Hypothetical

[Slikybump]

Let's say hypothetically I brewed a 8.9% ABV bitter chocolate oatmeal stout and left it in the Carboy for 3 weeks and then bottled for 2. So it's been 5 weeks total since we brewed. My brother is saying we have to leave the beer in the bottles till November 25th before we start to drink them because he read for every percent above 5 you add two weeks time to the bottles and this would be playing it safe. What would the beer taste like if I opened it today?

 

[number40fan]

Open one and find out.

 

[Rootski]

I keep reading here and elsewhere that you should wait 2 weeks before drinking. I routinely open my first bottle between weeks 1 and 2 and it has always been nicely carbonated and tasty. Maybe I've just gotten lucky? I usually don't open the 2nd beer for another week though.

Open one up!

The beer may not reach its best flavor for a couple of months, but how would you know if you haven't tried one in the meantime? It'd be a shame to have missed the beer's peak flavor because you waited to long to try one.

 

[brewkinger]

While sampling one at this early stage is not a bad thing, it can also be said that a big, hearty, flavorful beer such as this needs some time in the bottle to condition. There are many complex flavors that need to blend together.
I rarely bottle anything darker than a porter before a month or more in the fermenter.
Then a minimum of a month conditioning before I sample one.

Again, I am not discouraging the sample option, but for me, it is one less beer that I can drink when they are at the "peak".
A beer such as this definitely benefits from some time in the bottle to mellow and become "better"


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[Slikybump]

Is there any advantage to letting it sit in the fermenter as apposed to bottles?

 

[myndflyte]

Unless it's a wheat, I wait at least 4 weeks after bottling to even open one. Based on the taste at that point, it'll probably sit longer. Plus bigger, more complex beers really need some time. I brewed an 11% barleywine and it took over a year before it finally tasted good. But once it got there, it was damn good.

 

[fuelish]

My vote goes to try one.....assuming you brewed a 5 gal batch, you ain't gonna miss one bottle.....occasional sampling allows you to judge how the beer changes over time.....waiting for X amount of time, ....you'll never know....but that's just me

 

[Slikybump]

I brewed an arrogant bastard clone that was beefed up to about 8 percent, a red at 6.5%, an apricot IPA also at 6.5 and I waited the same 5 weeks grain to glass with all of them. They were all delicious. Are stouts different even when they are the same ABV in how long they have to sit?

 

[brewkinger]

Are stouts different even when they are the same ABV in how long they have to sit?

Arguably, yes.

A stout is more complexly flavored than an apricot wheat or most other beers for that matter.

Generally speaking, the flavors need time to mellow out and blend together. For me, the roasted character in a stout is the one flavor characteristic that I feel needs about a month in the bottle and at least a week in the fridge before it tastes right to me.



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[Slikybump]

Thank you. That answers my question perfectly.

 

[Natdavis777]

You may also utilize the "5 bottle rule". Determine when you think the beer will be at it's prime, wether it be November or two weeks from now. Let's say you you determine it to be Nov. Set aside 5 bottles and drink the batch as normal. Then with the remaining 5 bottles, drink them, say one a month or every other month. Make notes on how the flavors have changed, improved, or degraded. This way, next time you brew this beer, you will have a better idea when the beer's flavor will be at it's prime.


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[Slikybump]

You may also utilize the "5 bills rule". Determine when you think the beer will be at it's prime, wether it be November or two weeks from now. Let's say you you determine it to be Nov. Set aside 5 bottles and drink the batch as normal. Then with the remaining 5 bottles, drink them, say one a month or every other month. Make notes on how the flavors have changed, improved, or degraded. This way, next time you brew this beer, you will have a better idea when the beer's flavor will be at it's prime.


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Awesome suggestion. Hey, that reminds me. My brother brewed a stout right before mine where he threw everything and the kitchen sink in it. He popped one open to try with mine and his tasted like cherries. Then he popped another one a week later and it tasted like straight rubbing alcohol. Will that rubbing alc taste go away? I've read that even if you condition it for a year the end result is not going to be 180 degrees diff from when it's young. What's your take?

 

[Homercidal]

Alcohol will lessen over time. It may take a long time, but very big beers are usually kept for a long time. There are some flavors that don't go away, though.

Kitchen sink beers tend to vary a lot because of the different things all added in. They each change separately and together to create interesting tastes as time goes on. I recommend maybe he tries one every couple of weeks and sees for himself how it changes.