"Aging" a Belgian

[BillTheSlink]

Today I put up Listermann's Belgian Abby Ale. If it matters here's the recipe:

Note the LME was just listed as Canadian extract, but I assume it is pale.

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
6 lbs Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 66.7 %
1 lbs Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 11.1 %
1 lbs Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 11.1 %
1.75 oz Hallertauer [4.80%] (60 min) Hops 31.0 IBU
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00%] (0 min) Hops -
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1 lbs Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0.0 SRM) Sugar 11.1 %
1 Pkgs Abbey Ale (White Labs #WLP530) Yeast-Ale

I have heard a lot about this kit and want to get everything out of it I can. I've never had this style before. The grain was cracked way too fine and his bags are very course and I have a lot of loose matter in the beer. I cannot cold crash. I was going to do a two stage fermentation to help things settle out. I know to plan about ten days in primary, but how long in the secondary, both for taste and settling? OG was 1.049 and color was lighter than beersmith projection by a bunch. But est OG was only .001 higher. It is currently setting at 67 and falling waiting for the magic of fermentation to begin.

 

[ChshreCat]

A long primary will settle out the grain particles just as well as a secondary. If it were me (and this is how I do most of my brews) I would primary it for about 3 weeks, then give it one week to ten days in secondary just to settle out anything I may have sucked up off the bottom when transferring from the primary.

 

[Grinder12000]

I primary for 2 weeks and 1 or 2 weeks in a secondary. My Belgian is now waiting for cooler weather and I expect to crack one open in November - Brewed 4/4/09

Mine had a higher OG and lots of stuff going on so it needs lots of aging to mellow and mix.

6 lb Wheat LME

1.5 lb Pilsner
1.5 lb White Wheat Malt
1lb Caravienne Malt
0.03lb Peat Smoked Malt
1lb Candi Sugar
0.75 oz Brewers Gold 60 min

0.25 Anise 30 min - thinking too much ???
0.50 Sweet Orange Peel 5 min

Belgian Witbied Wyeast 3944

hmmmmm - I see I did not post my hops - HOPE I HAD SOME LOL have to look at my REAL notes!

 

[Trubadour]

I've got a Belgian Tripel fermenting now - been in primary for almost 2 weeks. I'm going to give it another 2.5 weeks and then rack to keg and let sit at room temp (~75) for a month or so. I need my cold space real estate for other things. I'm not transferring to a secondary as most tripels I've had are somewhat cloudy, and I'll be happy if mine looks like one of theirs (the monks).

 

[BillTheSlink]

I've got a Belgian Tripel fermenting now - been in primary for almost 2 weeks. I'm going to give it another 2.5 weeks and then rack to keg and let sit at room temp (~75) for a month or so. I need my cold space real estate for other things. I'm not transferring to a secondary as most tripels I've had are somewhat cloudy, and I'll be happy if mine looks like one of theirs (the monks).

If I like the Abby style I am going to do a Tripel for those cold Jan-Feb Cincinnati winter months to stay warm. That was my plan for my Strong Scottish Ale, but the bung feel out three times and it got a nasty infection that turned it black and sour. Poured it off the back porch and the neighbors' dogs went to howling like hounds and they are pit bulls, German Shepherds, and little toy dogs. The smell swamped the whole valley.