Best method of aging a Stout?

I have recently kegged my Imperial Stout and purged the O2 from the keg. It is sitting in my garage which is cold but not freezing. I tasted a small amount prior to storing it away and it has what I can best describe as a "Perfume Like" aftertaste to it. Initial flavours comes through nicely, but the perfume after effect is significant. I assume this will mellow with age and I am looking for the proper method of aging this Stout.

Can you help?

Salute!

I'd put it in an area that maintains a temperature somewhere between 55-65 degrees and leave it alone for awhile.

Best way to store it? In my kegerator... I can PM you the address.

Okay on the temperature range for aging. Now can someone tell me how long it might take to reduce the perceived "Perfume" aftertaste? Is this something typical of a High Gravity brew or did I maybe screw something up along the way.

It looks and smells wonderful with a nice creamy head (not even fully carbed at this point).

Salute!

Not sure what you mean by perfumed. Is it a function of the hops, did you add vanilla or something else? Maybe if we can pinpoint the ingredient causing the "perfume" we can help you out.

best way to store any beer is in a keg in a constant temperature location. Zero sun...zero temp change... well... oak barrel may be better

McKBrew said:

Not sure what you mean by perfumed. Is it a function of the hops, did you add vanilla or something else? Maybe if we can pinpoint the ingredient causing the "perfume" we can help you out.

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Essentially a Brewers Best Russian Imperial Stout. I don't have the ingredient list with me at the moment. I am at work (Shhhhh!). Will post later this evening.

Salute!

I am pretty bored at work so I looked up the recipe for you :

6.6 lbs.Plain Dark Malt Extract
2 lbs. Plain Dark Dry Malt Extract
8 oz. Crushed Roasted Barley
8 oz. Crushed Black Patent
1 lb. Crushed Crystal Malt 60L
1 oz. Yakima Magnum Hops (Bittering)
1 each Beer Yeast



First thought about perfume flavors... What was the fermentation temperature for this batch?

Started it on the counter top at approximately 70 - 72 degrees then allowed it to finish at approximately 65 - 67 degrees. I racked to a secondary after 12 days and it seemed to come alive again and even had a krausen going for a few days. I allowed this to secondary for 9 days then when the F.G. was right, I transferred to the keg. I purged the keg several times, pressurized to 30psi to set the lid seal and then lowered the pressure to 11psi. That's where it has been for the last several days until last night when I sampled a bit. I have moved the keg to my cold cellar which is holding around 50 -55 degrees right now.

Just spoke to SWMBO and she tasted it and says it was more of a bitter finish with good flavor and a maltiness to it. Could this just be very green beer that requires many months to age, softened and mellow out?

Appreciate all the input. This is my first Stout by the way, so I have very little to go on. Thanks.

Salute!

Your fermentation temperature was probably on the warm side. This will result in higher alcohols and fruity esters which you might perceive as "perfume". Those will mellow a little with conditioning but will not disappear. In terms of conditioning it now, steady and cool are ideal with steady more important then absolute temperature (within limits). What that means is if you have a room or place that stays relatively constant at 68F that would be better then putting it out in your uninsulated garage where it is cooler but subject to large daily fluctuation.

GT

bmckee56 said:

Could this just be very green beer that requires many months to age, softened and mellow out?

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This is my guess... A Russian Imperial definitely needs a lot of time to mellow out. Your temp might have been a bit on the high side; but, I think it will mellow out into an excellent beer.

Neal

Russian Imperial is a stout that should have some diacetyl and other yeast flavors- i'd say, depending on what yeast strain you used, that 70 degrees is actually a pretty good temp for this beer

did you do a diacetyl rest? if you used an english yeast strain you probably need one

Whisler85 said:

did you do a diacetyl rest? if you used an english yeast strain you probably need one

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Wish I knew what this actually was, I am too new at home brewing as this was only like my 6th or 7th kit. I do a lot of reading but do not remember reading much about Diacetyl Rest. Can you provide some insight on this? It is possible I did it, but only without knowledge of doing so.

Salute!

A diacetyl rest is not necessary for this style of beer. Diacetyl rests are typically only done with lagers.

A diacetyl rest involves keeping the beer at a specific temperature range for a set period of time. I'd pretty much guarantee that you didn't do one, or you'd remember it.

No, I guess not, but the Stout was lowered by a few degrees and allowed to finish in the secondary at temperatures that did not fluctuate more than a degree or two. It was kegged then placed in the garage where the temperature did drop but never reached 32 degrees.

Since my OP, I have moved the Stout to my cold cellar which has a fairly consistent temperature overall.

So can anyone provide a time line on how long it may require for aging before I actually begin drinking this batch. Also, should the Stout be kept at a certain pressure during the aging process?

Salute!

Some diacetyl is OK in a beer like this. As noted above it is a flaw in most lagers. In most English beers it is acceptable (and expected). When you say your primary fermentation was 70F did you maintain it at 70F or just pitch it at 70F? The reason I ask is because fermentation is an exothermic reaction and will heat your fermentor up. In the case of a big beer like a RIS it can be 8-10F higher then ambient unless you have some way to cool it off.

GT

I pitched at 70, maintained at 70 for a few days then dropped it a few degrees (ambient). I do not think the ambient temperature ever rose above 68 degrees in the fermentation area.

I have decided it wold be best to put this brew away for a few months and allow it to age. My concern now is: What pressure should I maintain in the keg, during this period of time?

Salute!

Storing it in your basement isolated from any furnace or other heat source is the best place to store a beer for long term aging. It sounds like this beer is pretty young so it just needs some time. My imperial stouts did not get bottled until they were 2 months old. At that point they were pretty good but continued to improve for over a year. I'd say give it 3 months or so before sampling again. It should be pretty good by that point.

Craig

Got Trub? said:

Some diacetyl is OK in a beer like this. As noted above it is a flaw in most lagers. In most English beers it is acceptable (and expected). When you say your primary fermentation was 70F did you maintain it at 70F or just pitch it at 70F? The reason I ask is because fermentation is an exothermic reaction and will heat your fermentor up. In the case of a big beer like a RIS it can be 8-10F higher then ambient unless you have some way to cool it off.

GT

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Basement temperature is typically maintained at 68 degrees. I can get it colder, but then the upstairs is like a meat locker. I don't have room for a conditioning closet or fermenting chamber, so I do with what I have.

Salute!