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Author Topic: Secondary vs primary for adjuncts?  (Read 2837 times)

Offline Lazy Ant Brewing

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Secondary vs primary for adjuncts?
« on: March 18, 2017, 08:28:58 am »
A lot of sources now say there's no need for a secondary fermenter, but most recipes where adjuncts such as coffee beans or pecans are added say to put them in the secondary.

I'm hesitant to siphon to a secondary for fear of contamination --it's just one more opportunity for bad things to happen-- especially when the adjunct is in a muslin hop bag that usually floats on the top of the brew.

Also, I'd have to buy a second bucket for fermentation.

Comments please, and thanks in advance for your advice.
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Offline BrewBama

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Re: Secondary vs primary for adjuncts?
« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2017, 08:38:00 am »
I believe that if you are conscientious about cleaning and sanitizing you have nothing to fret about transferring to a secondary. I imagine you could simply float the bag in a primary.


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Offline Lazy Ant Brewing

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Re: Secondary vs primary for adjuncts?
« Reply #2 on: March 18, 2017, 08:46:55 am »
Floating the bag in the primary is what I'm doing now, but would my beer be substantially improved if I did rack the beer over before adding the adjunct?

Thanks for your advice.
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Offline JT

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Re: Secondary vs primary for adjuncts?
« Reply #3 on: March 18, 2017, 08:59:40 am »
If the bag is floating, I don't see any need for the secondary.  The whole idea would be to get it away from the yeast and trub, which is accomplished by floating.  If it's on the primary for an extended period of time, MAYBE there would be a concern of autolysis, but IME that just hasn't been an issue. 

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Offline JT

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Re: Secondary vs primary for adjuncts?
« Reply #4 on: March 18, 2017, 09:08:17 am »
Side discussion: is coffee an adjunct?  I've always thought of adjuncts as an unmalted source of fermentables.  Are flavoring additions also adjuncts? 

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Offline GS

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Re: Secondary vs primary for adjuncts?
« Reply #5 on: March 18, 2017, 09:11:43 am »
Like was said before, if you are careful with sanitation you have nothing to worry about.

I use secondaries for dry hopping and adjuncts. I found that I get cleaner beer in the bottle (less gunk on the bottom).  The other advantage is that with a secondary, you can add a handful of glass beads to the bag to sink it.

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Offline BrewBama

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Secondary vs primary for adjuncts?
« Reply #6 on: March 18, 2017, 09:49:20 am »
Floating the bag in the primary is what I'm doing now, but would my beer be substantially improved if I did rack the beer over before adding the adjunct?

Thanks for your advice.

I don't think it would be 'substantially improved' over what you're doing now. "Do what you can, where you are, with what you have." --  Theodore Roosevelt. You're going to make great beer.


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« Last Edit: March 18, 2017, 09:51:27 am by BrewBama »

Offline reverseapachemaster

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Re: Secondary vs primary for adjuncts?
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2017, 10:10:56 am »
Side discussion: is coffee an adjunct?  I've always thought of adjuncts as an unmalted source of fermentables.  Are flavoring additions also adjuncts? 

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Use of the word "adjunct" has expanded to include pretty much all ingredients outside the main four.
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Offline coolman26

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Re: Secondary vs primary for adjuncts?
« Reply #8 on: March 19, 2017, 12:29:40 pm »
I would be more concerned with oxidation than infection during transfer. I would only secondary for long term in glass. I've only used secondary for fruit and wood.


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Jeff B

Offline Lazy Ant Brewing

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Re: Secondary vs primary for adjuncts?
« Reply #9 on: March 22, 2017, 12:58:02 pm »
Yes, that's another reason I prefer to add everything to the primary.

Thanks
It's easier to read brewing books and get information from the forum than to sacrifice virgins to appease the brewing gods when bad beer happens!