I think that the tight beech bark holds water in better than oak, so if it isn't split soon, it starts rotting. Splitting it when green and fresh it is so full of water that I find it sponges up the blow from a maul and is hard to get to crack. If you don't have a hydraulic splitter you almost have to let it freeze to bust it. You can let it sit for a few months to dry before you split it to make it easier but don't let it sit for a year before you split or it will be rotting. Once it is split it dries much faster than oak but you wont notice any difference in the fire between it and oak.