Strange Belgian..ish beer. What should I do with it?

[permo]

I have a nice little ale fermenting right now with some Chimay yeast that I harvested from a bottle. I wanted to brew something lower in gravity so I would have some nice healthy yeast to wash so I could capture as much of that chimay strain as possible. Here is the recipe

8.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 80.00 %
1.00 lb Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 10.00 %
0.50 oz Summit [18.00 %] (60 min) Hops 28.2 IBU
0.25 oz Summit [18.00 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
1.00 lb Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) Sugar 10.00 %




Beer Profile


Measured Original Gravity: 1.046 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.011
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.67 %
Bitterness: 28.2 IBU
Est Color: 3.2 SRM


I have a few options now and I am not sure what to do:

1. Primary ferment for two weeks, prime, bottle, age and enjoy
2. Transfer to secondary for a few weeks
3. Transfer to secondary and lager it for a few weeks


what to do?? Do you think this brew will be any good? I hope it is drinkable.

 

[Beernik]

I think all three could give you something tasty.

1. A lot of Abby and Stong Ales are bottle conditioned.
2. Bulk conditioning at fermentation temp won't hurt anything.
3. I'd call it "cold conditioning" and only do it for 3 days to 2 weeks.

 

[beerthirty]

With that low gravity bulk conditioning should not be necessary. I think extending primary helps more beer than it hurts. As for your third option you are dealing with an ale yeast and should go dormant at lagering temps, so it would be actually a warm cold crash over time. I would go with 3 weeks primary, a few days cold crash @ under 40* then bottle or keg.

 

[snailsongs]

I recently brewed what the grain bill would indicate as an english brown of some sort, but I fermented with a blend of WLP530, WLP550 and Nottingham at 68-72F......the sample I pulled at 10 days primary is ridiculously good. I won't be aging for extended periods - it's ready to drink now, and I'm forcing myself to wait so that yeast will clear and pack down to the bottom of primary....then it's off to bottles and my mouth.

 

[Houblon]

I would go with 3 weeks primary, a few days cold crash @ under 40* then bottle or keg.

Thats the best option.

 

[permo]

Thats the best option.

That is the plan! I can't wait to taste this thing! I actually tasted the starter I used and it had that spicy, clove...plum type of flavor that belgian ales are known for...so I am excited for this little ale.