Advantages of secondary racking a stout?
- Thread starter AugyD
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Your not going to get much by using a secondary on a dark beer such as a stout. Lagering probably won't do much either to be honest. :fro:
Sheldon
Well-Known Member
unless you are "conditioning" a Russian Imperial.
Then yes, if I dry hop or add adjuncts (like fruit), then I will do a secondary. Will help racking to bottling bucket or keg later.
That would be a reason to secondary a batch, although I don't think adding fruit to a stout is going to have the effect that you probably think it will. After the sugars in the fruit ferment away (and they will), you get what remains. Also, you'll have to add quite a lot of fruit due to all of the lovely caramel and roasted grains you've got in there. Consider saving the raspberries for something much lighter like a blonde ale.
The best thing you can do for your stout is to give it an extra looooooong time conditioning in the bottles at 70*F, say 3-4 months or more.
I would agree with most of the comments here, you do not get much from moving to a secondary.
With that being said, personally, if I am not going to share the beer, I doing a single step fermentation. If I am sharing the beer, I rack it. I notice that when I don't rack the stout, the stout is a bit grainy and the particulate in the bottom of bottle and the glass is more. If I rack it, I can usually pour the whole bottle and the beer is clean.
Also, I have found with both my Wheat and Stout beers, I don't skimp on the Irish Moss. It is not about clarity, but the drop in protein. I find these two beers really benefit that it brings and the beer seems more crisp.
Just my observations.
With that being said, personally, if I am not going to share the beer, I doing a single step fermentation. If I am sharing the beer, I rack it. I notice that when I don't rack the stout, the stout is a bit grainy and the particulate in the bottom of bottle and the glass is more. If I rack it, I can usually pour the whole bottle and the beer is clean.
Also, I have found with both my Wheat and Stout beers, I don't skimp on the Irish Moss. It is not about clarity, but the drop in protein. I find these two beers really benefit that it brings and the beer seems more crisp.
Just my observations.
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