When to brew a Stout

[ttotalythomas]

Ok so i have my first batch in the secondary and it is clearing nicley(AHSBelgianWit). My question is this. I am a huge fan of stouts and love black beers in the winter. I am wondering when i should start my big stout if i wanted it to be ready about Nov-Dec? Also if any one has any suggestions to a recipe or good kit it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks allot

and yes i know it is sideways but i don't know how to fix that yet lol oh well

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

I'm a big fan of this recipe as far as dark beer goes... https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f67/edmund-fitzgerald-clone-ag-46844/

I usually allow 2-3 months of conditioning time for all of my stouts. It's not necissary, but it really helps. What gravity were you looking for? That will be the main factor as far as time goes. I brew stouts, porters, and barley wines all year long though...I don't care if I'm drinking it in the summer.

 

[peanasky]

I personally find it hard to brew something for the "next season". I never want to brew "winter" beers when I should, same goes for "warm weather" beers.

Anyways, as suthrncomfrt said, it depends mostly on the gravity of the brew. The higher the gravity, the longer you'll wanna wait before it's ready, and the earlier you're going to need to brew. I'd say go for it now, or even in August. Worst case scenario, it's "ready" early and you just get some extra-aged beer when the time comes Good luck!

 

[scottland]

Assuming you want a high ABV stout, start now. Higher gravity beers are best drank with some age, with the exception of hoppy brews. If you're going to brew a stout <6% ABV you can wait until September or so, and it will be great by Nov-Dec. If you're shooting for >7% ABV get cracking now on that stout.

(This advice was specific to stouts, but loosely fits most styles)

 

[beersteiner2345]

Just brewed my Stout last week (Thursday). Hoping it is ready by December. It's a big 'un though. OG of 1.103, shooting for 1.022-1.024 when finished. 10.3% alcy.

It'll spend two weeks in primary, three weeks in secondary, and then the rest of the time bottle conditioning. (takes a long time for a big stout to carb).

If'n you're doing a big stout, I say get on it!

 

[dfc]

Brew it whenever the hell you'd like. I'm a big fan of stouts and just like SuthrnComfrt can drink them any time, even in the middle of summer (and it gets above 120°F here!).

Also as penasky and scottland mentioned the %ABV of the beer matters. If you want a high gravity beer to be ready by winter brew it now. I have an Imperial Stout that I brewed last November that I still have about 6 bombers of. It's AMAZING now, but in the first few months after bottling I could taste some defects. Even though I have about 6 bombers of that left tonight I just bottled basically the same recipe that was left in primary almost 6 weeks. The first batch was 9.1% ABV and this batch was 9.88% ABV. Big beers like that need a little time to come into their own.

 

[ttotalythomas]

Thanks allot every one i am looking for something average like 6.5 to 7 so i guess that would qualify as more a medium than a big beer but i am just looking for a good dry stout i don't really care if my nondark beer drinking friends don't like it. I would actually prefer it that way.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

1 week primary
1 week secondary
1 week carbonation.

So... brew it 3 weeks prior to craving it.

M_C

 

[Zixxer10R]

1 week primary
1 week secondary
1 week carbonation.

So... brew it 3 weeks prior to craving it.

M_C

How can you possibly recommend 1-1-1? That's absurd. My hefe took 3 weeks to carb in the bottles alone.

 

[onipar]

I'm also hoping to brew a stout for winter, but unfortunately my brew schedule is all screwed up, and if I don't get another bucket, I don't know if I can swing it.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

How can you possibly recommend 1-1-1? That's absurd. My hefe took 3 weeks to carb in the bottles alone.

Kegging will get you there.

I've served a stout 12 days after brewing. Took 4 days primary, 4 days secondary, 4 days carbonation in the keg.

According to my brew club, it was excellent.

That being said, I was saying 1-1-1 half-in-jest. But it's certainly possible.

But seriously, do you think that brewpubs make their simple stout/porters/etc sit in the secondary for months on end?

M_C

 

[Saprobic]

My first stout I used the muntons kit and added 3lbs of honey. Turned out great. Super easy for a newb too. Just add the honey at the same time as your kit liquid. I tend to err on the side of patience so it spent 2 weeks primary, 5 weeks secondary, 5 weeks carb. The 5 weeks secondary and carb were partially because I was out of town a lot during that time.

 

[malweth]

How can you possibly recommend 1-1-1? That's absurd. My hefe took 3 weeks to carb in the bottles alone.

3 weeks to carb?? I just made a Hefeweizen in 2 weeks (plus a couple days for the starter): 1 week to ferment, 1 week to bottle carb... (1 month to drink - so it may peak somewhere in that month). Hefes are supposed to be a bit "dirty."

I haven't made a stout yet... I'll be brewing one in September for sure (Irish dry, so low ABV), and WILL be aging it a month at least. I expect to drink it at or before Thanksgiving.

 

[socalboomer]

I started my Desert Moon stout in mid May and we are tapping one keg now, and saving the other for our wedding brew in November. The one we tapped tastes so very good... Can't wait to taste the other in a few more months.

 

[Malticulous]

It's about 100F here and I'm enjoying a 11 day old porter.
http://hopville.com/recipe/757388/robust-porter-recipes/salinapolooza

 

[Grinder12000]

Kegging will get you there.

And now we know why kegging has such a bad reputation for poor tasting beer.

Any stout that took less then 8 weeks from pitching to kegging will taste green.

 

[1Mainebrew]

+1

I keg and bottle, and it took me probably close to 3 kegs worth to figure out that I need to let those guys age just as long as my bottles. I have an RIS that was made in February and wont be touched until October. I have a tripel that is still in primary after 6 weeks and aging on some Jim Beam soaked oak that will be kegged and off for a good sleep before tapping. The key to good homebrew, whether you're a newb, an old pro, a bottler, a kegger, etc. is patience. This fact cannot be overstated. I have been brewing seriously for about 2 years and now thoroughly understand why this was promoted so much. Just ask Revvy.

 

[Malticulous]

and now we know why kegging has such a bad reputation for poor tasting beer.

Any stout that took less then 8 weeks from pitching to kegging will taste green.

wrong

 

[the_trout]

I've got an Imperial Stout planned for 7/24 brew date. I'm hoping to enjoy it at Christmas. I feel like I'm late already but it's gonna be what it is.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

And now we know why kegging has such a bad reputation for poor tasting beer.

Any stout that took less then 8 weeks from pitching to kegging will taste green.

Not Unless you are making a special stout with odd ingredients, or you have a very high starting gravity.

If you have a simple stout (pale malt, crystal, chocolate, black patent, roasted barley) at around 1.050, I do not see the reason to age this beer any longer than necessary.

Explain this to me: What does a stout have that a porter or a pale ale doesn't have? What's so special about a stout that supposedly requires aging (according to you)?

I would be a LOT more inclined to let age (or have a longer secondary) a lighter beer than a darker beer.

M_C

 

[ImperialStout]

Attached is your carboy image right side up. Copy and paste if you like.

My next batch will be an Imperial Stout. Watching this thread to pick up some pointers. Good luck with yours.

 

[DoubleAught]

I love Stouts and Porters. I drink them year 'round, IMO no need to wait for Jack Frost to enjoy (or brew) a good stout.

 

[stbnj]

I brewed my imperial stout about (9% abv) at the end of May, it is in secondary and I just pulled the oak chips out after about 10 days. It tastes great right now, a bit too oaky but I am sure that will mellow out. When fermentation was first one it smelled great but was very hot on the tongue but that has subsided already. I plan to bottle by the end of August, mostly bombers and some in 12 oz bottles to sample here and there to check its progress. I am hoping to give these out to friends for Christmas. I think I will brew my oatmeal stout early September in hopes of drinking by Halloween.

 

[ttotalythomas]

Thanks all i totally agree that stouts are great year round but i love all beer and don't want to show favoritism so i drink certain beers at certain times of the year. I just want the stout to be best when i crave stout the most. I am thinking some kind of coffee or chocolate stout but im not sure of a good way to incorporate those flavors Any suggestions?

 

[Mdessert]

I just did the NB chocolate milk stout and ithe samples are fantastic. It's not too big so should be ready in about 8 weeks total.

 

[PHillBrewCo]

I'm going to do the BB Oatmeal Stout kit but I'm turning it into a breakfast stout. I'm figuring to bottle condition for a good while...

 

[1Mainebrew]

Explain this to me: What does a stout have that a porter or a pale ale doesn't have? What's so special about a stout that supposedly requires aging (according to you)?

M_C

The major difference is that the roasted malts drop the ph and can make a beer more astringent if not used in moderate amounts, which can easily make a stout less palatable early on. That goes away with age and therefore many stouts do benefit from aging. However, stouts that use less aggressive %s of roasted malts in the grain bill require less aging. This along with gravity have a big impact on a brewer's decision to let their beers lay low for a while before drinking vs. imbibing young. I hope that helps.