I've tried to find answers before posting this

[the_ale_scale]

So I brewed a Belgian golden strong this past Sunday, I've been looking around at other recipes to get an idea of how long to let it ferment , whether to do a secondary and how long to let it carb but most of these tabs don't help with that. So how do I know when and if to do these things?

 

[flars]

Each fermentation will be different for time and wort temperature. The one constant is that the fermentation is not complete until the specific gravity readings have stabilized over a period of days. Low OG beers will take less time for the active fermentation to end than a high OG beer. Your golden strong is in the high OG range. Take a specific gravity reading for your golden strong about day 13 to 15. Take another reading 3 to 5 days later. Two specific gravity readings, separated by days, that are the same will mean the active fermentation is complete. Off flavor clean up, especially diacetyl, begins when the active fermentation is tapering off.

I would plan for at least four weeks in the primary for this beer, five weeks may be needed for sediment and excess yeast to drop out, and the yeast/trub layer to compact. Until most of the CO2 in the beer has off gassed, sediments will be held in suspension. Extra time will not be detrimental to the beer.

Check the clarity, amount of CO2, and taste of each hydrometer sample you take.

This beer many would probably use a secondary for a few weeks. I'm not much of a person for using secondaries anymore. If this were my brew, 5 to 6 weeks in the primary, and then an extended bottle conditioning time.

 

[didinho]

So I brewed a Belgian golden strong this past Sunday, I've been looking around at other recipes to get an idea of how long to let it ferment , whether to do a secondary and how long to let it carb but most of these tabs don't help with that. So how do I know when and if to do these things?

I do primary fermentation for 4-5 days, then transfer to secondary: I always use yeast from previous batch for high gravity beers, so an early transfer is needed to get rid of the excess yeast and avoid autolysis off-flavours (if you use new dried yeast maybe you don't need secondary fermentation). Bottle at FG (2-3 days with stable gravity) with 2 CO2 volumes.

 

[beergolf]

There are a lot of variables to consider. What was the recipe? OG? What yeast? What temperature did you ferment at?

Belgians usually benefit from some age anyway, so I find it best to just give it plenty of time. The use of a secondary is up to you. I rarely do them unless I am going to age something for a very long time. Mostly sours and beers with brett in them.

Belgian yeasts are different than most yeasts. Many of them take off fast and then slow way down until they finish. Sometimes you will think it is done and then when you bottle it will continue to tick off a few more points. I learned this the first time I used 3787. I thought it was done at 4 weeks and bottled. It obviously was not and I ended with a batch of over carbed beer. Not to the point of bottle bombs, but definitely waaaay overcarbed.

 

[blizz81]

So I brewed a Belgian golden strong this past Sunday, I've been looking around at other recipes to get an idea of how long to let it ferment , whether to do a secondary and how long to let it carb but most of these tabs don't help with that. So how do I know when and if to do these things?

Search on the yeast strain you used, not the type of beer you brewed. See how the yeast behaves for others.

But in a general sense, let it ferment until it finishes (verify with readings). Let it carb until...it's carbed (drink them). Rack it to secondary if you want to when vigorous fermentation is done...or don't. Probably no real reason to unless you search on the yeast strain you used and find it takes a long time to finish, and your primary ferm vessel is rather porous (like a bucket with an iffy seal).

 

[loeks]

I did a GSA last summer. I did one week for primary then moved the carboy to a fridge for about three weeks to cold crash. Had it bottled for 3-4 months before enjoying.