When To Bottle Question

[Kaanan]

I brewed a chocolate milk stout around 3.5-4 weeks ago. The numbers have been steady so I know fermentation has stopped. My question is, should I bottle it today or wait a week till I come back from vacation? I know a lot of people say not to rush, that having it sit on the trub can be beneficial. I'm patient enough to wait. The only thing is, this is my christmas beer. I want it to be bottle conditioned and "aged" the best it can be. Thats why I'm leaning towards bottling it now. Any thoughts?

 

[el_caro]

I do not think it will make any noticeable difference to the taste whether you wait another week or not. In reality it will age both ways. Personally I would bottle and let it carbonate a bit longer.

 

[Kaanan]

I was thinking giving it a lot of time to carbonate wouldn't really matter, as it's a low carbonation stout.

 

[TyTanium]

If you're rushed before vacation, do it after. If you're not rushed, do it now. It'll be great either way. I tend to err on the side of leaving more time for bottle conditioning - even a low carb stout, I still want to make sure even a small amount of CO2 is fully dissolved. Carbonic bite in a milk stout is akin to coal in your stocking.

 

[Kaanan]

Carbonic bite in a milk stout is akin to coal in your stocking.

Very well said

 

[Jota21]

6 of one, half dozen of another. Do it when you have the energy.

 

[Homercidal]

I'd do it now. Waiting at this point is only going to make it take longer to bottle condition. It might be fully ready by the time you get back.

 

[daksin]

+1 for more time in the bottle. Nobody wants a beer that isn't carbed, and since your fermentation is well and truly finished, conditioning will happen just as well in the bottle as in the fermentor.

 

[unionrdr]

Always keep in mind that a beer will carbonate faster than it conditions. Conditioning always seems to take a bit longer.

 

[BryanJ]

Always keep in mind that a beer will carbonate faster than it conditions. Conditioning always seems to take a bit longer.

In general yea but it entirely depends on the beer and how long it has been conditioning before it gets bottled.

 

[unionrdr]

In general yea but it entirely depends on the beer and how long it has been conditioning before it gets bottled.

Yes & no in my case. It might get a couple weeks past FG before bottling. But it always seems to be better at 4 or 5 weeks regardless...Your results may vary.

 

[BOBrob]

I vote bottle it. 4 wks. in fermentation and 4wks. bottled it will just be starting to get good. New years Holiday stout. Cheers

 

[BryanJ]

Yes & no in my case. It might get a couple weeks past FG before bottling. But it always seems to be better at 4 or 5 weeks regardless...Your results may vary.

Making broad generalizing statements that incorporates everything is just bad information. You constantly do it.

 

[unionrdr]

I'm not being broad & generalized at all. Just not long winded or trying to pedal someone elses info as my own. Otherwise known as "parroting". I'm just not going to get out my note book & relate the exact info of every one of them.
I'm just saying that most of my ales still take 4-5 weeks in the bottle to get conditioned well. No matter that I gave it 3,4,5+ weeks in the fermenter to do so.
I'm also starting to see a pattern developing after Revvy thought I copied his bottling technique,& some of you jumped on the flaming band wagon. It's no more "generalized" than anyone else that waits for me to post then jump in. So let's not start on that stuff where no ill was intended.