Questions about bottle conditioning Belgian Tripel

[Cold_Steel]

My belgian tripel has gone through primary. I dumped the trub out of the conical so it is now in the secondary phase of fermentation. My plan was to leave it in for 3-4 months to age it. Then, place in a bottle for a month with priming sugar and champagne yeast. og was 1.072 and final is 1.010.
The beer has only been in secondary for a week or 2. Does this have to stay in the secondary for another 3-4 months?
Thanks

 

[johntangus]

I made a tripel back in September that is drinkable now. i'd say if i give it another month or two it will be sublime.

It was in primary for about 3 weeks and then secondary for another 3. I didn't do any champagne yeast. (My OG was 1.080) I wouldn't do the champagne yeast unless you do the 3-4 months secondary.

I say secondary for a month at longest, skip the champagne yeast and bottle condition for about 2-3 months.

 

[Cold_Steel]

Why no Champagne yeast? I have heard the bubbles are smaller and gives a better head. Why such a short time in the secondary? and longer bottle conditioning? What was the FG before you bottled?
Thanks

 

[RBlagojevich]

champagne yeast isn't going to change the consistency of your carbonation. You can leave it in secondary for a couple of months if you want but you could also go ahead and bottle it, and drink it whenever you can't stand to wait any longer!

 

[RunBikeBrew]

As I understand (from "Brew Like a Monk"), the monks use the same yeast for bottling that they use for primary fermentation.

I have a Dubbel that is bottle conditioning right now. I used a 2 week primary, a 2 week secondary, then bottled with dextrose (no extra yeast). After 1.5 weeks of bottle conditioning, it is carbed fine (maybe a little less than the real Trappist ones, but those are really fizzy).

 

[johntangus]

I am under the impression that the champagne yeast is used if/when the regular yeast poops out. I don't have my numbers here with me now, but I took a couple of hydrometer readings and knew it was done. So i bottled it. I don't really think that the secondary is really necessary at all. Maybe just a longer primary. I racked to secondary just to free up my primary. If you are adding more candi sugar/spices, then definitely rack to secondary. If you want smaller bubbles, use DME instead of sugar for bottle conditioning. The reason i'm bottle conditioning so long is to tone down the booziness. It is quite boozy!

 

[RBlagojevich]

If you want smaller bubbles, use DME instead of sugar for bottle conditioning.

I don't buy this.

 

[Hermit]

I don't buy this.

Maybe the yeast have smaller farts on the DME?

 

[johntangus]

Sorry, to clarify, DME used for carbonation creating smaller bubbles is only a theory that i have heard tossed around. Never done it myself.

I believe the OP was interested in using champagne yeast to increase head retention and get smaller bubbles. I was merely offering up an idea, considering that he has a mostly finished beer and is looking for some secondary/bottling solutions that will help. Upon more research, it looks like the consensus is that DME has no noticeable effect on head vs. priming sugar. So, no help there. Sorry for speaking about a process that i haven't tried. I listen to way too many podcasts and read too many forums.

The whole head retention thing is pretty complicated with many different factors playing a role.

BTW, i believe that my FG was 1.017

 

[johntangus]

Maybe the yeast have smaller farts on the DME?

LOL - what he said.

 

[Cold_Steel]

so I would prime this the normal way and then let it condition for another 2 months.
How does the yeast operate under those conditions? I wouldnt see how the yeast could condition the beer with it carbonated?

 

[Hermit]

so I would prime this the normal way and then let it condition for another 2 months.
How does the yeast operate under those conditions? I wouldnt see how the yeast could condition the beer with it carbonated?

Pure speculation. Yeast isn't the only thing that is involved. At some point you want the yeast to go dormant or you get autolysis, but smaller scale than in the primary. Carbonation would help make them go dormant. I was wondering about this earlier in the day myself. I have seen some people say it is 'better' but 'bulk age'. Hmmm...

 

[Cold_Steel]

I am still unsure of what I should do.
I would like to bottle some beers and give them out at christmas. However, they have not be in the secondary long enough nor primed in the bottled for carbination. I dont mind giving out my gifts with a note not to open til feb or march i just dont know if it will clean the taste up or not? Please advise

or link me up to some info on bottle conditioning? Thanks

 

[peripatetic]

I don't think that aging/conditioning in a secondary vs. in the bottle is going to make a big difference. I also don't think that a Belgian Tripel is going to be ready to drink by Christmas no matter what you do right now. Make it a Valentine's Day present -- or even better, Cinco de Mayo.

 

[user 22118]

I just bottle conditioned with some wine yeast. I have a friend that always bottle conditions this way. In order to compensate for the 10%abv, I made a quick starter in order to not just kill the yeast right off the bat. Also it meant that I could use less yeast

I also disagree that a tripel won't be ready by Xmas. If it is well made it should be good after a month in the bottle and then just change in flavor and complexity over time. I have a double that was 8.1% and was really malty at first and then once the carbonation moved into it more and it mellowed out the malty went down a bit and the phenolics went down. Now it is interesting in a different way.

Good luck on conditioning. Bulk aging can work, just make sure there isn't any oxygen in the headspace or you will be increasing potential for unwanted flavors. Unless you are looking for what oxygen brings to the party, then have a blast!

 

[Hermit]

Good luck on conditioning. Bulk aging can work, just make sure there isn't any oxygen in the headspace or you will be increasing potential for unwanted flavors. Unless you are looking for what oxygen brings to the party, then have a blast!

I had a friend bring his stuff over to teach me to brew. He didn't read the instructions very closely and when it came time to rack to the secondary I had 'more than enough' left over that I didn't want it to go to waste. Almost 3/4 of a gallon. I racked it into a gallon jug and then thought to throw in a few Coopers carbonation tablets to get some CO2 going to help drive out the oxygen. Seems to have worked and I have wondered if this might be a good practice whenever racking. Throw in a small amount of sugar depending on head space.....?

 

[peripatetic]

I also disagree that a tripel won't be ready by Xmas. If it is well made it should be good after a month in the bottle and then just change in flavor and complexity over time.

OK, I'll buy that. I guess it is a matter of preference -- I really like that change in flavor and especially complexity that you get by waiting a bit longer. But I can certainly get on board with the beer being perfectly drinkable sooner.