Secondary Or Not?

[BennyBrewster]

Ross how much did your filter cost you and do you have to get a new filter element for each keg you filter? or are they reusable?

 

[Jye]

I think he's a bit of a case of I've got the ribbons so I'm right if you catch my drift. (there's a lot of 'em around). I'm not slagging either method as they'd work.

[post="119632"][/post]​

I see where you are coming from, but as you say he does have the ribbons and his methods are worth trying.

 

[Jye]

BB, have a read through this thread, heaps of info.

 

[Trough Lolly]

I think he's a bit of a case of I've got the ribbons so I'm right if you catch my drift. (there's a lot of 'em around). I'm not slagging either method as they'd work.

[post="119632"][/post]​

I see where you are coming from, but as you say he does have the ribbons and his methods are worth trying.

[post="119637"][/post]​

There's a shitload of good brewers out there who've never won a ribbon or entered a beer in a comp... <_<

TL

 

[Steve]

awwww thanks for the compliment TL
Cheers
Steve

 

[warrenlw63]

Without the risk of this dragging OT. I stated Jye that I think that his method is wrong and right.

My aside was that a bunch of ribbons does not necessarily dictate you wrote the book on brewing either. That said he's obviously won them because he's a good or even great brewer OTOH I hope he doesn't narrow his mind to other's opinions (like some).

TL is quite correct... Plenty of blokes out there making great beer and enjoying it for what it is.

My theory (and it's only mine) is that secondary fermentation is an option of choice. An example a lowish grav. bitter brewed with a highly flocculent yeast strain can go straight to keg without a worry... An IPA with a powdery strain would most certainly benefit from a secondary fermenter.

Horses for courses. :beerbang:

Warren

 

[Jye]

I totally agree with you TL and Warren, I just hope new brewers who see this poll and think they have to secondary give both methods a try and decide for themselves

 

[Borret]

I thought part of being a newbie was being led a stray by the guy on the forum that doesn't neccesarily know much but is simply making the most noise?

 

[warrenlw63]

I thought part of being a newbie was being led a stray by the guy on the forum that doesn't neccesarily know much but is simply making the most noise?

[post="119664"][/post]​

Depends on which end of the body the noise comes form Mr. Borrett. :lol:

Warren -

 

[RobW]

The Rules of Brewing

Rule No 1:

There are no rules

Rule No 2:

see Rule No 1

or to put it concisely: it depends

 

[warrenlw63]

Rule No. 3 Bruce;

Nooooo .......ters. :lol:

Warren -

 

[AngelTearsOnMyTongue]

Very interesting diverse opinions on this topic.

I guess I classify as a newbie as I will only have a single pint next to my name. Certainly I am not a long time brewer (Back into HB since July 05) but have managed to produce approximately 1500 stubbies in that time. (Before you ask, yes Id love to have a kegging system but am a little afraid at the prospect of having beer on tap in my house..... )

Back on topic, it has always been my aim to produce a beautiful crystal clear beer but to date I have neither used secondary or filtered. I have used finings (until i discovered that some contain shelfish products and I feared a guest having one of my brews and never suspecting that their shellfish allergy would ruin a great night....and possibly freindship)

I have heard tell of secondary but as yet have not attempted it.

I have also attempted to leave the brew in the fermenter for a couple of days.
Ultimately I would like to not have to worry about avoiding pouring the sediment.

Its not so much that I hate the taste of the sediment although I do much prefer to avoid it and cant understand those who say they like it.

Probably another major reason i would like to remove the sediment is so that I dont waste a cm of beer in each bottle.

This thread has encouraged me to rack (?) my current brew. Iwas given a second fermenter recently. Can I use this as the secondary.

Any pointers or hints?

Lastly in this extended posting.....

May I just add that I haven't had more than a couple of commercial beers since I started brewing and have not had a bad comment from anyone who has had one of my brews.....in fact some have proclaimed it "the best beer I have ever tasted".

Cheers to the home brewers of Australia....
Cheers to the posters on this AHB.....
Cheers to filtering..............
.......................................and goodnight. -_-

 

[dicko]

Very interesting diverse opinions on this topic.
This thread has encouraged me to rack (?) my current brew. Iwas given a second fermenter recently. Can I use this as the secondary.

Any pointers or hints?

[post="119709"][/post]​

Hi ATOMT,
What a handle, but anyway,

You can use a fermenter as a secondary or cube.
It is good, if after you have cubed or racked your beer to a secondary,
you place the cube in a fridge to stop the yeast from working and help it drop out of suspension.
I try to leave mine for a minimum of 10 days if I can.

Cheers

 

[KoNG]

Very interesting diverse opinions on this topic.
This thread has encouraged me to rack (?) my current brew. Iwas given a second fermenter recently. Can I use this as the secondary.

Any pointers or hints?

[post="119709"][/post]​

you place the cube in a fridge to stop the yeast from working and help it drop out of suspension.

[post="119724"][/post]​

I rack all my ales (i never really do lagers anyways ) atleast for a couple of days, i find i get another point or two even when it has stopped in primary.
My point..? Dicko your comment above is a little misleading, especially if newbies are to read this when thinking of moving to racking their beers. The above process may be suitable for keggers (especially if you want to achieve a certain FG). But for bottlers, stopping the fermentation process by chilling.. could very well result in bottle bombs if it leaves extra sugars to be consumed by the yeast when it wakes up after bottling .
i would think if racking to secondary and you bottle, you need to be sure fermentation is complete before CC'ing.

Beers
KoNG

 

[warrenlw63]

There's relevance there Kong.

I think the whole issue has been clouded by brewer's forgetting to mention their preferred method of dispense.

You can get away with a lot more when you keg. Particularly forgoeing a secondary or incomplete fermentation. Thanks for clarifying things for a lot of brewers Kong.

I think bottlers need to be more patient and allow their beers to completely clear and ferment.

Warren -

 

[Steve]

Angel
Even when you rack to secondary for 7 days or however long you will still have sediment in the bottom of your bottle. The beer maybe clearer but you will still have sediment. I suggest you decant your stubbie/longnecks to a jug and leave the yeast behind in the bottle. Simple.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Trough Lolly]

This thread has encouraged me to rack (?) my current brew. Iwas given a second fermenter recently. Can I use this as the secondary.

Any pointers or hints?

[post="119709"][/post]​

Sanitation is king...by all means rack to secondary (aka Beer Brightening Tank) but make sure you minimise any risk of infection by having good sanitation procedures - you don't want to waste a good beer by being lazy near the end of the process.

FWIW, I rack pale beers to secondary (and always lager my lagers at 3C in the fridge) but I rarely put amber or darker beer in secondary - they typically go straight from the primary, on about day 14, to the keg. Choosing a quality yeast strain that floccs well helps too!

Cheers,
TL

 

[mikem108]

Always secondary, cleaner beer, cleaner flavours!

 

[dicko]

Very interesting diverse opinions on this topic.
This thread has encouraged me to rack (?) my current brew. Iwas given a second fermenter recently. Can I use this as the secondary.

Any pointers or hints?

[post="119709"][/post]​

you place the cube in a fridge to stop the yeast from working and help it drop out of suspension.

[post="119724"][/post]​

I rack all my ales (i never really do lagers anyways ) atleast for a couple of days, i find i get another point or two even when it has stopped in primary.
My point..? Dicko your comment above is a little misleading, especially if newbies are to read this when thinking of moving to racking their beers. The above process may be suitable for keggers (especially if you want to achieve a certain FG). But for bottlers, stopping the fermentation process by chilling.. could very well result in bottle bombs if it leaves extra sugars to be consumed by the yeast when it wakes up after bottling .
i would think if racking to secondary and you bottle, you need to be sure fermentation is complete before CC'ing.

Beers
KoNG

[post="119854"][/post]​

Yes KoNG,
You are correct.
You would think that I would learn by now to stop and think before I post.

I should never assume that all brewers will make certain the fermentation is complete before racking to the conditioning cube

What I should have said that if angel etc, is racking for clarity it should be racked or cubed only after it is determined that fermentation is complete.
It doesn't matter wether you bottle or keg, or drink it from the fermenter, you should determine by SG readings that fermentation is finished before racking or bottling.
Bottling after you rack and chill is not a problem and as it has been already stated, it will help to produce clearer beers with less sediment and generally a "smoother" taste.

Cheers and clear beers!!

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

or drink it from the fermenter

Mmmm, yummo :lol:

Seriously though...where is the "never" voting selection?

PZ.