AG brews and secondary fermentation

[WelshPaul]

After decided to jump straight into AG brews rather than go down teh extract route, I have a quick question on fermentation time: my first AG batch has been fermenting in a 15l FV for 1½ weeks now and will be bottled this weekend.

Now, I've seen that a number of people recommend doing the primary fermentation in one FV before transferring to a seperate vessel for secondary:
- Firstly, what effect does this have on the finished product?
- How do you know when primary fermentation has ended and secondary begun?
- Can this just be a standard FV just as was used for primary fermentation or would a pressure barrel be better?

 

[graysalchemy]

It allows you to remove all the trub from the brewing to fall out early on fermentation. I tend to put into a secondary after fermentation has stopped, but some do the 'double drop' and transfer it after 2-3 days whilst it is still fermenting.

 

[keith1664]

I go by the theory that the less I mess about with it the less likely I am to get any nasty infections. Hence it's usually in the same fermenter for around 3 weeks before bottling / kegging.

 

[Smokey.]

I generally keep min in fermenting bin for a couple of weeks then transfer to secondary for 2-3 weeks then bottle/keg. No trouble as of yet with infections.

 

[WelshPaul]

I go by the theory that the less I mess about with it the less likely I am to get any nasty infections. Hence it's usually in the same fermenter for around 3 weeks before bottling / kegging.

This is exactly what I am doing at present: so do I assume that moving it for secondary fermentation is not stricly necessary?

 

[keith1664]

Yup

 

[evanvine]

Strange how you get two very similar topics!
Here's what I posted in the other one.

 

[Screwy]

Gave away secondary vessel fermentation years ago for the same reason as previous posts. Reduces risk of infection etc. Do a forced ferment ahead of time to find your TG. Take a small amount of wort about day three and place it somewhere warm (upper 20's) and it will ferment out quickly, after 5 days check gravity. Now you have a reference for what the TG of your full batch of wort should hit. Leave to ferment until Terminal Gravity is reached then give a week for the yeast to clean up after itself before kegging/bottling. If you can, drop temp to 1 - 2 degrees for 3 days before kegging/bottling, helps to drop out yeast. If bottling, rack to a spare vessel with enough priming sugar for the entire batch (see bulk priming), mix gently, using this method you can bottle into any size/variation in sizes of bottle.

Cheers,

Screwy