Belgian Tripel - E+G How long to wait before I can drink it?

[DonArmando]

Hellllllo guys...
The title is self-explanatory.
Bottled on 15 May 2014 this baby here:

Recipe Type: Extract
Yeast: Belgian Strong Ale (BELGIAN TRIPEL - BLONDE)
Yeast Starter: SI TASSATIVO
Additional Yeast or Yeast Starter: NO
Batch Size (Gallons): 5.5 (21 litri)
Original Gravity: 1.083
Final Gravity: 1.022
IBU: 25.61
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 5.21
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 14 giorni a 17-24 gradi

Grains
0.25 pounds Belgian Aromatic Malt (200 grammi AROMATIC MALT) OK 0,00€

Extracts
9 pounds Extra Light ME (4,5 kg Estratto Light Liquido) 31,20€
1 pound Belgian Candi Sugar – Clear/Blond (0.5 Kg) 5,10€
1 pound Honey (0.5 kg MIELE CHIARO) 5,10€

Hops
1.5 oz Styrian Goldings Pellets (100g € 6,70) at 60´ 6,70€
1 oz Styrian Goldings Pellets at 30´
1 oz Styrian Goldings Pellets at 15´

Yeast
Belgian Strong Ale 11,80€


Tasso alcolico previsto
9-9.5 gradi

steep 30min @152 degrees in 1gallon of water (66 gradi in 5 litri)
Sparge with 155 degrees, 1gallon of water (70 gradi in 5 litri)

Bollitura: 3.5 galloni + aggiunta a freddo fino a 5.5 galloni

The wort sat on the yeast for 1 month before reaching 1020

And me and my friend are eager to drink it!
Question is, how long before dringing it?
I read that high gravity beers like this need A LOT of time to carbonate and to evolve into the right aroma/taste.

What is your experience with HG beers and waiting time?

Sincerely Yours,

Armanduzzo :fro:

 

[ballsy]

My Belgian Tripel wasn't ready till about 12 weeks after bottled. I tested every few weeks and it was a little boozy/"hot" until about week 10, suddenly turned into an awesome tripel! Expect 3-6mth conditioning time for big beers like Tripels and RIS' s. Do light pale ales, etc...In mean time for quick turn around on a drinkable beer and try and forget about that tripel till labor day weekend!

 

[DonArmando]

My Belgian Tripel wasn't ready till about 12 weeks after bottled. I tested every few weeks and it was a little boozy/"hot" until about week 10, suddenly turned into an awesome tripel! Expect 3-6mth conditioning time for big beers like Tripels and RIS' s. Do light pale ales, etc...In mean time for quick turn around on a drinkable beer and try and forget about that tripel till labor day weekend!

Did you tasted the brew before bottling?
Mine was a little tart...
So, 3 months...ok.....

 

[4D_Glenn]

I have found four months to be a bare minimum. If you can wait until 8 months, you will have a real treat!

 

[Pie_Man]

I like to drink all of my beers when I think they are ready, basically when they taste good, and then save some to enjoy in the future.

I am not sure the tartness you detect will mellow with age...

 

[thegreatmaibockaddict]

Aging time depends on brewer's process, fermentation temps, etc. I have made all sorts of strong ales that were very good to go as soon as they carbonated. Of course, it often took a couple of months to get to that point with very slow fermentation and proper bottle conditioning time due to beer strength.

Taste as you go and drink when you like it!

 

[fuelish]

Well....you can drink it anytime you want, really.....but aging would be a benefit to the experience....as was posted above, brew a batch or two of "quick" beers and perhaps let this one sit ...although, of course, you need to sample one now and again

 

[smccarter]

I'm just now drinking a tripel that I brewed last June. It took that long to mellow. It was an extremely harsh beer, but has really mellowed with time. My problem was fermentation temperature. If I brew it again, I'll definitely ferment in a chamber. Probably the biggest improvement I've made to my process.

I've brewed several high OG beers since the tripel with temperature control and they've been ready within a couple of months. The painfully long wait to drink the tripel was my pitance for the fermentation mistakes I made with it.

 

[DonArmando]

Tasted it a few weeks ago.... WOW IT IS GOOD!
I hope it will become even better with age!
If I could just make a change, I would try some DH cause it lacks a bit of aroma, since I haven't used any hops at 10' or 5'