First brew- to secondary or bottle?

[Challenger440]

So I brewed up a chocolate hazelnut porter on the 15th (15 days ago) and primary fermentation has been done for several days. I drank my hydrometer sample today and was pleased with it. But as I took down the sample and analyzed it, I feel like it is watered down a little bit. I know this would be a no-no and won't do it but I feel like i need to boil off about a half gallon to concentrate the flavor a bit. Is there anything I can do at this point to help the flavors come through?

My other criticism of this beer at the moment is that the chocolate flavor is almost not there. I used 7 ounces of cocoa powder with 2 minutes left in the boil. Will time help the chocolate to come through, or should I put some chocolate nibs in the secondary?

 

[TipsyDragon]

yes you can help the flavor. bottle, carbonate, and let it sit for a month. your beer is WAY green at this point. just be patient.

 

[McGarnigle]

You can't boil it now. Time (and carbonation) will do a lot too it.

I don't know about nibs in secondary. For future reference, did you use any chocolate malt? I personally would rather use that than actual chocolate or cocoa.

 

[DrinkNoH2O]

yes you can help the flavor. bottle, carbonate, and let it sit for a month. your beer is WAY green at this point. just be patient.

Agreed. Every beer tastes watery when warm and uncarbed. Don't try and boile it again - that would boil off the alcohol before the water. Just bottle it and be patient.

 

[Challenger440]

No worries, I didn't boil it. I was just trying to describe that it tastes watered down at this point and that if the flavors were more concentrated it would taste better. Anyways, thanks for the info. I knew that flavors meld together and harsh flavors will mellow with time, I just wasn't sure if green beer tended to taste watered down or not.

Also, I did use a little bit of chocolate malt. My brew notes say .75lb

 

[atyeastIgothops]

If you try and reboil then you will ruin your beer. Personally, I would let it sit in primary for another two weeks, then bottle it and let it sit MINIMUM one month. Your beer will be amazing and then only get better with time. Don't rush the process.

 

[TechyDork]

I think the carbonation will help with the watery feel of the beer.

If i have learned anything it is that patients can help most beers, not all but most.