High ABV brew, How long until...

[beardown2489]

I've been brewing a big Belgian golden wheat beer. Basically a triple extract kit with a bunch of Bavarian wheat extract added to it. The OG was near 1.1 when it went into primary about a week ago.

I pitched at 63 degrees, as I did not have a fermentation chamber. I am building a chamber that will be done early next week.

Fermentation started slowly but it did start. Then it slowed after about a 2 days. Now it has stalled.

My chamber will be done after I get the few remaining parts on Monday or Tuesday.

Will I have a problem waiting until then to crank it up to 80 to finish the job? I know high alcohol content is not the best for yeast and I'm curious if I need to do whatever I can to bump the temp up now. It's sitting at about 67 or 68 right now in the basement but it's not showing bubbling.

Do I need to put the carboy in a warm bucket of water now, or can I wait?

Yeast strain is WLP570...

 

[Kharnynb]

depending on the yeast speed, 5 days could be enough for the most active fermentation part to be done.

 

[RM-MN]

depending on the yeast speed, 5 days could be enough for the most active fermentation part to be done.

Once the active part is done the yeast will continue to work but without the bubbling. Warming it will not cause the yeast to start giving off the CO2 as they will have consumed the easy sugars that are the fuel to create CO2. Now the yeast will be breaking down the byproducts of fermentation which, while silent, is a slow process, especially with a high alcohol beer. Warming the beer will aid the yeast in breaking down the byproducts though but I don't know that there is a real rush to get it to the 80 degree area. Perhaps you could warm it by bringing it to a warmer area until you get the chamber complete.

 

[madscientist451]

Pull a sample for a gravity reading before you do anything. How much yeast did you pitch and did you make a starter?

 

[mrphillips]

I had a barleywine that was still dropping gravity points after 2 months. I started about the same as you - 1.110 - and after bumping the temp. from 68 to 72, it went from 1.021 to 1.019.

While I've never used your type of yeast, I wouldn't be in a hurry to bump up the temp. I think you'll have a cleaner beer if you wait a month before moving the temp up. Of course, if you have a stuck fermentation a temperature change might be good.

 

[beardown2489]

Pull a sample for a gravity reading before you do anything. How much yeast did you pitch and did you make a starter?

I made a starter (2 cups water with 1/2 cup DME)

Then I let the yeast fall out, decanted, and made another starter the same size.

I haven't got the tools yet to estimate the actually yeast count, but I always make sure to make at least 1 starter. This will be my biggest beer to date so I figured adding another step to the starter couldn't hurt too much.

I know beer takes time. I'm not pushing anything. I became curious after reading about this strain liking to finish at a particularly high temp. I've never finished a beer that high before or made a beer this big before. I don't plan on checking the beer for a long time. I'll probably leave it in primary for a month or 6 weeks. Then I'll probably transfer it to a secondary and let it sit there for another month or so. I don't plan on drinking this until football season.

 

[beardown2489]

Well, it's a week later and my ferm chamber is finally complete. I have it set to 82 degree. I've yet to check the current gravity. I tend to wait a while on these things. I figure the fewer opportunities for oxidation the better...

So, how long should I keep the beer at this high temp before transferring to secondary for some aging?

 

[misterkidd]

I think i would slowly ramp up the temps, hitting your 82f target after a week or two, then hold it there for maybe 10 days, then transfer.

 

[Kharnynb]

how long and why do you want to transfer to secondary? are you bottling or kegging after?

 

[joshesmusica]

Well, it's a week later and my ferm chamber is finally complete. I have it set to 82 degree. I've yet to check the current gravity. I tend to wait a while on these things. I figure the fewer opportunities for oxidation the better...

So, how long should I keep the beer at this high temp before transferring to secondary for some aging?

as long as you're careful, it's not the oxidation you should be worrying about, it's sanitation of anything you're using to pull the gravity reading that touches the beer. but even that, as long as you sanitize well, should be ok to do.

i would personally never determine that anything is stuck until i had a gravity reading to confirm. bubbles in the airlock mean next to nothing to me. is there pressure building up in the airlock still?

 

[aslander]

If you ask for help and ignore everyone's advice, why bother asking for more advice?

 

[beardown2489]

If you ask for help and ignore everyone's advice, why bother what advice was given that I should follow?

One guy told me to check the gravity as he believed I may have under pitched. I explained that I was fairly confident this wasn't an under pitch scenario.

WLP570 is a slow working yeast and some others agree j should raise the temp. I'm doing that.

Im not ignoring advice. I value everyone's opinion.

 

[beardown2489]

i would personally never determine that anything is stuck until i had a gravity reading to confirm. bubbles in the airlock mean next to nothing to me. is there pressure building up in the airlock still?

I'm fairly confident it isn't stuck. I am simply new to this kind of slow attenuating yeast and read several others say it helps to raise the temp to help the yeast finish their work. I know bubbles are not the only sign of fermentation. I stated in the OP that I am very patient and try let the yeast do their thing. Ya know, RAHAHB

 

[beardown2489]

how long and why do you want to transfer to secondary? are you bottling or kegging after?

I don't keg yet. Someday.

The beer is going to be about 10%. And while I've never brewed a beer this big, I've read several things that say beers this beer can be enhanced by giving them some extra time before drinking. I planned on transferring to secondary for this. I guess I could bottle as well but I'd rather avoid the temptation of drinking them too early.

 

[hannibalmdq]

I'm fairly confident it isn't stuck. I am simply new to this kind of slow attenuating yeast and read several others say it helps to raise the temp to help the yeast finish their work. I know bubbles are not the only sign of fermentation. I stated in the OP that I am very patient and try let the yeast do their thing. Ya know, RAHAHB

I'm not sure why your saying that's its slow to attenuate. I did a Belgian strong with 570 that clocked in at 10% two months ago and it hit terminal gravity in under 5 days. Ramped from 66F to 78F from day 3. I've read that it doesn't like it too cool though.

 

[beardown2489]

I'm not sure why your saying that's its slow to attenuate. I did a Belgian strong with 570 that clocked in at 10% two months ago and it hit terminal gravity in under 5 days. Ramped from 66F to 78F from day 3. I've read that it doesn't like it too cool though.

Ok. The threads I read said its common to get get to 1.02 something quickly then it's slow to finish. Like I said, knew to the yeast

 

[beardown2489]

Upon suggestions I just took gravity reading. Currently sitting at 1.012. So I think it's about done. I'm going to keep the temp in the ferm chamber up at 80 for a week or so to let the yeast clean up anything that still needs to be done.

Does anyone have an opinion on if I should let the beer age a few months on the bottle or in secondary? Is there an advantage on way or another? I've typically brewed beers meant to drink quickly so I'm welcome to any discussion/advice

 

[misterkidd]

Belgian beers are typically bottle conditioned. I understand that bottle conditioning changes the ester profile, although since I haven't ever bulked-aged any of by Belgian beers, I couldn't pinpoint this for you.

That said, I understand your impulse to avoid drinking them too early. I've got 28x500ml bottles of Belgian Golden Strong bottle conditioning right now, one week in. They sing to me at night... ^_^

 

[beardown2489]

Thanks man. Maybe I'll bottle condition. With limited carboys it might be better for brew scheduling anyway.

Cheers

 

[Kharnynb]

It also removes one step to mess up, you can always leave it in primary a bit longer and then bottle.

 

[mrphillips]

This is your chance to have an excuse to buy more carboys/buckets. DON'T WAIST IT! Haha.

I have never brewed a Belgium strong, but anything at 10% or higher would benefit from some extra bucket-action....I would say at least 2 months, or even 3 - and then bottle condition up to 6 months. I try to avoid esters at all costs, and since that's a key component in this style, I might be way off.