Fermentation

[chrismccull]

When brewing with an extract kit, do you always use a secondary fermenter?   The book How to Brew claims that you do not need to use one except with high OG beer and Lagers and many people on homebrewtalk seem to just use a primary.  What do you use?  I am about the brew a Pilsner kit and a Brew House IPA.

[Chris Craig]

The only time I rack to a secondary is when I'm dry-hopping.  The consensus these days is to use the primary for the whole fermentation.

[Richard]

+1

[chrismccull]

Thanks, I thought so.

How long do you generally leave it in the primary, I am thinking about 4 weeks rather than the 10 days listed in the instructions.

[Dave Savoie]

if there is not  like 3 inches of sediment then 4 weeks should be ok I think

[Chris Craig]

As a rule, I go 3 weeks if you're bottling.  Most of the fermentation will be done by 10 days though, so if you're kegging you can do what you like after that.

[Chris Craig]

Maybe we should move this to the Technique forum...

[Richard]

Done.

[chrismccull]

Sorry about that, thanks for the advice.

[sdixon]

If I'm brewing something like an English Ale with a highly flocculent yeast, then I don't see a need to rack to a secondary. In my case, brewing with some slower fermenting Belgian yeasts, I see a benefit from a quasi ageing in a secondary. My advice... try both and see which you prefer. Also do some reading about the preferences of your particular yeast... each is different. At the end of the day... enjoy... you will usually make beer better than you can guy at the liquor store :-)