Aging beer

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pahiker6

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How long should you let a beer age? I understand the time lines in leaving a beer in primary and then racking to secondary for clearing. But after that, what are the guidelines for letting a beer age? Are there any?
 
Just about the longer the better. Ideally you would leave a beer in the bottle for 2 months or so.
Most people won't wait any longer than necessary, so 3 weeks in the ottle is about the minimum.

Big beers may need to condition for 5 months or more.(high abv beers)
 
It depends on what you brewed. Many beers are designed to be good to drink after a few weeks. They may continue to improve or, at least, change over more weeks. The high gravity styles usually take some months to start coming together properly.


TL
 
I'm just trying to get an idea for all styles really. Like how long do you let a stout age, or a porter, or a brown ale, or a wheat beer? I've been letting my beers go a month, but should I be more patient?
 
For most stouts, porters, and browns, a month is pretty good time. If it lasts longer, and you like it better that way, let them age longer.

Foreign extra stouts and, certainly, imperial stouts, need more time. Many imperial stouts need six months to a year or more before they peak. Baltic porters are the same way. Hoppy American browns should be good after a month, but they may improve with more time. A particularly malty brown also might like some more time.

Wheat beers, other than weizenbocks, are usually designed to drink young. Weizenbocks can take months.

And, I guess when we talk about "beers" here, we're talking about ales. Lagers need some good lagering time. As you see, there is no rule or even guideline for aging "beer" anymore than the term "beer" describes every style.


TL
 
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