How long should I let my stout age in secondary?

I brewed this baby on August 28th. 13 days in primary, racked to secondary, been there ever since. This was my very first stout, just wondering how long I should age it in secondary before bottling...


Strongbadian Imperial Chocolate-Espresso Stout

A ProMash Recipe Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

13-F Stout, Russian Imperial Stout

Min OG: 1.075 Max OG: 1.114
Min IBU: 50 Max IBU: 100
Min Clr: 30 Max Clr: 48 Color in SRM, Lovibond

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 5.00 Wort Size (Gal): 5.00
Total Extract (Lbs): 13.00
Anticipated OG: 1.092 Plato: 21.92
Anticipated SRM: 51.4
Anticipated IBU: 65.8
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate: 15.00 Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 5.88 Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.078 SG 18.85 Plato

Formulas Used
-------------

Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.
Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.
Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppg
% Yield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.

Color Formula Used: Morey
Hop IBU Formula Used: Rager

Additional Utilization Used For Plug Hops: 2 %
Additional Utilization Used For Pellet Hops: 10 %


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.8 0.50 lbs. Chocolate Malt America 1.029 350
7.7 1.00 lbs. Roasted Barley America 1.028 450
3.8 0.50 lbs. Crystal 10L America 1.035 10
61.5 8.00 lbs. Briess LME- Dark America 1.035 23
15.4 2.00 lbs. Generic DME - Light Generic 1.046 8
3.8 0.50 lbs. Brown Sugar Generic 1.046 4
3.8 0.50 lbs. Molasses Generic 1.036 80

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.50 oz. Pacific Gem Whole 13.60 25.2 60 min.
1.00 oz. Northern Brewer Pellet 6.50 26.5 60 min.
0.50 oz. Cascade Whole 5.75 10.7 60 min.
0.50 oz. Saazer Pellet 3.30 3.4 30 min.


Extras

Amount Name Type Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.00 Tsp Gypsum Powder Other 60 Min.(boil)
8.00 Oz Unsweetened Baker's Chocolate Other 20 Min.(boil)
0.25 Tsp Irish Moss Fining 15 Min.(boil)
12.00 Cup(s) Brewed Drip Coffee Coffee 21 Days(fermenter)
12.00 Oz Brewed Espresso Coffee 0 Min.(fermenter)


Yeast
-----

DCL Yeast US-56 Safeale American Ale Yeast


Notes
-----

-Add 12 cups Brewed drip coffee to primary fermenter

I personally like stout fresh (one week in kegg forcecarb) I have let it age in the past and it seemed to lose something.

Interesting...Perhaps I shouldn't wait. I also have an oatmeal stout in secondary...maybe I'll just experiment. Bottle one, let the other one age. In fact, I based my oatie on Papazian's recipe, and he says to "lager" the thing for several months while dryhopping...?

I've never done a full on oat. I would say taste thru out and see how you like it.

G. Cretin said:

I've never done a full on oat. I would say taste thru out and see how you like it.

Click to expand...

Been doing just that. Tasted it yesterday, it seemed a bit tame, so I added 0.5oz of Crystal pellets.

Give the Crystal a week, then bottle. I'd give it another month in the bottle.

I prefer to age Imperial and other high grav stouts for months before kegging or bottling. Lighter alcohol stouts move more quickly, two weeks to a month in secondary. Really enjoying a Imperial Oatmeal Stout off the draft right now. I aged it for a year in the tertiary at about 65 deg f. It is fantastic!!! I can't stress enough how important aging high gravity ales is, to decrease alcohol heat and increase smoothness, decrease off flavors like dycetyl aldehyde etc.. So take your time!