How long is too long?

[Brauman]

Hello fellow Brewers -

quick question. I've had a brew in my secondaries for almost a month now. The brew is a 2IPA. I'm wondering what the max anyone would suggest having a beer sit in a secondary.
Thanks
!:rockin:

 

[J187]

It depends, what are you doing? Dry hopping? Trying to let it clear? Just don't have time to package it yet? It can sit there for a while but after a certain amount of time, you may not have enough viable yeast left for carbonation if that's the plan. Especially if it's a higher ABV beer. People leave their beers in the fermenter for 6 months with no problems... the only concern I'd have is having adequate yeast to carb.

 

[Matt3989]

You'll be able to carb it, even if you let it sit for 6-9 months, there will still be done viable yeast around. The carbing will just take longer.

A DIPA can sit for a long time (the higher the alcohol the longer you can age it to the benefit of the beer). Although I don't recommend dry hopping and letting it sit on the hops for more than 3 weeks, the beer will pick up a grassy taste. So if you want that nice hop aroma, you should wait until a couple of weeks before you're ready to bottle. (Or do it in the primary, there are tons of opinions on when to dry hop, most agree that the beer should not sit on the hops for an extended time though)

 

[J187]

You'll be able to carb it, even if you let it sit for 6-9 months, there will still be done viable yeast around. The carbing will just take longer.

A DIPA can sit for a long time (the higher the alcohol the longer you can age it to the benefit of the beer). Although I don't recommend dry hopping and letting it sit on the hops for more than 3 weeks, the beer will pick up a grassy taste. So if you want that nice hop aroma, you should wait until a couple of weeks before you're ready to bottle. (Or do it in the primary, there are tons of opinions on when to dry hop, most agree that the beer should not sit on the hops for an extended time though)

I wouldn't be so sure that there'd be enough yeast after 9 months in a high Alcohol beer to carbonate. Not sure why'd you wouldn't just add back a little bit at that point to be sure, rather than bottle 50 beers that may not carbonate.

 

[bacchusmj]

The longer you let an ipa sit around the less hop aroma you will get (which is why you brewed an ipa in the first place right?). The aroma fades over time, usually the first couple months

 

[tacks]

The longer you let an ipa sit around the less hop aroma you will get (which is why you brewed an ipa in the first place right?). The aroma fades over time, usually the first couple months

+1. With IPA's I find that the sooner you can get them in bottles and into your belly, the better. With my last IIPA I had some bottles sit around for about 3 months and didn't think they were nearly as good as the ones I drank at 2 weeks bottled because aroma and flavor seemed to fall off after about a month or so. Let them carbonate then drink!