Been Sitting in Secondary...

Howdy -

I've been waiting for a new temperature controller for the chest freezer so I can keg, and my latest red ale has been sitting in the secondary for maybe a week longer than it needed. Any thoughts on impact to the beer? It looks sad all flat, no foam, just waiting for carbonation!

Cheers,
Kojones

 

No. Secondaries are used for bulk conditioning and aging beers. That's sort of the point. So there's no downside to leaving the beer longer, actually just the opposite.

 

Awesome - thanks. I'm relatively new to this, but learning and expanding quick!

Cheers,
Kojones

 

Many beers include flavors or aromas that will vanish over time. IPAs are one example, many different kinds of wheat beers are another. Leaving an IPA in a secondary vessel to age for too long will result in a maltier, more oxydized beer, and a wheat that's actually TOO old just won't taste good.

Red ales - like the one you say you have in secondary - won't be harmed by an extra week of conditioning. They have lots of malty flavors that need time to meld, and (comparatively) few alpha-acids to volatilize off. Just remember that you need to be disciplined about your timeline for SOME beers, and plan appropriately!