Porter Help

[striker918]

I currently have a porter that has been in the primary fermenter for 14 days. Should I let it age in the primary or should I transfer to a secondary? Also how long do you guys like aging your porter. Thanks in advance.

 

[ETCS]

The only reason I would transfer it would be to get it off the lees. The last porter that I did, I left in the primary for about 10 days, and then secondary for about 3 weeks. Then bottle conditioned for about 3 weeks.

 

[BryanJ]

I just made a porter a week ago and am planning on three weeks in primary unless i feel it should be left alone another week or two.

Just leave it in the primary and taste it periodically until you like it and then bottle it.

 

[motobrewer]

i just took mine off after 4 weeks in the primary. i tried it at two weeks, definitely wasn't ready.

 

[Geofferson]

I left my Porter in the primary for 4 weeks. Bottled it and it was drinkable in less than a week. Just had some more this weekend, it's been in the bottles about 2 weeks, it's drinkable and good. Not perfect and could use some time in the bottles but it's good.

I would let it sit in the primary another 2 weeks then bottle it. Then let it sit for at least 3 weeks if you are patient. I'm not, so you could probably open one in a week and have above-average beer.

 

[mixedbrewer]

I think it all depends on how you like your porters. I actually like mine a little "dirty" tasting, a little less refined. I primary mine for 2 weeks, and bottle for at least 2 weeks and they are just how I like em.

 

[Revvy]

This has been discussed ad nauseum on here. I leave all my beers in primary for a month, though I just bottled a version of my chocolate moler porter after 5.5 months in primary and it is amazing.

This is the latest recommendation, it is the same one many of us have been giving for several years on here.

Tom from Michigan asks:
I have a few questions about secondary fermentations. I've read both pros and cons for 2nd fermentations and it is driving me crazy what to do. One, are they necessary for lower Gravity beers?
Two, what is the dividing line between low gravity and high gravity beers? Is it 1.060 and higher?
Three, I have an American Brown Ale in the primary right now, a SG of 1.058, Should I secondary ferment this or not?
Your advice is appreciated, thanks for all you do!

Allen from New York asks:
John, please talk about why or why not you would NOT use a secondary fermenter (bright tank?) and why or why not a primary only fermentation is a good idea. In other words, give some clarification or reason why primary only is fine, versus the old theory of primary then secondary normal gravity ale fermentations.

Palmer answers:
These are good questions – When and why would you need to use a secondary fermenter? First some background – I used to recommend racking a beer to a secondary fermenter. My recommendation was based on the premise that (20 years ago) larger (higher gravity) beers took longer to ferment completely, and that getting the beer off the yeast reduced the risk of yeast autolysis (ie., meaty or rubbery off-flavors) and it allowed more time for flocculation and clarification, reducing the amount of yeast and trub carryover to the bottle. Twenty years ago, a homebrewed beer typically had better flavor, or perhaps less risk of off-flavors, if it was racked off the trub and clarified before bottling. Today that is not the case.

The risk inherent to any beer transfer, whether it is fermenter-to-fermenter or fermenter-to-bottles, is oxidation and staling. Any oxygen exposure after fermentation will lead to staling, and the more exposure, and the warmer the storage temperature, the faster the beer will go stale.

Racking to a secondary fermenter used to be recommended because staling was simply a fact of life – like death and taxes. But the risk of autolysis was real and worth avoiding – like cholera. In other words, you know you are going to die eventually, but death by cholera is worth avoiding.

But then modern medicine appeared, or in our case, better yeast and better yeast-handling information. Suddenly, death by autolysis is rare for a beer because of two factors: the freshness and health of the yeast being pitched has drastically improved, and proper pitching rates are better understood. The yeast no longer drop dead and burst like Mr. Creosote from Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life when fermentation is complete – they are able to hibernate and wait for the next fermentation to come around. The beer has time to clarify in the primary fermenter without generating off-flavors. With autolysis no longer a concern, staling becomes the main problem. The shelf life of a beer can be greatly enhanced by avoiding oxygen exposure and storing the beer cold (after it has had time to carbonate).

Therefore I, and Jamil and White Labs and Wyeast Labs, do not recommend racking to a secondary fermenter for ANY ale, except when conducting an actual second fermentation, such as adding fruit or souring. Racking to prevent autolysis is not necessary, and therefore the risk of oxidation is completely avoidable. Even lagers do not require racking to a second fermenter before lagering. With the right pitching rate, using fresh healthy yeast, and proper aeration of the wort prior to pitching, the fermentation of the beer will be complete within 3-8 days (bigger = longer). This time period includes the secondary or conditioning phase of fermentation when the yeast clean up acetaldehyde and diacetyl. The real purpose of lagering a beer is to use the colder temperatures to encourage the yeast to flocculate and promote the precipitation and sedimentation of microparticles and haze.

So, the new rule of thumb: don’t rack a beer to a secondary, ever, unless you are going to conduct a secondary fermentation.

THIS is where the latest discussion and all your questions answered.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/secondary-not-john-palmer-jamil-zainasheff-weigh-176837/

We basically proved that old theory wrong on here 5 years ago, and now the rest fo the brewing community is catching up. Though a lot of old dogs don't tend to follow the latest news, and perpetuate the old stuff.

The autolysis from prolong yeast contact has fallen by the wayside, in fact yeast contact is now seen as a good thing.

 

[striker918]

Thanks for all your opinions I really appreciate all the knowledge. Thanks for the link Revvy I appreciate it.