Secondary is old school?

[wunderbier]

Does 'secondary' really speed up clarification? I see this mentioned often as a reason for transferring, but have a hard time believing it. It seems to me like the longer the liquid could remain continuously calm (relatively speaking), the more particles would settle out. Disturbing the fluid partway through the settling process would only extend it, no? But I sucked at fluid mechanics, so what do I know. Anyone every done a side-by-side experiment with the same wort?

[brewinhard]

Cold conditioning/crashing really helps to clear the beer best. With that being said, time is also a critical factor in clear beer.

Rogue-

I use both buckets and glass for primary fermentation. A 5 gallon carboy would be doable but be prepared for massive blow-off and loss of wort. For ease and safety especially when beginning out, buckets seem to be the best bet (and affordable too). I have been brewing in buckets for years and have rarely had to trash one due to scratches. Just be careful when cleaning. They produce good beer, but as aspreskibrewer said probably best for quick turnaround beers.