Regarding My First Belgian Tripel

[Apt23Brewery]

First of all, thank you to everyone who has made my brewing experience richer by your contributions!

On Jan 29, 2011, I brewed up a Belgian Tripel. Using While labs Abbey Ale Yeast. Not as a starter, but just opened the vial and dumped it in then stirred.

On Jan 31st, I noticed no active fermentation (bubbles) and got very nervous and pitched an extra packet of yeast from a holiday ale kit from brewers best. Not holiday ale yeast, but just the normal yellow packet.

On Feb 9th, I transferred my beer to the secondary fermentor and took at sample. My O.G. was 1.090 and at the transfer it was 1.010. It also had a hot whiskey taste and mouth feel.
SIDE NOTE on my fermentables: 13.3 lbs of light pilsen malt, 1 lb crystal grain, 1lb clover honey, 1lb Candi Sugar

On Feb 10th, I called my LHBS owner and he advised me that the attenuation was very large and that the hot mouth feel was from the beer
A) being green
B) that there was possilby fusel alcohol in my beer.
He advised that I either add 8 oz of Lactose or 8-16 oz of Maltodextrin to the secondary and let that add some non fermentable body to the beer. and let it sit for a month and see how it was going.
So I added 8 oz of lactose dissolved in 2 cups of water to my secondary and have not touched it since.

So now it is March 2nd, and I'm itching to know what you all think.
A) Should I bottle it now that I'm pretty sure that fermentation is done?
B) Should I let it sit and continue to age (I would like my better bottle back though)
C) Should I rack it to another fermentor and take a taste?
D) Do something that I've never heard of that all you blokes will have done a thousand times and I've never thought of?

Thanks for the help!

 

[coypoo]

Take a gravity sample to be sure. And then taste it.

I mean, for a Belgian Tripel its supposed to be fairly dry, I dont know about 1010 dry, but I bet it would have been good if you didnt touch it from there. When there is that much alcohol you are going to taste it when it is green. Ideally, you would have let it bulk age for 3-6 weeks or so, then bottled and aged for 2-3 months. I bet it would been smooth by then. Oh well. Hope it turns out OK this time

 

[BenjaminBier]

I let my triple bulk age for 10 weeks and all of the hot alcohol flavors cleared up nicely.

 

[bknifefight]

I wouldn't have added the lactose, your FG was perfectly within range.

I would taste it, like coypoo says. It sounds like it was done before it went into the secondary, so you can bottle it whenever. With it being higher ABV, it will take time to carb up as well as mellow. Give it 3 months in the bottle and try it. If it's still hot with alcohol, wait another month or two. Rinse and repeat.

 

[frankstoneline]

My vote goes to bulk age for another month and then bottle, however if you need the vessel it's in to brew (been there) then bottle and just let it sit in the bottles for a bit longer.

 

[Homebrewtastic]

At what temp did you ferment? Warm fermentation temperatures can create hot alcohols.

If it was me I would go ahead and bottle and lay it down. Wait at least a month before another taste, three months would be better.

 

[Apt23Brewery]

Thank you everyone for your advice! I'm going to wait until saturday and see how many more posts I get and then make a decision.

One other question is...how would all of you go about priming this batch at bottling time?

 

[BenjaminBier]

Wise choice! More opinions the better.

For my batch, rehydrated a pack of US-05 in 1/2 C warm water, added 2 TBsp of that liquid into the batch with 3/4 C dextrose. Almost 2 weeks in and it's got decent carb, though i think it needs at least another several weeks before being truly ready.

In short, 3 weeks primary, 10 weeks bulk age, currently at 2 weeks in bottle with decent carb from above priming, but I will wait another 2-3 months before calling it "mature." For snits and giggles I drank two bottles tonight and enjoyed it, but it's still green.

 

[Apt23Brewery]

Just bottled last night and the "hot" mouth feel is going away. this is tasting really good. I'm planning on bottle ageing until the end of June, and having one on the birthday!

Thanks everyone!