"Aging"

[exc503]

So this may seem like a silly question, but here goes, when does the "aging" start, from the time it enters primary, or from the time it is bottled/kegged and carbing?

 

[TheZymurgist]

I guess you can start counting as soon as it's done fermenting, why do you ask?

 

[RM-MN]

In my mind, when the yeast quit working the beer begins it maturation or aging. I've had beers mature in bottles and I've had one beer that did much of is maturing in the primary. Some beers never need aging, some need lots.

 

[exc503]

Thanks, oddly its one of those things that i could always understand, but for some reason the last couple of weeks I keep thinking, "no that's not right, is it?"

Kind of like when you look at a word and it just doesn't look right.

 

[Homercidal]

I generally think of it at the time I would normally put in secondary, or immediately after primary.

Aging is generally counted in months or years, so a week or so isn't going to affect the process too much.

 

[SnakeRidge]

When it starts forgetting things and yelling at kids?

 

[Talgrath]

There's no hard line on when "aging" begins. Personally, I think of it is as the point beyond which one would normally bottle the "finished" beer. So after fermentation, lagering or dry hopping.