A good time to transfer too Secondary Fermenter

[cbehne7]

I am brewing an ale and have had my beer fermenting in its primary for 5 days. It still looks active, foam on top of the brew, but I have to go out of town for over a week. I was hoping to transfer to the secondary fermenter today but I was concerned that it might be to early. I don't want to leave it in the primary for 2 weeks either. Any suggestions? Thanks

Chris

[merfizle]

I don't transfer until the gravity readings for 2 consecutive days are the same.

Mark

[ghwren]

No need to transfer unless you are trying to add a post fermentation flavor, such as fruit or dry hop. Transfering is just one more risk of infection. Ideally, if you can let it sit for the two weeks at the low end of it's ideal fermentation range, it will probably be cleared and ready for packaging.

[jomebrew]

I have brewed about 50 batches.  Never transferred to a secondary.  Always leave on the yeast 10 days.  Usually Dry Hop.  Never a problem.  As long as your sanitation is good and you got you some of them healthy yeast, you aught to be good

If you want to move to a secondary, gravity readings are a good test.  Activity could simply be CO2 coming out of solutions.  Many Ale yeasts are done in three or four days.  If the final gravity is at an acceptable level and you must transfer to a secondary, then you can .  Depending on some factors, the yeast might not have cleaned up some of the natural off flavors they created like DMS. 

Brew happy,

Joe

[dogma46an2]

Leave it in the primary you will be fine . get it to a spot that may drop a few degrees . but really i would just leave it be go on the vaca and come back you should be good to go

[bonjour]

No need for a secondary here,  leave it and take care of it when you get back.