priming a stout

[JohnV3]

I'm about to bottle a porter and a stout...I have seen many recipes recommend that you use 2/3 - 3/4 of the normal dose whereas others don't. I prefer using carbonation drops and I am now wondering:

a) why do some recommend a smaller amount (is it to reduce gas, impact to flavor)

b)what are the ramifications of using a full measure, if any?

[Matty A]

The main reason they suggest to use less priming sugar is to create less carbonation as stouts generally have less cabonation then other beers.

 

If you use 2 carb drops per long neck (as per the instructions) it will just carb it like a normal beer.

 

I normally have the normal dosage because I seem to be too stupid to remember to put less sugare in there and all of my stouts come out fine. infect I don't think they are overcharged at all

[Muddy Waters]

I like a fairly high degree of carbonation but do reduce my priming sugar for stouts. 1 carb tab per longneck works great or if bulk priming I use 6g per litre of dextrose.

 

I suggest you do a mixture of regular priming and reduced priming and decide what works for you [biggrin]

[rossm]

Well I'm with Matty, I still prime at the same rate as I do for other beers...it works OK for me too.

[GregT5]

I have to agree with Matty & Ross. I read about reducing priming rates just before I bottled my stout but forgot to try it[crying]

I was worried it would be a bit overcarbonated but so far they have come out perfect.

It seems it just comes down to personal preference. Maybe follow Muddy's suggestion & do half & half and see which one you prefer (like I was going to do)[pinched]

[Muddy Waters]

It doesn't make a huge difference but it definately gives your stout a bit more elegance once aged. But a lot of people around here seem to drink their stouts quite young - you really need to age them for more than a year (or at least 6 months [pinched] ) to get the true experience.

[PB2]

A lower fizz level in stout, as with several other styles, is required because the recommended serving temp' is slightly higher.

 

Out of interest - through the colder months, many of the staff, at Coopers (that was the "we" I was talking about Muddy [lol] ), store Best Extra Stout in their garage and serve it without extra chilling. It really brings out the coffee and chocolate aromas [love]

[Guest]

A lower fizz level in stout' date=' as with several other styles, is required because the recommended serving temp' is slightly higher.[/quote']

 

Wow, of course!!... gee that is so simple I just never thought of it like that.

 

[JohnV3]

Thanks for all the feedback. I'll do half-half and re-post on this thread. As for letting it mature for a year....I'll break out a bottle after 1 month (yeah that's young) and then see what happens. I do recall that with my first ever all extract stout I had to wait 2 months before it was drinkable and after 3 months it was soooooo much better.

[Muddy Waters]

All this stout talk has gotten me thirsty. I think I'll dig a bottle out of the "cellar" - I think I'll sample the Dec 2009 vintage [love]...a little young but you can't go overboard with this cellaring lark [biggrin]