hey guys was wondering how far in advance do you allow a brew to be premium ? big event in august should i brew in may?just trying to get an idea it will be a belgian or a strong ipa and i was going to bottle
thanks
How long is a piece of string? It just depends on the beer and /or style. An American IPA is usually best when fresh (4-8 weeks or so) but some Belgian strong ales can age for months or even years.
I would brew ASAP if it was me. That way if it doesn’t turn out like you expected, you can brew again.
A one foot piece of string is 12" long.
Again it depends on the style but I typically lean towards brewing sooner than later even with an IPA. Although IPA’s by default are better in the 4-8 week range. I have some belgian beers that are several years old that are better now than they were a year ago. Once you develop your recipe let us know and we’ll be able to be more specific.
Welcome to the AHA Forum. 8)
A real man of genius. 
One flippant answer deserves another. 
Consider brewing a batch of it now (may want to go small-batch; you could even make two small batches of two recipes you’re interested in). You will soon know if it’s the right brew for the occasion, if you’ve got the technique for it down pat, etc. Even at an 8-week turnaround, you’ll be in early March by the time most beer is drinkable, which gives you two more attempts to get it right (May, July). Time flies…
Thanks forward your help guys I always know someone will have an answer for me Happy new year to all and keep on brewing