Chocolate Hazelnut Porter - Primary Question

[Bohern]

I brewed this kit from More Beer last Sunday to give it a try. Something for the holidays

my question is two things.

How long should I do primary for (I am thinking 7 days should be good)

Also is there anybody here who has brewed this beer and what tips can you share?

Thanks
B

 

[Jag75]

It all personal preference . I usually leave in my fermenter for 3 weeks unless I need it sooner in which I've done 2 weeks . As long as you check your gravity and it's done feel free to package it up. I have not brewed that kit so cant say anything about it except it sounds like it should be good.

 

[Bohern]

It all personal preference . I usually leave in my fermenter for 3 weeks unless I need it sooner in which I've done 2 weeks . As long as you check your gravity and it's done feel free to package it up. I have not brewed that kit so cant say anything about it except it sounds like it should be good.

Well this one requires a secondary ferment for adding the coco nibs for 3 weeks. Reason I am wondering how long / short primary need to be for best results

 

[Jag75]

Ahh gotcha . My choc milk stout I did 7 days then racked onto nibs for 2 weeks. Next time I'm thinking of just adding nibs to the primary after I dump the yeast.

 

[Leezer]

I've made a choc stout a few times and just add the nibs right into the primary after about 7 days. I let sit at least two weeks, preferably three, more time seems to give more flavor. Before adding the nibs I soak them in vanilla vodka for a few days.

 

[TandemTails]

I'm not sure what the kit instructions tell you to do, but you don't need to rack to a different carboy or bucket for 'secondary'. You can simply add the flavorings / cocoa nibs to the primary fermenter after 7 days and then let that sit for the 3 weeks the kit outlines.

 

[Bohern]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts!

 

[Dgallo]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts!

Just going to be blunt with you. Keep it in one fermenter. Kit company’s are in business to make money. They advise new brewers to use secondary even though it’s not a best practice. They do it specifically so you own at least 2 fermenters, so that you’ll free up a fermenter and buy their kits more often. Secondaries are not needed and only provide more opportunities for oxidation

 

[Bohern]

Just going to be blunt with you. Keep it in one fermenter. Kit company’s are in business to make money. They advise new brewers to use secondary even though it’s not a best practice. They do it specifically so you own at least 2 fermenters, so that you’ll free up a fermenter and buy their kits more often. Secondaries are not needed and only provide more opportunities for oxidation

That is the way I am leaning to be honest.

 

[Dgallo]

That is the way I am leaning to be honest.

Their kits aren’t bad and their brewing practices are fine for the most part. I learned on brewers best kits myself so that’s not the problem. Just keep it in you primary FV. This advice is going to help you increase your quality and shelf life.

 

[Bohern]

Their kits aren’t bad and their brewing practices are fine for the most part. I learned on brewers best kits myself so that’s not the problem. Just keep it in you primary FV. This advice is going to help you increase your quality and shelf life.

And that is what I am been doing for all other brews. This is the first one I have done where I am adding something to brew after fermentation has started.

 

[Dgallo]

And that is what I am been doing for all other brews. This is the first one I have done where I am adding something to brew after fermentation has started.

I hope youre understanding my point. You can add what ever you need to add in the first fermenter which includes dryhops, fruit, coconut, cocoa nibs, fruit, vanilla, wood chips, textures, extracts, literally what ever you want to add to a beer into your primary fermenter. Just don’t rack your beer into another fermenter to do so. Leave it in your primary

 

[Bohern]

I hope youre understanding my point. You can add what ever you need to add in the first fermenter which includes dryhops, fruit, coconut, cocoa nibs, fruit, vanilla, wood chips, textures, extracts, literally what ever you want to add to a beer into your primary fermenter. Just don’t rack your beer into another fermenter to do so. Leave it in your primary

Yes, I understand.

 

[Jag75]

I hope youre understanding my point. You can add what ever you need to add in the first fermenter which includes dryhops, fruit, coconut, cocoa nibs, fruit, vanilla, wood chips, textures, extracts, literally what ever you want to add to a beer into your primary fermenter. Just don’t rack your beer into another fermenter to do so. Leave it in your primary

Dgallo I'm really leaning towards doing this. I always racked over fruit and stuff like that. I was Leary of dropping stuff in a FV causing splashing . I'm starting to think if you can add without too much splashing and purge with co2 it should be good.

 

[Dgallo]

Dgallo I'm really leaning towards doing this. I always racked over fruit and stuff like that. I was Leary of dropping stuff in a FV causing splashing . I'm starting to think if you can add without too much splashing and purge with co2 it should be good.

So there is still some co2 protection in your primary and the fruit will cause a secondary fermentation so it will help scrub o2 that was introduced from the beer and it will force any o2 that got trapped in the headspace out once the yeast start eating. All of which are great for limiting out. When you transfer to a secondary to rack on the fruit, there will be o2 in the secondary and that will be in contact with the surface of the beer from then until the yeast start eating which will take longer since there is far less yeast in suspension than would be in the yeast cake in the primary

 

[Jag75]

I used a muslin bag for my nibs . Thinking of just tossing em in. Do they float ?

 

[Bohern]

Coco nibs in!