Clone recipe calls for aging - need help!

[starbardbrew]

Hi.. I have found some recipes online I'd like to use. Most call for aging of the beer for a period of weeks.

Specifically looking to do a Clown Shoes Galactica clone. This recipe includes these instructions:

Instructions:

Mash all grains for 1 hour at 152 degrees.
Sparge at 170 degrees.
One hour boil with hop regimen above.
Ferment at 63-68 degrees.
Rack to keg or secondary and age for 6-7 weeks. Add dry hops for the last 10 days.

My questions:

At what temperature should aging occur? Fermentation temp?

And if racked to a keg, then wouldn't the beer need to be siphoned out in order to add dry hops for the last 10 days?

Here's a link to the actual recipe:
Instructions:
http://www.craftedpours.com/homebrew-recipe/clown-shoes-galactica-double-ipa-clone-homebrew-recipe

Thanks!

 

[chickypad]

Personally I wouldn't follow those instructions to age an IPA as you will start to lose the hop flavor and aroma, but up to you. Generally the higher the temp the faster the beer will age, though I would try to avoid storing them too hot. For example for big stouts or Belgians that I want to age I try to aim for cool room temp (being in Cali I don't have any areas of the house that will hold cellar temps, even in winter). Personally I would just dry hop when it's reached final gravity then keg it, or you could also dry hop in the keg if you want to age there (with a bag!).

 

[metanoia]

There's no point in using a secondary for this recipe. I wouldn't let it sit in the fermenter for more than a couple weeks past FG, since you start to lose some of the hop qualities over time. Just toss the hops in a week before bottling/kegging and you're good to go.

As for temps, I always aim for the lower end of a strain's range during active fermentation to reduce the chance of fusels and off flavors, then bump up to room temperature (70-72F) until I bottle to help clean up the beer.