Jamo99

Recipes 

Age it in the secondary. Bulk aging will give you more consistent flavors in each bottle when you do bottle it. Bottle aging/conditioning will mature a bit faster, but you could get some different flavors from bottle to bottle. Since you'll be away I would take advantage and let it sit in the carboy longer. As to how long to keep it in primary, I would leave it for as long as a month and a half, then move to secondary. I've heard of people leaving it in primary longer than that, but I can only vouch for some of my brews that have sat in primary for 8 weeks before going to secondary.

Steiner

Recipes 

I've found some recipes that require a longer time in the primary than I have available before I leave. I will be gone for 5 months. How bad is it to leave beer in a primary for an extended period of time...like 5 months. Otherwise, I'll have to have a friend transfer to a secondary or just not brew until I get back.

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Primary: Chocolate Oatmeal Stout
Secondary: Pumpkin Ale, Scottish Ale
Aging: Oaked Vanilla Bourbon Porter, Blueberry Mead, Orange Mead
Drinking:
Next:

Time heals...
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/blogs/flyguy/beer-trivia-3-104/
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/558191-post101.html

GregKelley

Recipes 

If you have a basement or area of the house that will stay in the mid-low 60s for the next couple of months, I'd try a Wee Heavy. Otherwise, if its doing to be in the 70s, go for a Dubbel or Belgian Golden.

My Belgian Golden recipe takes 2-3 weeks in primary, 2 months in secondary and atleast a month of carbonation.

I think with any recipe, you may have to do something to wake up the yeast before carbonating after your 5 months. Maybe add a packet of fresh yeast when you carbonate.

Your beer will definitely be clear, though!