Long term Bulk Aging

So in the next 6 months or so I will be taking a prolonged absence from the country and would like to be greeted on my return by a metric butt ton of awesome beer and mead.

What I am looking for is any information on the longest people have bulk aged in carboys. I am looking at 2+ years here so I'm thinking a barleywine, Utopia clone, and some meads.

I'll have to go extract/stovetop unless I can get some of the eastern-mass guys to help me out with some borrowed equipment for a brew session

I remember reading/hearing something about someone "losing" a carboy for several years. By the time they found it the airlock was bone dry, but they said the slight oxidization contributed well to the flavor profile. I got the impression that the beer turned out amazing. Don't count on bottle conditioning anything that old, though.

Good luck!

Where are you going???

You will be fine with anything high ABV. Just make sure you do a really good job of clearing it before you get it into your aging vessel.

I would go sour if I were you. Gueze, red, lambic. Get some bugs going crazy.

If you've got six months, you could brew up something big now, like a barleywine and bottle it right before you leave. Then it will actually BE ready when you get back, instead of still sitting in secondary (or keg).

Boerderij_Kabouter said:

Where are you going???

You will be fine with anything high ABV. Just make sure you do a really good job of clearing it before you get it into your aging vessel.

I would go sour if I were you. Gueze, red, lambic. Get some bugs going crazy.

Click to expand...

Not exactly sure yet, don't quite have the details down, but will let everyone know where I know.

I'm usually not a huge fan of sours, but if I am having something go that long, it may be worth having something bugged.

I plan on ditching all of these things in my parent's basement, so they can make sure the airlocks stay full:rockin:

If you would be buying more carboys, why not get some kegs instead? No problems with breakage, airlocks or skunking. Easier to handle as well, if the basement floods.

+1 to kegs.

Anything I bulk-age goes into a corny and set to the side. If it is sealed well you do not have to worry about airlocks, anything getting in (or out), sunlight, curious pets, etc.

Besides, I am sure you can pick up a buttload of kegs cheaper than carboys, and being gone for that long gives you plenty of time to save so you can come home and build a kegerator

how bout an oak barrel

+1 kegs. Easiest way to go. I would go with an Imperial Stout perhaps, cider (will store forever), and a barley wine.

I've just started thinking about this again. 6 months turned to 9, but such is life. Anyway right now my potential line up is a Trippel/Golden Strong, a Barleywine, Russian Imperial Stout, and possibly a lambic. I want to get them all brewed by mid-Octoberish and kegged for while I am gone. My one problem is my equipment isn't making the Colorado-Boston tour, so I need to find somewhere (or someone) to rent equipment from. Anybody know of a place to rent AG equipment in the Boston area? Maybe I'll go on tour and brew with 4 different HBTs this fall.

Any idea where you're going? And, may I ask why you're going there?

If you can make the trip up to midcoast Maine. I got some equipment and room and beer to " borrow". One 5g batch is bout the room I realistically give however unless you bring a fermenter or two then brew until I kick you out.