Slow Fermenting Ale?

Hi,

I am currently in the middle of my first brew, Dry Irish Stout, and am totally hooked on Home Brewing. In ~10 days I am going to be ready to bottle my stout and want to start my next brew. However, I am leaving for europe on the 21st of june and don't get back until the first of august. I am only using a primary fermenter as of now and don't have a secondary. I won't be able to have someone come in and bottle while I'm gone. What would be an ale that takes a long to to mature or ferment? Right now I'm really in to heffe's, steams, and ambers.

Thanks,
Alex

Dark, high gravity ales can benefit from a long aging process. You could brew almost anything right now, rack it to secondary right before you leave, and bottle when you return. If my math is correct that would be a couple weeks in primary and around five weeks in secondary. I wouldn't do this with a hefe but you could make a great amber this way.

Buy a secondary and put it somewhere where it will stay cool. Make sure it is a beer that does well with aging. Some beers are better young. I do not age my pale ales long at all. Some of my stouts will age for months.

You could also brew a pale ale and probably have it in a bottle by then. The BRewers Best kit can be in the bottle in 10 days or less. I have done it many times. They have the recipe on their website.

I guess I am asking which beers need or are complimented by a long time in the fermenter. Which beers would be hurt by a long time in the fermenter. I am not really in the position to make a quick brew.

If you leave it in the primary til you get back it will be fine, it will be nice and crystal clear, I leave mine in primary for a month now, and they are excellent, becasue the yeasts clean up after themselves...

BUT another thing you could consider doing is, if around the 18th or 19th, hydro reading are consistant for 3 days, and fermentation is complete, then I'd go ahead and bottle and put it away...that way you will have it bottle conditioned and carbed when you get back.

That way you'll haven early 14 days on the yeast (if you bottle on the 19th or 2th) then a month bottle conditioning...That will make for a nice beer... (But only do that if fermentation is complete on the 18th/19th) otherwise just leave it alone (unless you spring for a secondary, then rack it on the 18th)..

But me? I'd bottle before you leave, so you have a nice homecoming present.