Loooong fermentation - barleywine

[arkowa]

I received news of an all expenses paid trip to Afghanistan last week. Bags packed in three weeks - and bye bye. Yay Army.

So here is the scenario: Three weeks.

I hate brewing in the summer (fruit flies, flies, hot ground water temps, etc). that said, I would be an epic failure at life if I did not leave the US with a little special baby in my basement. So far I've knocked out a quick roggenbier and wit - something I can go quickly from grain to bottle for the wife and her family to enjoy in my absence.

Question: I want to try my hand at my first every barleywine.

I have two options:
1.) I will likely have leave after mobilization training, putting me home during the holidays. I can bottle a 1.100 beer after two and a half months and have the beer age in the bottles (I am assuming fermentation will be complete, I have a large volume of healthy yeast)

2.) Primary for 3 weeks, transfer off the yeast cake into a glass carboy. Bulk age in the carboy for 12 months. I trust the wife to occasionally top off the airlock vodka. Bottle when I come home.

Yummy... barleywine with the autumn backyard nugget, cascade, and centennial hop harvest.

 

[Dwain]

I would definately go with option 1. Luck - Dwain

 

[Revvy]

You could do either.

The thing with option 1 is that when it's all over and you get back, you have a barewine in the bottle and ready to drink. 2 is fine as well, but you'd still have to bottle and wait for it to carb up.

 

[legaleagle37]

i would lean towards option 1 for the reason revvy mentioned as well as I would want to leave that big of a beer on the yeast for longer than three weeks for the bulk cleanup the yeast will be doing

 

[arkowa]

Danke - I like the logic of "get home, drink beer". Off to the store to pick up about 20lbs of grain! party!