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Author Topic: Who Kegs Big Beers?  (Read 1167 times)

Offline chumley

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Re: Who Kegs Big Beers?
« Reply #15 on: January 26, 2024, 11:06:05 am »
My keezer holds 8 kegs. I always like to have one with an OG of 1.080 or bigger on tap.  I currently have a tripel on tap that meets that spec, with a 1.092 quad secondarying in a glass carboy ready to take its place once I keg it.

Past kegged big beers have included wee heavy, RIS, and double IPA. I think if I ever brewed one again, I would probably bottle a barley wine, as the kegged big beers taste great but never get the aging benefits of bottled beer stored at cellar temperatures since they stay chilled at all times. Years ago I brewed a Fuller's Golden Pride clone/homage that really aged well in the bottle - I even remember mailing a bottle of it to Denny, as it seems he was questioning whether you could brew a decent barley wine with WY1968 yeast (I got 83% attenuation).  That was a long time ago, I might be wrong.

Offline denny

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Re: Who Kegs Big Beers?
« Reply #16 on: January 27, 2024, 07:45:29 am »
Anyone else here put big beers in kegs? I have only made one big beer recipe. I had a keg of it in the keezer back when I gave up brewing, and it sat forever. When I decided to dump my beers, I tried the heavy one, and it was wonderful. Seemed like it had improved tremendously. I have seen people ask whether beers age in kegs, and mine definitely did. I have some on tap right now, brewed last year.

I can't do bottles. I got sick of bottling. The mess. The infections. The labor.

I just wrote recipes for two new heavy beers, and I ordered the grain. I see people online using huge kettles for 5-gallon batches of big beers. I am planning to BIAB in my 10-gallon pot. Seems like it ought to work for one beer if it worked for another. Am I missing something?

I'm trying to make something inspired by St. Bernardus Christmas Ale, but I'm using wheat and Sabro. Someone suggested Special B, which I have never tried, so I put that in. It should be around 1.092. I'll call it Happy Halfwit Winter Ale. I'm also trying to make my first imperial stout. I was going to call it Steppe Mash, but I decided to call it Steppe Brother. shooting for 1.084. Both CO2 beers.

I always do.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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Offline dannyjed

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Re: Who Kegs Big Beers?
« Reply #17 on: January 27, 2024, 10:31:58 am »
The only beer that I bottle is a Barleywine.  I keg it first to carbonate it then bottle it.  My Imperial Stout which is in the 9% range is always left in a keg.

Yes, stronger beers that are aged for longer periods of time get way better.  I still have a barleywine that we made in 2014 that is delicious!  The '16 is really good as well (my brew buddy and I try to make one every year).  This year we made an English Barleywine as a club project that is now aging in a bourbon barrel and will be there for probably 6 months or so.
I also brew a Barleywine every year and bottle it. I have found that they age better this way and I have some ready for competitions if need be. Plus, it’s always a great way of reminding me of how much I hate bottling.


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Offline Jefferson Coastal

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Re: Who Kegs Big Beers?
« Reply #18 on: February 26, 2024, 08:05:22 pm »
I have a 3 gallon keg of American BW (I did bourbon oak on the other half of the batch and bottled). 
I also have a 9.6% West Coast DIPA on tap at this time :)
I've kegged Dopplebock, Imperial Stouts, High gravity Belgian Trippels, and Winter ales.

I always bottle condition Belgian Quads and Dubbels; to me the Bottle conditioned version seems better.