Aging after forced carbonation?

[brewhoo]

I recently did my first oatmeal stout. It sat in the primary for 10 days then I moved it to a keg. Placed in the kegerator, dropped temp and began force carbing it. After a day I tasted it out of curiosity and it had an alcohol taste to it. I know, should have let sit longer.

Once carbonation is complete can I leave it in the kegerator at 35deg and let it age so that the alcohol flavor will disappear or do I need to bring it up in temp and let it mellow out? If so, what temp?

 

[m1k3]

It's fine to leave it in the kegerator at 35F.
The flavors will blend a bit.

Alcohol flavor should not be very noticeable in an Oatmeal Stout. Was the gravity high or the fermentation too warm?

Time will help, some.

 

[brewhoo]

The temp the fermenter was in was around 68, don't know what internal temp was. OG was nothing out of the ordinary.

If you take a big gulp it has an alcohol taste to it, if you sip it it tastes like a decent stout full of flavors.

If I took out of the fridge and placed into a 70deg environment, would that make a noticeable difference in the yeast waking up for some additional cleanup or will it not make a difference?

 

[day_trippr]

Kinda need the OG/FG to relate to what you're tasting.
If this was a really big beer there's usually a bit of a boozy character in the offing.

If the ambient was 68°F and there was no direct-coupled cooler involved, the throes of fermentation likely raised the beer temperature between 73 and 78°F. Depending on the yeast that could be getting close to Fusel City.

In any case, the yeast are done. They're not going to break down alcohol - not their job
And if you want to try to mellow out what you're tasting, it'll happen faster at room temperature than 35°F (which, btw, is a bit chill for the style)...

Cheers!