Aging stouts in secondary / bottles, is it a must or option?

[MPBeer]

Hi. I just bottled my first batch, which is an imperial stout clocking at 8.5% (a bit low for imperial though).

I've aged it in primary for 2 weeks, then moved to secondary and aged it with adjuncts for 5 days, then bottled it yesterday. I tasted the beer (un-carbed), and it was really drinkable. No alcohol, and nice adjunct burst.

So, I was wondering what should have changed if I aged it more? I was a craft beer drinker before, so I know that aging beer makes the beer more smooth and round. I think my beer is good to drink right now, well after the priming completes. I don't want to lose any adjunct flavor, so I'm planning to drink this beer quick. Would few months of aging in secondary have made this beer better?


Also, I was wondering if I should age these bottles in my fridge or at fermentation temperature after 1-2 weeks (priming). I saw some people aging stouts in bottle for at least half an year. I'm going to consume each bottle every week, but not sure if I can age these beers in the fridge, or should I let the yeast keep working.



Thanks and cheers!

 

[Miraculix]

If it's good, drink it. If aging is not necessary, it simply is not necessary. You might want to keep a few bottles though, just to see how it evolves over time and have one every few months.

Aging is done at room temperature in general.

 

[MPBeer]

If it's good, drink it. If aging is not necessary, it simply is not necessary. You might want to keep a few bottles though, just to see how it evolves over time and have one every few months.

Aging is done at room temperature in general.

Thanks! I was just worried about over carbonating or anything since the yeast doesn't stop working. Well, I was over estimating the power of dying yeasts

 

[Miraculix]

Thanks! I was just worried about over carbonating or anything since the yeast doesn't stop working. Well, I was over estimating the power of dying yeasts

What???

The fermentation has to be finished before botteling!!!

 

[ESBrewer]

When you are aging the beer it all comes to individual taste. There is really no right and wrong way of doing it. The fridge tends to be on the cold side and things will happen slowly (but sometimes this could give a good result - and beers also tend to clear when kept cold). The best place for bottle aging is probably room temperature or some sort of cellar where temperatures remain between 10-18°C. This kind of cool temperature is typical for aging wines etc. that are stored for long periods of time. In Belgium, as far as I know, beers are often bottle conditioned at temperatures exceeding 20°C. But their yeasts also tend to be fermented at rather high temperatures. So you just need to experiment and see how it develops. The temperature may affect the outcome (what kind of reactions tend to happen during aging).

 

[RM-MN]

Thanks! I was just worried about over carbonating or anything since the yeast doesn't stop working. Well, I was over estimating the power of dying yeasts

Your beer should have been at final gravity before you moved it to secondary with nothing left for the yeast to eat. Unless you added a fermentable in the secondary, the beer would still be at final gravity. When you bottle you add a small amount of fermentable (sugar) that causes the yeast to excrete CO2 to carbonate that beer. Once that is consumed, the carbonation level should not change unless you have an infection. You can leave this beer in the bottles for years.

If you like the taste now, by all means start drinking it but you already know that aging it will smooth it out. Don't drink it all too soon.

 

[MPBeer]

Your beer should have been at final gravity before you moved it to secondary with nothing left for the yeast to eat. Unless you added a fermentable in the secondary, the beer would still be at final gravity. When you bottle you add a small amount of fermentable (sugar) that causes the yeast to excrete CO2 to carbonate that beer. Once that is consumed, the carbonation level should not change unless you have an infection. You can leave this beer in the bottles for years.

If you like the taste now, by all means start drinking it but you already know that aging it will smooth it out. Don't drink it all too soon.

I added a sugar coated cacao nibs (bought the wrong one) so was a bit afraid it might explode at the bottle Also, now I think of it the amount of sugar is limited at the first time. I don't know why I thought it will keep making CO2 for long time lol. Thanks!

 

[RM-MN]

I added a sugar coated cacao nibs (bought the wrong one) so was a bit afraid it might explode at the bottle Also, now I think of it the amount of sugar is limited at the first time. I don't know why I thought it will keep making CO2 for long time lol. Thanks!

We tend to tell people to avoid using a secondary because in most cases they are not adding any fermentables and really just moving the beer to clear it (which doesn't really improve what it will do in primary) but in this case, with the sugar coated nibs, you really are doing a secondary fermentation. Enjoy your beer!

 

[william_shakes_beer]

If you are interested in the affects of long term aging, get an empty beer case and toss in 3 bottles from each batch you brew. Sample them a 6,12,and 18 months and see what you like better.

 

[MPBeer]

If you are interested in the affects of long term aging, get an empty beer case and toss in 3 bottles from each batch you brew. Sample them a 6,12,and 18 months and see what you like better.

That's a great idea! Thanks!

 

[secondbase]

The adjuncts will fade with time and the roast character will smooth out a bit too. I find a couple months for a big, roasty stout always does some good but there's no need to wait if it tastes good to you right now. Try to stash 10 or so bottles for extensive aging. A year and it'll be a completely different beer. It's nice to be able to taste them along the way and see where you think the sweet spot is, so you know to keep more around for that time next time you brew it. Cheers!