First try oatmeal stout, bottle or keg for best flavor?

[doggie_doc]

My first home brew, Brewers Best kit of Oatmeal Stout. Went in the FV, started bubbling in about 8 hours, bubbled strong for 3 days and then less for 2 more days. I realize the darker the beer the less fermentation will occur. Question now, as I am trying to decide if I should bottle or keg...

1. Is the actual visible fermentation I saw average for this beer?

2. Will kegging on forced CO2 change the flavor vs. bottling and letting it sit at room temp for several more weeks?

3. I have read in other threads that I don't add sugar if I am kegging since the carbonation will be forced, how long should the beer sit in the keg before chilling and serving?

I am more interested in the best taste/quality than I am in how much time or work it will take. I am half way through John Palmer's book and seeing that I probably did not aerate it enough (live and learn as I followed the directions in the kit and also did NOT rehydrate the yeast before pitching). It is what it is now, as long as it is dark and smoothish I can drink anything, just trying to avoid off flavors. Thanks for any help!

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

Keg vs bottle will not change the flavor. You will get drinkable beer sooner with the keg. If you want to get fancy you could keg on nitro. An oatmeal stout on nitro is like silk.

Your fermentation sounds absolutely normal. Yes, aeration would have helped but you should still be OK. You can check the gravity and see how you're doing. As for when to bottle/keg, I never leave anything in the fermenter less than 3 weeks. Four is even better. Gives the yeast time to clean up and clear up. Also, don't worry about pitching dry yeast without rehydrating. I've done it several times with no ill effects. Sounds like you are on your way to a nice beer. Enjoy!

 

[doggie_doc]

Yeah, I love almost anything on nitro tap. My favorite beer of all time is from Left Hand brewery in CO, their Milk Stout on nitro is AMAZING. There is an incredible pub here with many drafts and they are getting more in on nitro all the time. Also love their sawtooth ale on nitro. WOW. I sent a video of it cascading to my best friend in the UK who owns a classy little pub/restaurant there...his reply...OH MY. That is beautiful. LOL

I have not bought the kegerator yet, but have been shopping. how hard it is to set up a nitro tap? And is it full nitro or part nitro/part CO2 like Guinness?

Thanks!

 

[hendo80]

just opened a keg of Holiday Milk Chocolate Stout. 2 weeks in the fermenter and 3.5 weeks in the keg to both age and carbonate with priming sugar (using the proper amount for kegging vs bottling).

For this batch anyway, it seems like the carbonation is very "nitrogen like" in that the bubbles are really tiny...or perhaps it's just the more visible effect of any type of carbonation on a stout. Regardless, it's my first stout and I'm loving it the look and taste! It definitely needed the 3.5 weeks to smooth out (partial mash).

I've started to carb with sugar rather than force keg because it starts a timeline that says "this beer is going to sit for a couple of weeks." In the future, I'm going to age in the keg while carbonating for 4 - 6 weeks (or longer) once I get a nice pipeline going...

can't comment on bottling vs kegging, but I think it's the aging that will do the most good, bottle or keg. Good luck with your stout!

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

I'm a bottler so I can't really help with how to do nitro. Maybe one of the many keggers here can chime in.

 

[Pappers_]

My first home brew, Brewers Best kit of Oatmeal Stout. Went the in the FV, started bubbling in about 8 hours, bubbled strong for 3 days and then less for 2 more days. I realize the darker the beer the less fermentation will occur. Question now, as I am trying to decide if I should bottle or keg...

1. Is the actual visible fermentation I saw average for this beer?

Yes, that's often what happens. Visibile fermentation is different from actual fermentation, but many beers are done fermenting in 10 days or so. FWIW, the color of the beer doesn't impact the length or strength of the fermentation.

2. Will kegging on forced CO2 change the flavor vs. bottling and letting it sit at room temp for several more weeks?

It can, but its not obvious. Some of the very best beers in the world are bottle conditioned, especially Belgian beers. I would choose based on the equipment you have on hand or can have on hand easily. FWIW, most new brewers start with bottling and then go to kegging, but some skip right to kegging. I do a combination of both - I will keg a portion of a batch and bottle a portion of a batch, or if I don't have any empty kegs available, I'll bottle the whole the batch.

3. I have read in other threads that I don't add sugar if I am kegging since the carbonation will be forced, how long should the beer sit in the keg before chilling and serving?

That's the most common method if you keg - to force carbonate. Most of the time, sitting for a week will get the job done. You can speed up the process by rocking and shaking the keg occasionally, to speed up the dissolving of CO2 process.

Most often I naturally condition in the keg with priming sugar (just as you do when bottling). Its easy-peasy and the keg sits and carbonates until there's room for it in my beer fridge.

And congratulations on your first batch!