Secondary a stout?

mullimat · 03-25-2008, 02:32 AM

I just transferred my stout to a keg a few days ago using the keg as a secondary. But thinking back on it, why should i need a secondary? I mean it's not like i need the stout to clear right? lol So being that the sediment normally falls out of my beers pretty quickly, i shoulkd just be able to sometime this week transfer it to another keg and leave what sediment is in there now (by accident picked up some of the yeast cake) and go ahead and force carb right? I will still let it age the full amount of time it is supposed to regardless. I guess what i'm really getting at is just cutting secondary short because it kinda seems pointless with a stout. What do you all think?

FlyGuy · 03-25-2008, 02:42 AM

Stouts, porters, or any other beer with lots of dark roasted grains often have a harshness associated with them when they are very young. Aging them in a secondary vessel is a great way to round out those flavours. You can do it in the bottle, too, but it takes a bit longer. Some of my stouts have peaked in the bottle at 4 - 6 months. Aging in a keg/secondary is preferable, IMO, because you keep the beer on the yeast longer and it takes less time for them to clean up the beer and round out the complex, roasty flavours.

mullimat · 03-25-2008, 02:47 AM

I know this is going to sound dumb based on what i said before but i only brewed this batch a week and a half ago. First PM batch. But already what i have been tasting of it it is completely drinkable now really! It already has great flavor. I can't wait to taste the finished product when it does finish aging. May just end up being my favorite beer behind the Rochefort 10 of course.