New from Jersey

[skiely68]

Hello! I'm from New Jersey and new to Homebrewing. I was introduced to Extract brewing about 8 months ago and absolutely love it! I just brewed a Robust Porter this past Sunday... I have read different comments on primary fermation. Some say 2 weeks some say 4 weeks and I have read up to 4 months for a Porter in primary fermentation. I'm planning on bottling and I'm also thinking of splitting the batch to try out adding Blackberries or Raspberries to one half of the batch in a secondary fermentation.

I would love some input on how long to ferment in primary and infusing berries during secondary fermentation.

Thank you!

 

[Transamguy77]

Welcome from Pa, i would just rack half to a smaller bucket with the berries and bottle the other half. If you have any of the Mr Beer little beer kegs they are great for splitting batches.

 

[skiely68]

Thank you! I have a 3 gallon glass carboy I was going to use when I split the batch.

 

[Kirkwooder]

Welcome, from Western New York.

Raspberries go great in porters! I would crush them first, then add a pound or two to that 3 gallon carboy and rack onto them. Almost any beer is ready to be bottled after the beer is done fermenting. The only true way to know if it is truly done, is to take gravity readings a couple days apart, if they are the same, and near where your beer should finish, then you are all done.

Remember that the berries will add lots of fermentables to your beer and will need to go through an additional fermentation. The more berries you add the more berry flavor will be left behind, to a point, however, raspberries tend to be highly fermentable and will tend to dry out you finished product.

Good luck and let us know how it turned out.

 

[skiely68]

Thank you!!!

 

[Chorgey]

Welcome from South Jersey! Lots of great people here and extremely knowledgeable.

 

[jcav]

Welcome from Florida!

John

 

[Cyclman]

Welcome to the hobby, and the group, from Colorado

Don’t bother using a secondary, siphon off what you want to bottle then add the berries and let it finish in primary.

 

[skiely68]

Thank you