motorneuron
Well-Known Member
Similar to this thread (https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/temperature-insensitive-brews-brewing-season-399536/), I'm looking for beers that I can brew during the summer. But I want dark/winter beers that I can ferment while it's hot, but that will benefit from a few months in storage so that I can consume them in the fall/winter. (I am already planning to do saisons and other Belgians for more short-term consumption.)
So does anyone know of a dark beer type, or at least a "Christmasy" beer type, or anything else that seems winter-appropriate, that would be compatible with mid-70s to low 80s fermentation temperatures?
In general, I was thinking that the yeasts used successfully at fairly high temperatures tend to be Belgian or English. So here are some ideas I have been thinking about:
*imperial stout brewed with an alcohol-tolerant English ale yeast--extra fruity ester character from high fermentation temperatures could work well in this setting, and conditioning would be helpful
*some kind of fruity porter brewed with English ale yeast; again, extra esters would be fine with raspberries or stone fruit
*a "Poorter," i.e. a very dark Belgian
*a Christmas-spiced strong Belgian that could benefit from a few months of conditioning to have its flavors settle
*a barleywine-strength witbier (with some sugar in the grain bill to make sure the beer isn't just ludicrously thick) fermented using trappist yeast
*other barleywines--seems like an English yeast could be okay at 75-80F, with high temperatures aiding attenuation and a few months to round out flavors
I was also wondering how it would be to just take normal recipes but "Belgianize" them. E.g. take a normal American IPA recipe, but use Belgian yeast--similar to Stone's Cali-Belgique. Another idea would be to do this with a very dark beer. I am really fascinated by the idea of a Belgian wheat stout. In fact that sounds amazing to me right now.
But anyone have any actual experience on this? It would be helpful to hear from those who know! Thanks.
So does anyone know of a dark beer type, or at least a "Christmasy" beer type, or anything else that seems winter-appropriate, that would be compatible with mid-70s to low 80s fermentation temperatures?
In general, I was thinking that the yeasts used successfully at fairly high temperatures tend to be Belgian or English. So here are some ideas I have been thinking about:
*imperial stout brewed with an alcohol-tolerant English ale yeast--extra fruity ester character from high fermentation temperatures could work well in this setting, and conditioning would be helpful
*some kind of fruity porter brewed with English ale yeast; again, extra esters would be fine with raspberries or stone fruit
*a "Poorter," i.e. a very dark Belgian
*a Christmas-spiced strong Belgian that could benefit from a few months of conditioning to have its flavors settle
*a barleywine-strength witbier (with some sugar in the grain bill to make sure the beer isn't just ludicrously thick) fermented using trappist yeast
*other barleywines--seems like an English yeast could be okay at 75-80F, with high temperatures aiding attenuation and a few months to round out flavors
I was also wondering how it would be to just take normal recipes but "Belgianize" them. E.g. take a normal American IPA recipe, but use Belgian yeast--similar to Stone's Cali-Belgique. Another idea would be to do this with a very dark beer. I am really fascinated by the idea of a Belgian wheat stout. In fact that sounds amazing to me right now.
But anyone have any actual experience on this? It would be helpful to hear from those who know! Thanks.
