Old/Majority Ale for extreme aging... seeking help...

[darthgall]

Hey Gang,

Long-time listener, first-time caller.

My first daughter was born in June. I've been reading about so-called Majority Ales; ales that were brewed and stored until the child reached the age of majority... so, 18-21.

I'm intrigued and want to give it a whirl, and seeking tips, tricks and hints.

Parameters:
Extract w/ specialty grains; haven't leapt to all grain yet.
Must age well (therefore, hoppy w/ higher alcohol content to kill any potential infections.

Recipe:
6.6 lbs. Amber malt extract syrup
2 lbs. pale DME

Specialty Grains:
1 lb. 40-L Crystal
0.25 lb. Chocolate Malt
0.25 lb. Roasted Barley

Hops:
2 oz. Northern Brewer (60 minutes)
1 oz. Fuggles (30 minutes)
1 oz. Fuggles (10 minutes)

Yeast: Wyeast 1028 London Ale
?? Should I put two packets of this in instead of one; sort of like a store-bought starter??

Primary Fermentation: 8 days at 65 Degrees F.
Secondary: 14 days at 65 Degrees F.
During secondary, add 4 oz. American Oak Chips, Medium Toast, soaked in whisky during primary fermentation.

Any recipe input is appreciated! What else do I do to ensure good aging? After capping bottles, seal them with wax?

i realize this is an ambitious project... in fact, I'm thinking of doubling the recipe and making 10 gallons so I can sample a bottle every year to "monitor" it. But hey, why not?

Mick.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

What happens if she doesn't like beer? Ehh...impossible.

I think you may want to up the alcohol content by a bit more if you plan to store it for 18+ years. Also, wax wouldn't hurt, but make sure you also pick up oxygen barrier caps to be safe. Being very sanitary and keeping the beer away from oxygen is your best bet. A friend of mine had a batch of homebrew laying in his closet that was about 3-4 years old. We tried it and it wasn't good. I'm sure his techniques may have been a bit bad though since it was his first beer.

 

[user 22118]

Make sure that you can store this at a cool 50-60*f constantly for the 18 years to keep down the amount of oxygen exchange that comes with swinging temps.