Where do you do 6-12 month fermentation?

Howdy,

MW has a couple of kits that require 6-12 month fermentation: Imperial Stout, Bigfoot Barleywine,etc. Is all that time in the primary, secondary or bottle?

Thanks

Cellar, basement, fermentation chamber, etc, etc.

Haha...no, seriously.

I guess I should have said aging, not fermentation.

I'm interested in Bourbon Barrel Old Ale, but not if it means tying up a primary for a year.

That would be secondary or bottle. Some people like to bulk age and some like to age in the bottle. I was pressed for time so my barleywine is aging in the bottle.

Thanks. Is there a big difference between bulk and bottle aging?

Strangelove said:

Haha...no, seriously.

I guess I should have said aging, not fermentation.

I'm interested in Bourbon Barrel Old Ale, but not if it means tying up a primary for a year.

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Seriously, same answer.

Strangelove said:

Thanks. Is there a big difference between bulk and bottle aging?

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Not really. The biggest downside of bulk aging is if it gets contaminated, the whole batch is shot. Had a cornie of barleywine gusher after 4 years.

Strangelove said:

Thanks. Is there a big difference between bulk and bottle aging?

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In bulk aging it tastes the same because it's all mixed together. But bottle aging could make different bottles taste slightly different due to different temps and stuff. But it's really no big difference.

Brew buckets are like $15 at the LHBS. More buckets = more beer - see what I'm getting at?

In an enclosed heated cabinet beneath a counter top in my garage. Just finished a straight lambic style ale.

Thanks for the answers.

Smashing said:

Brew buckets are like $15 at the LHBS. More buckets = more beer - see what I'm getting at?

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I'm up to 3 in less than 2 months. The rate-limiting step is bottles. But, hey, if I don't have to worry about bottling for months that would help with that problem.

If you're aging for 6 months or a year, you want it in glass or stainless steel, not plastic.

I've always heard when aging you want to slowly cool in the secondary to 40 degrees. Maybe just 5 degrees a day.

I always age my barley wines, RIS, Scottish wee heavies in a corny keg. Sometimes I'll throw oak chips in there for however long, but usually I just toss them in a keg and down in the cellar they go at 44* for 1-6 years.

My wife wants to do a barley wine and age it until my son is 21. He's 18 months now.

squirrelly said:

I always age my barley wines, RIS, Scottish wee heavies in a corny keg. Sometimes I'll throw oak chips in there for however long, but usually I just toss them in a keg and down in the cellar they go at 44* for 1-6 years.

My wife wants to do a barley wine and age it until my son is 21. He's 18 months now.

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How cool would that be! You gotta try it, what do you have to loose? Cheers!

squirrelly said:

My wife wants to do a barley wine and age it until my son is 21. He's 18 months now.

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I LOVE that idea. I just hope for your sake you don't have to move...

I recently brewed the Midwest Bourbon Barrel Old Ale I did 2 weeks in primary and a month in secondary (I couldnt keep it in secondary any longer as I was moving back to school and needed to free up my carboy). I'm sure the longer the better but after 4 weeks in the bottle they taste great and are getting good reviews from friends. I kept six for drinking at various ages in the bottle, the rest are getting put in the cellar for six months and I'm sure the will be even better.

Grumpybumpy said:

I LOVE that idea. I just hope for your sake you don't have to move...

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Eh, moving shouldn't be a big deal if he ages in a corny. I would be nervous about aging in glass over that period of time. Moving a carboy cross country that you had already invested 15 years in could be a little nerve wracking....

Strangelove said:

I'm up to 3 in less than 2 months. The rate-limiting step is bottles. But, hey, if I don't have to worry about bottling for months that would help with that problem.

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Time to start kegging? :rockin: