Secondary Fermentation

[Scooter36]

I've dryhopped and racked to a secondary fermenter for the first time and expected to see continued fermentation but am getting no bubbling in my airlock. Is this cause for concern?

I brewed a Nut Brown last weekend (8/1) with an OG 1.066 and racked it to a secondary on 8/8 with a gravity of 1.020. 36 hrs later and I've seen no sign of positive pressure on the airlock and am concerned that I did something wrong.

Am I worrying too much?

[Wort Hog]

Don't worry, secondary is mainly for conditioning and gives it a chance for more yeast to fall out. Fermenting is done.....

[dsiets]

Nothing to worry about. The term "secondary fermenter" is a misnomer, since little or no further attenuation is acheived. We should start calling it a primary conditioner or something.

[Mikerobrew]

Seriously, who started all this secondary fermentation business.

I never understood why "they" just don't call it conditioning. Maybe because that's what happens when it's in the bottles or keg. I don't know. Just makes you think something is supposed to happen. And then you end up looking like a dork because you have airlocks on your secondary carboys that just sit there.

Your beer is fine. It's just getting tastier.

[Scooter36]

Thanks! This is my second brew so was unsure what I shoudl be seeing.

When I don't dryhop, is there a need to use a second fermenter? or can I just bottle after a couple weeks and let it "condition" there? Alternately, what damage can be done to a beer that's left in a primary fermenter too long?

Thanks again for your swift responses!

[Ifearnobeer]

Leaving it in primary too long can cause off flavors from the trub (all that stuff on the bottom) i usually only leave mine in primary for 1 week. When using a secondary it will clarify your beer more. You can ferment for 1 week then bottle and let it age that why, though from what i hear the more volume aging the better it taste (i.e secondary fermenter). Dont leave it in secondary too long though as all the yeast may fall out of suspension so you cant carb.
Good luck,
fear

[dsmcato]

The term "secondary fermenter" is a misnomer....

I agree with the sentiment, but might quible a bit on terminology. I think secondary fermenter is correct because it is a secondary vessel. I think the term secondary fermentation is incorrect, because it is very rarely anything but the continuation of fermentation in a different vessel. A couple beers actually have a secondary fermentation (when fruit or other sugars are added after the primary has finished). The terminology gets loosly applied and everyone understands what is meant, but then confusion arises when the term is used in its strictest sense or someone who's unfamiliar w/ the bastardization of the meaning tries to read it literally.

[DR. Brewgood]

The term "secondary fermenter" is a misnomer....

I agree with the sentiment, but might quible a bit on terminology. I think secondary fermenter is correct because it is a secondary vessel. I think the term secondary fermentation is incorrect, because it is very rarely anything but the continuation of fermentation in a different vessel. A couple beers actually have a secondary fermentation (when fruit or other sugars are added after the primary has finished). The terminology gets loosly applied and everyone understands what is meant, but then confusion arises when the term is used in its strictest sense or someone who's unfamiliar w/ the bastardization of the meaning tries to read it literally.

I could'nt have said it better myself! Being of a Norm Crosby type vocabulation, or even a Rush Limberger using obsenities to show obsenities. I think that the terminologation of Homebrewing is somewhere differential from the real terminologation of the real thing.
As long as we Homebrewers are on the opposite page, we can at least try to understand the lingo. Just don't ask the wife to pitch the yeast or it will end up in the comode. And when I use my comical fragmentor, and harvest the yeast, is it now a secondation, or is it still in a primate conditioning state? What if I store my Ales? Are they now Lagers? We should figer this terminology out.
As far as bastardization goes I think Louis Pastromi discovered that years ago. I gotta go soak my kranimum now!

[dsmcato]

Dr. LMAO! That post made my night.

[Blue]

[jasonsmith092]

Leaving it in primary too long can cause off flavors from the trub (all that stuff on the bottom) i usually only leave mine in primary for 1 week. When using a secondary it will clarify your beer more. You can ferment for 1 week then bottle and let it age that why, though from what i hear the more volume aging the better it taste (i.e secondary fermenter). Dont leave it in secondary too long though as all the yeast may fall out of suspension so you cant carb.

[Tyandam]

Leaving it in primary too long can cause off flavors from the trub (all that stuff on the bottom) i usually only leave mine in primary for 1 week. When using a secondary it will clarify your beer more. You can ferment for 1 week then bottle and let it age that why, though from what i hear the more volume aging the better it taste (i.e secondary fermenter). Dont leave it in secondary too long though as all the yeast may fall out of suspension so you cant carb.

Off flavors from trub are much less likely if you pitch fresh, healthy yeast. I regularly leave my beers in the primary for 2-4 weeks and then bottle with no ill effects whatsoever. On the contrary, off-flavors are just as easily produced by transferring out of the primary too soon. After fermentation, yeast need some time to clean up things such as diacetyl and acetaldehyde.

As far as clarity goes, I prefer using Whirlfloc in the boil and cold crashing the primary to achieve clarity.

If you ARE going to secondary something for a long time (like a high-gravity beer), you do not have to be worried about the yeast falling out of suspension and not being able to carbonate. All this requires is the addition of a small amount of yeast at bottling.

[rebuiltcellars]

Leaving it in primary too long can cause off flavors from the trub (all that stuff on the bottom) i usually only leave mine in primary for 1 week. When using a secondary it will clarify your beer more. You can ferment for 1 week then bottle and let it age that why, though from what i hear the more volume aging the better it taste (i.e secondary fermenter). Dont leave it in secondary too long though as all the yeast may fall out of suspension so you cant carb.

I have to say, I disagree with some things here. You can leave the beer in the primary a LONG time with no ill effects or off flavors. I routinely leave beers for 3-5 weeks in primary. And while more yeast does drop out the longer you leave the beer in secondary, you are generally fine for carbination as long as you haven't left it for more than 2 months before bottling.

[mccabedoug]

Leaving it in primary too long can cause off flavors from the trub (all that stuff on the bottom) i usually only leave mine in primary for 1 week. When using a secondary it will clarify your beer more. You can ferment for 1 week then bottle and let it age that why, though from what i hear the more volume aging the better it taste (i.e secondary fermenter). Dont leave it in secondary too long though as all the yeast may fall out of suspension so you cant carb.

I have to say, I disagree with some things here. You can leave the beer in the primary a LONG time with no ill effects or off flavors. I routinely leave beers for 3-5 weeks in primary. And while more yeast does drop out the longer you leave the beer in secondary, you are generally fine for carbination as long as you haven't left it for more than 2 months before bottling.

Agreed. Assuming my desired FG is reached, I remove my beer from primary when it is convenient for me. It may be a week, it may be 3 weeks. I have never observed any taste differences related to length of time in primary.

[GoldenChild]

man i was reading through this and i looked at Scooter36 and i thought man he has 558 post and this is only his second batch of beer? Then i noticed wow this is a topic from 2004 lol better late then never.