Belgian Brown Ale

[arog3000]

I am just getting done fermenting my begian brown for ten days. I was going to add priming sugar and bottle it and let it sit for a month. I was also going to put away a case for Christmas . I was wondering if I should rack it and let it sit in a secondary before I add the priming sugar and bottle it. If I should rack it into a secondary how long should I leave it there. Please advise.

 

[bigbeergeek]

What's the OG? I would imagine that your beer needs more like a month (or more) in the fermentor before it goes into bottles.

 

[kapbrew13]

3 days of same FG before bottling. Give it about 3 weeks then start measuring. Patience does pay off.

 

[beergolf]

Belgian yeast are notorious for working very slowly for the last few points. Let it sit in the primary for at least a month. I usually do 6 weeks.

The only time I almost had bottle bombs was when I bottled a Belgian brew too soon.

Here is a good quote from Brew Like a Monk..

" Let the fermentation finish, perhaps at a higher temperature. It may take as long to get the last few points of attenuation as it did for the first 80%"

Give the brew plenty of time to finish and give it plenty of time to condition. Belgian beers are different than most beers. They improve dramatically with age. I usually let them sit for at least two months in bottles before I even taste one. At 4-6 months they really get good and then theybstill improve slightly with even more age.

 

[arog3000]

Thanks!! I fermented in my den at 72 degrees for four days and it went nuts. I moved it to my cellar and have had it there which is 60 degrees for the last four days and it has slowed down to nothing. Should I move it back up to the den which is the hottest room in the house?

 

[kapbrew13]

What yeast did you use. The 60 probably slowed it down.

 

[arog3000]

3787 Y yeast, and I did a 1 liter starter, 5 gallons of beer and the OG was 1.060

 

[kapbrew13]

3787 Y yeast, and I did a 1 liter starter, 5 gallons of beer and the OG was 1.060

Ideal temps 64-78. Probably should move it upstairs. Yeast probably did stall due to low temps.

 

[beergolf]

Thanks!! I fermented in my den at 72 degrees for four days and it went nuts. I moved it to my cellar and have had it there which is 60 degrees for the last four days and it has slowed down to nothing. Should I move it back up to the den which is the hottest room in the house?

Move it to a warmer spot. Belgian yeasts do not like to be cooled down after fermentation starts. Sometimes if they cool down it hard to get them to start again. 3787 is a slow fermenter and can take some time to get to FG. Warm it up and don,t be afraid to get it pretty warm at this point.

 

[arog3000]

Thanks. I moved it and put a blanket around it. I also shook it up and it is definitely still going. I will keep shaking it to get the yeast going again.