NB Irish Red

Mashing
1

Have read the discussions of the benefits of secondary/ not secondary fermenting. My boys want me to brew the Irish Red, which calls for a secondary . Has anyone done this recipe with only primary for 3-4 weeks?

Thanks

Sailfast.

2

Leaving it primary is fine. Reasons for using a secondary:

  • Need the primary fermenter for another batch
  • Want to reuse the yeast
  • Want to dry hop (some still dry hop in primary)
  • Want to bulk age for more than a couple months.

If none of these fit your situation, you will be fine leaving it primary.

3

[quote=“mattnaik”]Leaving it primary is fine. Reasons for using a secondary:

  • Need the primary fermenter for another batch
  • Want to reuse the yeast
  • Want to dry hop (some still dry hop in primary)
  • Want to bulk age for more than a couple months.

If none of these fit your situation, you will be fine leaving it primary.[/quote]
Also, if it is a less than flocculant yeast, secondary helps clear it up.

4

I also find the extra transfer helps me NOT suck up yeast from the bottom at bottling time. So it makes the process more forgiving of sloppy siphoning technique.

5

Just out of curiosity, why is it easier to not suck up yeast/trub when transferring to a carboy than to a bottling bucket?

6

Just out of curiosity, why is it easier to not suck up yeast/trub when transferring to a carboy than to a bottling bucket?[/quote]
Yea, I wasn’t clear on that. I still get yeast/trub from the primary going into the carboy, and back into suspension, but it then settles out in the carboy. A week or month later when I transfer to the bottling bucket there is only a very thin sediment layer that is much easier to avoid with the siphon.

It’s not that transferring from a primary to secondary is any easier than going from primary to bottling. It’s that going from secondary to bottling is easier (more forgiving) than going from primary to bottling. That’s all just one guy’s opinion though.

7

[quote=“sailfast”]Have read the discussions of the benefits of secondary/ not secondary fermenting. My boys want me to brew the Irish Red, which calls for a secondary . Has anyone done this recipe with only primary for 3-4 weeks?

Thanks

Sailfast.[/quote]

I’ve brewed this recipe frequently and have never used a secondary. I usually keg after 2 weeks if the gravity is stable. I cold crash for 24-48 hours then rack it into the keg. It’s usually clear within a couple days. It’s a great red ale.