Cask conditioning

[peskytat]

I'm going to do a cask for Christmas, what is the best time length to cask condition an ipa of 5% abv extra light malt. ?
Thanks for any help.

 

[Stevieboy]

I give all my brews a minimum of a month before I drink them. Cloudy or clear, that's when I start drinking.

 

[peskytat]

Cheers Stevie, Someone else told me to leave it 6 weeks, so at least a month then

 

[simon12]

Are you using a standard 9 gallon firkin? Are you using finings? Are you priming with sugar?

 

[peskytat]

It is a standard 9 gallon firkin, that I will prime with 100 grams of fruit sugar, wasn't planning to use finings as it will stay in the same position until it has all been used.

 

[BREWERS DROOP]

I dont prime our casks,we chill down to below 3 degrees,then rack into cask.

 

[peskytat]

I dont prime our casks,we chill down to below 3 degrees,then rack into cask.

I haven't got the means or space to chill 60ltrs down to 3 degrees, so I was going to prime it with fruit sugar the rack it, then put it in position on the bench leave it for 6 weeks before tapping and spiling it .

 

[raymondo]

An interesting series playing out on Youtube - The Craft Beer Channel.

All about cask ale - Hook Norton brewery in episode 2 is particularly interesting.

 

[user 43495]

I have a strict rule on this. I allow beers to condition for as long as it is before I need to drink them! Seriously though, a modern mild can be drunk quite happily after a week or so. My hoppy pale ale does better if left longer. I brew when I start the second of the two barrels I made the previous time. I do 10 galls of each = two KKs worth. Therefore the IPA, by default, gets longer without my becoming too impatient!

 

[peebee]

You have to know your beer, there are no written down rules. I'm putting on pale ales this weekend to have a couple of months before drinking at Xmas (they are strong and well hopped, but not "hoppy" in the sense of "craft beers"). But I've other bitters that may only get 10 days ... that's 10 days from starting to make it! They would be about 4% abv and not particularly hoppy.

Before you draw any conclusions from that, I've made mild ales (3% abv) that weren't at there best for a couple of weeks (in cask). And (something that I haven't made for a while) low-alcohol "beers" (0.5% abv) that are best after two or three weeks, but they are keg, not cask (or "cask style").

So what I'm saying is ... how long is this piece of string?



The more "complex" the beer the longer it takes to gel together the flavours. Less complex (perhaps sweeter) beers need less time. Roughly. If you are making "craft beer" type beers the question might draw a better answer. They do have a more "paint by numbers" approach ... sometimes!