'lil bit' and any preference? LDM, sugar, coopers lollies, honey? :unsure:

lol good point . 'a lil' isnt really all that helpful to any prospective advice givers is it!

One tablespoon of dextrose?

 

[razz]

You could do what the 'no chillers' do, after filling the secondary squeeze the sides to remove the headspace and put the cap on.

 

[Screwtop]

Awesome thanks guys, plastic it is then!

Anything special I need to consider when racking (sanitation aside)? I've done some bulk priming before so I guess its pretty much the same.

I'm assuming you just run a tube out of primary from the tap, coil round bottom of secondary, sit the lid on top of the secondary as best as is possible to avoid as many nasties as possible from finding their way in, and start racking slowly to avoid splashing, then throw a lil bit of something fermentable in before you seal it up to get a lil CO2 cushion happening?

Fermentation has all but finished, you don't want to start things up again by adding fermentables, you want it to clear in secondary, getting it off the yeast and trub and using the time in secondary for any remaining yeast to drop out. Then from secondary to bottling bucket/fermenter again to bulk prime for bottling, thats when the sugar/fermentables go in, to start a little fermentation again to produce carbonation in the bottle. Cheers.

 

[BenH]

... you want it to clear in secondary, getting it off the yeast and trub and using the time in secondary for any remaining yeast to drop out..

I also commonly find that in secondary, the ferment really finishes off, maybe dropping another 1 or 2 points. (I don't wait for a stable reading, just follow a 7day primary 7day secondary routine).

 

[voota]

Maybe its just me, but I like my glass fermenter more than my plastics for secondary fermenting, I just like to be able to see everything, and they are very easy to keep clean and sterile.

That said, I've had little trouble with plastic fermenters, and the price difference is way more than the difference that it will make to your brew (if any)

 

[Goo]

Fermentation has all but finished, you don't want to start things up again by adding fermentables, you want it to clear in secondary, getting it off the yeast and trub and using the time in secondary for any remaining yeast to drop out. Then from secondary to bottling bucket/fermenter again to bulk prime for bottling, thats when the sugar/fermentables go in, to start a little fermentation again to produce carbonation in the bottle. Cheers.

OK cool, thanks - the reasoning I had read for adding small amounts of fermentables to the secondary was to produce a little CO2 to fill up the headspace, and I wasn't sure as to wether that was required or not.

Cheers guys, thanks for the tips. Payday tommorow, followed soon after by a trip to the HBS :chug: