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mullimat · 04-29-2008, 10:32 PM

I have a Rochefort 10 clone sitting in secondary now and it's been sitting there for a LONG time! I brewed this on March 1 and transferred to secondary on the 17th. It's been sitting in there ever since. Since i know this is a REALLY big beer, i waited a long time bulk aging it. So, should i let it sit a little longer or bottle it now and let it bottle age? BTW, abv is somewhere around 11%!

solidghost · 04-30-2008, 12:05 AM

That's a very strong beer!
If you have the space, I think you can age it longer in the secondary carboy. I normally age it in the bottles because of space constrains and I need my fermenter for something else.

z987k · 04-30-2008, 12:09 AM

let that thing sit longer. You'll thank yourself in the end. I plan on letting my quad sit in the secondary until I get back from my trip on June 1 and then maybe bottle it, only to let it sit in bottles until say December.

mullimat · 04-30-2008, 12:38 AM

How much longer do you think though? I have to move in august so i can't let it sit too long. It's already been in secondary for a little over 6 weeks and in primary for 2 1/2 weeks before that. I really could use the space but if needed i could bottle my apfelwein and use the fermenter (ale pail) as a secondary for my other beers that need to secondary i guess.

**BierMuncher** · 04-30-2008, 12:44 AM

Bulk aging is better so put off bottling as long as you can.

If you're moving in August, you could plan on bottling the last week of May so you have one less thing to worry about at packing time.

mullimat · 04-30-2008, 12:47 AM

It already smells great and i can't help taking samples from it! Thankfully i topped off pretty good. Right now though the taste and smell kinda remind me more of St. Bernardus Abt. 12. The Rochefort smell is starting to come around but the taste seems to be taking longer. Hopefully it comes out with that unique taste in the end!

EDIT: Oh yeah. And i've already had a few scares with it too. The other day i found mold in the airlock just above the water line. Changed the water and cleaned the airlock real good but it came back two days later. Completely changed airlocks and haven't seen it since. Never saw mold on the beer thankfully.

Got Trub? · 04-30-2008, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mullimat

It already smells great and i can't help taking samples from it! Thankfully i topped off pretty good. Right now though the taste and smell kinda remind me more of St. Bernardus Abt. 12. The Rochefort smell is starting to come around but the taste seems to be taking longer. Hopefully it comes out with that unique taste in the end!

EDIT: Oh yeah. And i've already had a few scares with it too. The other day i found mold in the airlock just above the water line. Changed the water and cleaned the airlock real good but it came back two days later. Completely changed airlocks and haven't seen it since. Never saw mold on the beer thankfully.

That in itself is a good reason to leave it in the secondary! If you bottle it you will be tempted to drink it before it is ready. If you are going to brew high gravity beers get some more carboys so you can bulk condition/age them for a long time.

GT

z987k · 04-30-2008, 05:02 AM

yeah and get some cheap vodka in that airlock, I guarantee mold will never grow in there again.

Danek · 04-30-2008, 10:18 AM

If you have time, could you post the recipe?

mullimat · 04-30-2008, 11:57 PM

It's only an extract recipe

because it was my second batch (doing PM now). The recipe is this though:

11 oz. Caramunich
1/4 lb. Chocolate Malt
1/2 lb. Munich Malt
13.5 lb. Extra pale extract
1 lb. Dark Candi

60 mins.: 1 oz. Willamette
1.5 oz. Crystal

5 mins.: 1/4 oz. Willamette
1/2 oz. Crystal
Wyeast Belgian Abbey II 1762

Would like to try this recipe as PM but AHS doesn't offer this anymore. Any way someone could work it up to be a PM recipe?