After two years of "fermenting" I have finally kegged my Midwest Belgian Tripel. I force carbonated the beer and just tapped the keg.
Not sure what the extra year bought, but the results are decent.
It definitely tastes like a Belgian beer. It does not have the alcohol overtones of what I find in other Tripels, perhaps because of the age. I am definitely getting a nice buzz so there is something worthwhile in there.
I have read enough posts to realize I may be the only one who tastes this, but I find a subtle and distinctive taste with extract beers (which this was). It could be poor technique that improved over time. However, I taste it in this beer. It is not bad but I can tell it is home brewed.
I am amazed that in the time this beer has sat fermenting:
- I have moved on to kegging and all grain.
- The Steelers won the Superbowl.
- The Penquins won the Stanley Cup.
- I became a member of this site.
- I have watched more curling than I thought possible.
- I successfully filled my basements with unused emtpy beer bottles, fermenting buckets, kegs, carboys, #1 Water cooler jugs, a scarey looking home made wort chiller, 10 gallon igloo coolers, large steel pots, sanitizers galore, and a ton of hoses everywhere.
I think the next two year beer will be an imperial stout. In that time I hope to open a brewery, lose all my money because I opened a brewery, have my house be overtaken with the hops I planted last year, and make many great batches of beer.