Bottle Conditioned Beers - to decant or not?

Different people have different preferences... and sometimes for different styles.

Hefeweizen, for example, is a style that people typically pour fully into a glass (sometimes after swirling what's left at the bottom of a bottle)... while many Belgian brewers recommend leaving sediment in the bottle for their beers (and some people enjoy the practice of pouring the remaining sediment filled beer into a separate shot glass for consumption).

I normally decant no matter the beer, but perhaps I'll change my mind someday.

 

The choice is yours. As a home brewer, I bottle condition so I have a layer of yeast sediment. When I drink my beers, I pour slowly into a glass/mug and leave the sediment behind. or you can swirl it around and drink it. It won't hurt you. With store bought beers, I don't worry about the sediment and just pour it out with the beer.

 

Why would you have a different practice for commercial beer with sediment and homebrew with sediment?

 

I don't know. I'm going to go lay on my shrinks couch and ask them the same question. And pay em a 100 bucks for a 1/2 hour.

 

I keep the sludge at the bottom but pour 99% of the beer in. Which usually results in some of the sediment to come in. I don’t mind that I just don’t want it all or the majority of it. Usually voyage bottles the sledge settles pretty firmly so it’s easy to avoid getting it.

On a side note if you are sharing vintage bottles with a friend/s it helps to pour a little at a time in each glass and do it multiple times vs all at once. Did a narwhal vertical with 2 friends and noticed all three tasted a little different if you poured their full amount into one glass, then the next two. Seemed like flavors settled in particular places in the bottle. So now I pour a little in each glass then go around again.

 

I always decant bottle conditioned beers (both commercial and homebrewed).

Adding the sediment during the pour will indeed impact appearance and sensory aspects to the beer.

Some folks are sensitive to the live yeast that is part of the sediment and it will cause GI distress (e.g., gas).

Cheers!

 

It's obvious that you view the decanting as the responsible final step in your diligent brewing process before properly enjoying your beer... and you just aren't as personally invested in process with the beer you buy because you didn't brew it. You can send me that $100 now.

 

I've experimented enough with drinking the sediment and have been disappointed every time. A chalky-like muted flavor is what I get. So it's a decant every time for me.

EDIT: I'll add that with BBA beers, the sediment isn't so much chalky, but it does destroy the bourbon character and that's a no-no for me. The bourbon taste is why I buy those beers.

 

Actually, commercial bottle conditioned brews generally have less sediment than my home brews. I like lively carbonation in my home brews regardless of style. More priming solution = more sediment. The check is in the mail!

 

With my somewhat sloppy homebrewing process some hops matter was also known to get into the bottles, so another reason to decant.

 

With a fairly fresh hefeweizen I'll swirl the sediment and add it to the glass. Every other beer gets decanted. Many commercial beers are bottled with yeast that is not the yeast the beer was fermented with so there's nothing "special" about drinking it.

 

When we moved across state 3 years ago I found a stash of Bigfoots from 2006, 2008 and 2012. They have been amazingly great so far.

 

I always dump it all in.

#teamchunkies

 

I have never used the term decant in regards to beer before but yeah I always pour carefully and leave the sediment in the bottom. It seems like with some styles the sediment does provide some substantial aromatics, but I haven’t found it adding anything positive to the taste profiles (and in fact often detracts IMO.) It also destroys the appearance. Plus factor in the GI issues, presumably from the yeast, and it’s an easy decision for me. In fact if it’s a new to me beer or a beer Im not familiar with I often just assume it’s bottle conditioned and leave the last oz or so in the bottle.

If the sediment sneaks in I find that different styles are influenced to different degrees. An English Barleywine, generally not a huge deal. But say a traditional or fruited Lambic and the entire integrity of the beer seems compromised.