[jason]

How many people here use a secondary fermentation process when making beer?

[wild]

Only one of my beers goes directly from primary to keg. All others use a secondary or more.

Wild

[hevimees]

Not me. I only have plastic buckets as fermentors, so there's no point in transferring my beer to secondary. I just leave my brews in the bucket for two or three weeks and then bottle.

[Aneurysm]

I was using a one-stage kit... But I just bought a better kit last week and have my first batch now in secondary in a 5 gal glass carboy. I think its a good idea just to get the beer off the initial sediment.. to avoid any trub bite...

[hevimees]

Originally Posted by Aneurysm

I was using a one-stage kit... But I just bought a better kit last week and have my first batch now in secondary in a 5 gal glass carboy. I think its a good idea just to get the beer off the initial sediment.. to avoid any trub bite...

I bottle using a bottling bucket, so I leave the sediment behind when I transfer my beer to that.

[Aneurysm]

but i thought I read somewhere you should get it off the sediment in no more than a week or it can affect the taste..?

[hevimees]

Originally Posted by Aneurysm

but i thought I read somewhere you should get it off the sediment in no more than a week or it can affect the taste..?

A matter of opinion. A person who has been brewing for more than 15 years said that you won't gain anything by transferring your beer to secondary. He thought that by doing so you simply risk oxidation of your beer.

But I won't say anything for sure yet. I'll probably test this thing sometime by making two batches of the same beer. I'll leave the other one into primary fermenter for two weeks and transfer the other one to secondary after a few days of fermentation.

[Llewner]

Not using a secondary is just lazy IMHO. All beers benefit from the racking and the extra time in the fermenter. The only exception would be some of the light, kit ales. They don't benefit from anything other than an act of God (or a couple of pounds of raspberries and a trip through the secondary).

[brewgirl]

I always use a secondary (glass carboy) and have got some good bears but... I have heard from a few professionals that it is unneccasary and can be dangerous if your not really carefull. I think it really is just a matter of opinion.

[salgy]

i always use a secondary... glass for ales and stainless for lagers