Belgian strong golden ale

Mashing
1

This batch will be my 2nd all grain batch. It has an extended aging process and I’m not sure how I’m should do this. I don’t have an extra keg line( I only have three) and I really don’t want to use a keg line to age when I will have beer ready to use that line.

Can I:

  1. carb the keg with priming surgar and let it condition at 72 degrees for 6 weeks?
  2. carb the keg with priming sugar and stick it in the keg fridge at 36 degrees and for how long?

Thanks,

Brent

2

[quote=“brentconn”]This batch will be my 2nd all grain batch. It has an extended aging process and I’m not sure how I’m should do this. I don’t have an extra keg line( I only have three) and I really don’t want to use a keg line to age when I will have beer ready to use that line.

Can I:

  1. carb the keg with priming surgar and let it condition at 72 degrees for 6 weeks?
  2. carb the keg with priming sugar and stick it in the keg fridge at 36 degrees and for how long?

Thanks,

Brent[/quote]

Either of those will work. As for how long to age only your taste buds can awnser that question. Also you could forurce carb then take it of the gas and let it condition. Or put it in a keg purge the o2 and leave I uncarbed till it’s ready.

3

Well then I am confused. The recipe says “1-2 weeks primary; 2-4 weeks secondary; 2-4 weeks
bottle conditioning; extended bottle aging”. I assumed that meant it needs to be primed before aging. I don’t want to use priming sugar unless I have to and I really don’t want to force carb. I would rather carb my kegs at low pressure for a couple of weeks. Can someone explain the bottle aging to me?

4

I would imagine the 2-4 weeks bottle conditioning “extended aging” is if you are bottle conditioning or keg condition(ie using priming sugar) but I don’t think it’s gonna effect the beer. If it were me I would keg it how I keg all my beers. There is a thread going about this very subject that might be worth reading. I’ll try to find it a post a link.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=124870&hilit=Brew+cat

Edit: added link

5

I would keg your beer, purge with Co2, then lager it for however long you want at whatever temperature you want. Then when you’re ready to drink it, just force carb it. This is the method I use, and it’s worked well for me, though I’ve lately been thinking about priming a batch of my kegged beer, conditioning at 70* for two weeks, then lagering it at 35*, just to see how it turns out.

6

I try to bottle my Belgians and then put them on the shelf let them age and revisit them monthly. A Belgian triple is not an everyday beer ,at least for me anyway ,so I can’t really tie up a keg. Kegs are more important for lagers IMO. Anyway you decide it will be a good beer.

7

I like to put in a keg at about 1.020, no priming sugars needed, as the fermentation isn’t complete. I do however, use CO2 to help seat the lid and I believe it removes as much oxygen from the transferring process. I then lay my keg on its side and when you walk by it, roll it vigorously. I usually wait 2 weeks to try it, but once its ready you’ll know, it pours real fine bubbles and it looks like a nitro pour as it cascades in your glass. I believe ifn you look up CAMFRA you’ll find so much more about cask condition ales…… I’ve not done a lager like this, just saying… Sneezles61 :blah:

8

Let me help you here:

[quote=“brentconn”]Well then I am confused. The recipe says “1-2 weeks primary; 2-4 weeks secondary; 2-4 weeks
bottle conditioning; extended bottle aging”.as I’ve mentioned the directions are really rough guidlines to brewing. You should be dealing with the beer when its ready. The beer doesn’t have a calendar so it can’t go by a timeline.
I assumed that meant it needs to be primed before aging. I think this is suggested as it will then be ready to drink upon your perception of “aging.” Aging means that you give it some time, sample it every so often and drink it when you think it tastes the best. In addition most people don’t have additional equipment to tie up for months at a time. Also, bottles are cheaper to get and to tie up rather than a carboy.
I don’t want to use priming sugar unless I have to and I really don’t want to force carb. I would rather carb my kegs at low pressure for a couple of weeks. Can someone explain the bottle aging to me?[/quote]
Slow and low is still force carbing. Shaking keg is still force carbing. Force carbing is simply referring to using CO2 rather than priming sugar.

Once again, and the most important thing, all these are simply rough rules. I urge you to do what works best for YOU and not allow the directions to give you blind faith. Thank goodness it didn’t say to drive off a cliff! :wink:

Edit: not trying to be a d!ck. Just trying to suggest the you find out what works best for you.

9

very well put, what I described, is just as you said Loopie, found this works well for me!! :cheers: Sneezles61