Aging a stout but would like to bottle to test.

[Bucks-04]

As stated in the title, I'm aging a stout and would like to bottle a couple to taste the process. Is this possible?

I just racked to the secondary from the primary after a month. Some of the cons would be infection, but I'm pretty good with sanitation so not worried about that. Is there anything that wold make this a bad idea?

 

[h22lude]

You would just have to put priming sugar into a few bottles.

Why not bottle the whole thing and bottle condition the stout? This way you can taste one every few weeks to see how it is going.

 

[bottlebomber]

Just bottle it all. There probably isn't too much of a benfit in bulk aging it

 

[Bucks-04]

Well after the first 2 responses, not knowing that there could be a difference between bulk and bottling aging I feel I might do both.

So split it in 2 and have 2.5 gal in bottles and the other bulk aging. Then I can see if there is a difference and which way I like better.

New question - Do you see anything wrong/bad about this idea?

 

[bottlebomber]

Well after the first 2 responses, not knowing that there could be a difference between bulk and bottling aging I feel I might do both.

So split it in 2 and have 2.5 gal in bottles and the other bulk aging. Then I can see if there is a difference and which way I like better.

New question - Do you see anything wrong/bad about this idea?

To me is sounds like a great idea, with one possible exception. If you are half draining your fermenter, and the beer is basically done fermenting and therefore done producing CO2, you have a huge headspace that will be then filled with oxygen, which will stay in contact with your beer for the time your aging it. I can almost promise the beer in the bottles will age better for this fact alone, so unless you have a container that can snugly accommodate 2.5 gallons of beer, it wont be a fair comparison. But its generally always good to experiment this way as a new brewer, even if the experiments fail you learn every time

 

[Bucks-04]

To me is sounds like a great idea, with one possible exception. If you are half draining your fermenter, and the beer is basically done fermenting and therefore done producing CO2, you have a huge headspace that will be then filled with oxygen, which will stay in contact with your beer for the time your aging it. I can almost promise the beer in the bottles will age better for this fact alone, so unless you have a container that can snugly accommodate 2.5 gallons of beer, it wont be a fair comparison. But its generally always good to experiment this way as a new brewer, even if the experiments fail you learn every time

Well I don't have anything that small (yup I just said that)! Well I might just bottle then and do this experiment later when I have the equipment.

 

[lumpher]

always helps to have the equipment needed to get the job done

 

[VillageBrew]

So split it in 2 and have 2.5 gal in bottles and the other bulk aging. Then I can see if there is a difference and which way I like better.

New question - Do you see anything wrong/bad about this idea?

I just split my 5 gallon porter brew. One batch (4 gal) I bottled as is and the other (1 gal) I added a coffee/bourbon steep. I started with 12 oz of bourbon and 6 oz of ground coffee, which I cold brewed in the frig for two days. Filtered it and had a final product of 8 oz of pure bourbon smelling coffee heaven. I added that to the remaining gallon and bottled. I tried a Williamsburg Ale Werks Bourbon Barrel Stout that made me very happy. I had to give it shot!!!