Tripel too strong...

[msmylie]

I brewed a pretty hefty Belgian Tripel two weeks ago. Took the sample today and gravity was 1.012 down from 1.09. I was looking to get 9-10% by volume but it is too hot on the finish from the sample I tasted. I'm hoping if I rack to secondary for couple weeks the harshness of it dies down a bit but didn't know if there was another route. Also thinking of racking to corny and then just keeping in the keg cooler to see if that improves the flavor. Has anyone had any experience with this? Any info appreciated.
mfs

 

[bknifefight]

It sounds like it's not too strong but just not ready. Alcohol heat will diminish with time, whether it be in bottles, a keg or a carboy. Stick the beer somewhere cool and dark and let it go for a few months before trying it again. Eventually it will be where you want it.

 

[dbals]

Wait it out...... Took ~4 months for the heat to diminish for my 9.1% Belgium triple. Tastes great now at ~6months

 

[Revvy]

Most of the folks I know who brew tripels age them for between 6 months and a year. It ain't an "instant" beer.

It's a tripel, it needs time, not just to condition, but there's a lot of complex sugar in there for the yeast to have to chew through.

It's a big beer, and big beers take time. Lazy LLama came up with a great chart that explains how long things take. And you Barleywine is a big beer....so it takes time.

 

[Native302]

I brewed a tripel yesterday and my efficency was through the roof! Of course this was becaue I conditioned my grain, IMHO

My OG was supposed to be 1.074 and I ended up with 1.092

I'm planning on it being very hot, so I'm gonna let it sit in the secondary on some oak for a couple months.

 

[msmylie]

Will conditioning in the corny at about 35 degrees be detrimental in any way? or is it better to park it in the basement at about 65 and let sit couple months?
mfs

 

[sacrifice]

I bottled my 9.4% tripel the first week of Feb 2011. they have been sitting in my 62 degree garage since then. I have tried a bottle at the beginning of every month since then, and they were just not ready. Sunday night I had two bottles, and they were great - so great that I had two more bottles last night.

Now, just waiting for my Strong Dark Belgian that I did in November to mellow a bit......trying a bomber tonight

 

[cjb]

Leave it at cellar temp - and I wouldn't rack it yet, it should be fine in the primary for a few more weeks. My BDSA was very hot after a week or two, but mellowed out nicely after a month in primary and a couple in secondary.