Secondary fermentation question

[Doublehoppy]

I've a 23Lt batch of English Ale that's been fermenting for 10 days. OG was 1.051, gravity now stable at 1.012. My question is whether to transfer it to a secondary vessel for clearing prior to bottling.

I usually transfer to a carboy and add gelatine then leave for a couple of weeks until beer is bright, then bottle. But I'm thinking of ditching the gelatine this time. That so, I'm wondering what there is to gain by transfering to a secondary vessel. Maybe I should just bottle it directly from the primary, either now or in another week or so.

The yeast is wyeast 1968 London ESB, which normally compacts down pretty well in any case.

What do others normally do?

[MrC]

I usually leave it in primary for min 2 weeks, max 3 weeks and bottle straight from there (bulk priming in a seperate bucket). I add irish moss to the boil with about 10 min remaining and beers are cloudy at bottling but clear up nicely. I've never used a secondary fermenter for an ale.

[jt]

I usually go to secondary, out of habit only really and sometimes dry hop as justification to myself.
Also used W1968 a lot and when I do rack, it's probably been clear enough to bottle or keg anyway

[Kempicus]

I never secondary ferment i figure that all i'll do is double the chance of infection, if you're bottling i don't see the point but if you're kegging it's probably a good idea. you can always dry hop in primary

[jt]

So my cascade ale is down from 1.050 to 1.012, I should just throw my dry hops in now ?

[Kempicus]

yep, i would have thrown them in a day after it started fermenting but never mind chuck em in now!

[jt]

Aww, it'll make it all yucky !

[Stu McKinlay]

I throw dry hops into primary soon after the krausen subsides. usually day about day four. final gravity will be pretty much achieved by this time and the yeast is just cleaning up byproducts from here on.
I leave the beer in primary for ten to fourteen days, then keg (and often drink from about day two or three in the keg, sometimes I leave it longer, and if it is more of a new world style ale I'll try to cold condition for three weeks..

I think secondary is a crock of **** unless you are lagering / cold conditioning (and then I'd do it in a corny keg).

W1968 should not require any post-fermentation fining. It's as flocculant as they come.

[Alasdair]

I'd agree that its a crock for lagers (as well as ales). I leave my lagers for four weeks in the fermernter, then keg and condition for two to four weeks.

For my ales, its anything from 10 days to three weeks in the fermenter, then keg and drink.

It means one less vessel to clean and sanitise and one less opportunity for infection.

[Doublehoppy]

Thanks for all of the replies.

OK, that's settled, I'll leave it in the primary until the weekend (which will be 2 weeks in total) then rack into another bucket for bulk priming and bottle from there.

It's tasting great at the moment by the way, real fruity. It's a 1st generation of 1968. In the past I've found that the profile is great in the 1st generation, but becomes quite bland with later generations...

[Stu McKinlay]

Do you pitch a smack pack straight in? 23L @ 1.051 would stress that yeast out a bit, it'd be like sending a teenage boy onto the set of America's Next Naughty Model.

[Tony]

I love the analogy Stu. I often put my brew into a secondary, for the reason, it gets it off the sediment, dead yeast and any trub. All of which can add off flavours to the beer. As long as you follow the same rules for sanitation, I've never had a problem. It can often reactivate a sleepy yeast, if you are trying to bring the FG down or dry hopping.

Do you find leaving the brew in the primary that long, enhances the flavours?

[Doublehoppy]

Yes, a bit lazy I know. So the stress is causing the rapid deterioration of the yeast? Never thought of that. I'll have to use the Mr Malty calculator