Enough time on yeast cake?

[Beardedterror]

I brewed a barleywine about a month ago, and I'm thinking about moving to a secondary for bulk aging. Fermentation seemed to be done after about 9 days, and I have stable gravity readings. Is a month enough time for the yeast to clean up a barleywine, or should I leave it for another month or two?

Thanks!
Beardedterror

 

[homebrewdad]

A barleywine - assuming an OG of better than 1.080... probably at 1.100 or better?

I'd call a month the minimum amount of time to primary. Might be better at six weeks or more. Probably the same amount of time in secondary for bulk aging.

 

[Beardedterror]

OG was 1.098. When I do secondary, I'm planning to age it for 6+ months.

 

[homebrewdad]

OG was 1.098. When I do secondary, I'm planning to age it for 6+ months.

Sounds like a plan. I misspoke - meant to say that the same time would be the minimum. Bulk conditioning, from most accounts, will get the beer ready faster (and be better?) than leaving it in bottles forever.