Conditioning/Aging Vessel/Container

[DJTroz]

After beer has completed fermentation, is there a difference in taste and/or quality where the beer conditions? For example, a beer that has went through primary/secondary for a month. After that, you want to let it condition for another month to settle and come together (2 months total between brew and serve). Is there a difference whether:

A: It is kegged after a month and it sits finishing in the keg (in the keezer and carbed) for another month (1 month in primary/secondary, 1 month in cold keg) or,

B: Would it be better to finish in the secondary container for a month then keg after (2 months in primary/secondary bucket)?

I do both and usually will keep it in its original (secondary) container until I'm ready to tap it but wondered if it would be better overall being in the keg at a lower temp.

 

[Whatsgoodmiley]

I try to allow 2 weeks for my bottles to carb then I keep them cold for 2 weeks. I'd do the same with my kegs if SWMBO would allow it.

http://byo.com/body/item/478-cold-storage-tips-from-the-pros

Edit: forgot to mention it but allowing a few extra weeks in secondary seems to make my beer taste better. I haven't done any actual experiments and I wouldn't do it with a hop forward beer, but I like to do it when I feel extra patient.

 

[porterpounder]

For ales I go 10-14 days in primary then into a keg, into the fridge pressurized and often carbing until it's ready to go on tap, but not always. Lagers, 4 weeks in primary, then into keg under head pressure for lagering until I get to it the it gets carbed and served. A keg is as good a vessel as any, if not better than anything open for standard cellaring. Big beers and meads still get kegged under head pressure for aging.

 

[RM-MN]

You are asking a question with different answers depending on the beer. If you are talking a wheat beer or a blonde ale, 2 to 3 weeks in the fermenter (depending on how much yeast you want to settle out before kegging) and then chilling for 3 to 4 days as it carbonates and it is ready to drink. If you are thinking of a Russian Imperial Stout, then the time line becomes much longer and kegging/carbonating and keeping it at room temp for an extended period would be recommended. Darker and higher alcohol beers take longer to mature and that happens best at a warmer temp. Chilling the beer extends the time necessary for the beer to condition.

 

[Whatsgoodmiley]

Darker and higher alcohol beers take longer to mature and that happens best at a warmer temp. Chilling the beer extends the time necessary for the beer to condition.

It may happen quicker but that doesn't necessarily mean it will be better than if it is aged at a cooler temperature.

Very good point on allowing more time for big beers, though. I've had to wait up to a month for some of my older, higher abv beers to carb. And that was after allowing them to ferment for 3 months and age for another 3.

 

[DJTroz]

You are asking a question with different answers depending on the beer.

I probably should have specified a style in my question as it would make a big difference. I typically do wheats and ambers. Since they are consumed the fastest, they typically get kegged. For the beers that everyone has only 1-2 of here and there, I bottle.

Here's a better example. My typical Hefe (5.5%) sits in the primary for about a month, racked to keg, topped with gas, and immediately put in the keezer to chill overnight. The next day, the excess gas in released, and I force-carb. It's usually drinkable, but find it better in a couple weeks (in keezer the whole time).

Now I do an Oatmeal Cookie Amber (7%) a couple times a year (which gets bottled). I'll let it sit in primary for about 10 days, (because of the spices and flavoring) rack to secondary and add spices where it sits for at least another 2 weeks. Here's where the question comes in. Let's say I have bottles available after the total 4 weeks (2 primary/2 secondary) but I also have space for the bucket to sit for 2 months if needed. Since the beer will taste better about 2 months later, it will obviously need to age. Will it taste better primed and bottled after the 4 weeks and let age at room temp in the bottles or will it taste better leaving it in the bucket for the 2.5 months then bottling? Simply put, is there any difference for aging this type of beer in the secondary versus in the bottle?