2, 3, or 4 weeks in primary?

I’m thinking about doing a barleywine on the yeast cake of a pale ale and was wondering if it would be a problem to leave it in the primary of the pale ale for 3 or 4 weeks instead of 2 if I wasn’t able to brew the two batches that close together.

I would pour it into a sanitized mason jar and pop it in the fridge. You can take it out before brewing to warm back up (or better yet prepare a starter) and pitch it. Search for yeast washing for more info (although this isn’t technically washing).

Leaving the pale ale in the primary for 4 weeks will just make it that much better IMO. I never move beer out of the primary before 3 weeks. Cheers!!!

If you’re asking if you can leave the pale ale on the yeast for more than two weeks the answer is yes.

I keep all my beers on the cake for 3 weeks. 4-5 weeks if It’s a really big beer.

I’ve noticed NO ill effects. In fact I recommend it.

Cool, hopefully I’ll be able to scare up the money to do this later in the year,
Thanks

I just go 4 weeks in the primary anymore. I know some lighter ales are done in less time, but it just seems to always allow the yeast to fully finish up the post fermentation processes and I get a cleaner taste. With the Barley Wine level or strong ale, I could be talked into waiting even longer.

:cheers:

I left the last barleywine I did on the yeast for 6 weeks. (I had forgotten about it) Then moved it to secondary for 6 months. Bottled and now theyre sitting downstairs abandoned untill a better time. It tasted great at this stage though.