# Chimay Blue Recipe. Anyone Got A Good One? Ag Or Partial



## grinder (6/2/07)

Have recently tried a chimay Blue and was blown away. It was fantastic!. So naturally I want make a clone.
So I am on the search for a ripper. Anyone got one? 
Cheers


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## Jazzafish (6/2/07)

I can't say how good this one is, never brewed it. I am also looking for something like this great beer. 

When I want to brew something like a commercial beer, I normally find a whole bunch of recipes that claim to be "clones" and go for an average. I'm also reading brew like a monk for some ideas.

Only found one "clone" so far... here it is:



> UptheGrandcru
> 
> A ProMash Recipe Report
> 
> ...



I plan on brewing this one like this in March/April


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## Jazzafish (6/2/07)

Just typed "chimay blue clone" into Google... heaps of recipes!

http://beertools.com/html/recipe.php?view=4159
http://beeradvocate.com/forum/read/848872/848990/
http://www.bradpretzer.com/brewing/chimay.html


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## grinder (6/2/07)

Jazzafish said:


> I can't say how good this one is, never brewed it. I am also looking for something like this great beer.
> 
> When I want to brew something like a commercial beer, I normally find a whole bunch of recipes that claim to be "clones" and go for an average. I'm also reading brew like a monk for some ideas.
> 
> ...


Where did you find this recipe?


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## Adamt (7/2/07)

My recent Belgian Dark Strong recipe is as follows:

40% Weyermann Munich I
40% Weyermann Pilsener
11% Clear Candi (Chinese lump sugar) in boil.
3% Wey Caraaroma
3% Wey Caramunich I
3% Wey Carawheat

Single Infusion Mash 67.5C

90 minute boil (maybe 120 next time)

EKG (5%) at 60 for 15IBU
EKG (5%) at 20 for 10IBU

OG 1.085

Pitched T-58 at 20C
Primary between 20C-23C for 3 weeks. 

FG 1.015

Cold conditioned for a couple of weeks because I was too lazy to bottle.

Its about 1.5 months in the bottle now, quite spicy and peppery with dark fruit esters, definite alcohol warming without being sharp but not quite the malt chewiness yet you find in Chimay (not sure if this is the yeast, mash, or lack of maturation).

Will try a liquid yeast next time as well, but is still very tasty.


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## Jazzafish (7/2/07)

grinder said:


> Where did you find this recipe?




I think it was on this page:
http://www.brewrats.org/Recipe_Exchange/

This one modified a bit
http://www.brewrats.org/Recipe_Exchange/RE...theGrandCru.rec


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## brettprevans (27/4/07)

grinder said:


> Have recently tried a chimay Blue and was blown away. It was fantastic!. So naturally I want make a clone.
> So I am on the search for a ripper. Anyone got one?
> Cheers



I got a chimay recipe at home. uses the yeast from a bottle of chimay in the recipe. havent' made it yet (its on the cards), but the guys swears by it. Will post it tonight/tomorrow.


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## Yeasty (27/4/07)

looking forward to trying something like this at some point. Was wondering if anybody could post a partial recipe as well...?? Or help me convert an AG? 

Seeing as Ross now has belgium candi sugar, i wouldnt mind trying it out.


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## SpillsMostOfIt (27/4/07)

I've made one of these ------> http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2031 , but haven't tried it yet. Several people seem to think it is about as good as it gets.

You could also try:

http://www.tastybrew.com/index.html
http://hbd.org/brewery/cm3/recs/00contents.html
http://www.babblebelt.com/index.html
http://www.beertools.com/html

They've all helped me with Belgian recipes.


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## braufrau (28/4/07)

I guess everyone's read this before ...
chimay ingredients

Interesting. It seems chimay is not the beer it used to be.
Hop extract! Malt extact! And american hops, not european. 
Dextrose not candy sugar! Shocking!

Oh! And don't forget, Michael Jackson says the most important influence is the yeast,
which is probably wyeast 1214 or culture from the bottle.


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## braufrau (28/4/07)

Yeasty said:


> looking forward to trying something like this at some point. Was wondering if anybody could post a partial recipe as well...?? Or help me convert an AG?
> 
> Seeing as Ross now has belgium candi sugar, i wouldnt mind trying it out.




Here's my conversion of jazzafish's recipe.

I scaled it down to 21l and substituted malts I know I can get for biscuit and special B.
Note the extract is to be added at the end of boil.




BeerSmith Recipe Printout - www.beersmith.com
Recipe: chimay blue
Brewer: braufrau
Asst Brewer: 
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
TYPE: Partial Mash
Taste: (35.0) 

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 21.00 L 
Boil Size: 10.00 L
Estimated OG: 1.100 SG
Estimated Color: 43.8 EBC
Estimated IBU: 44.7 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU 
4.50 kg Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 EBC) (0min) Extract 59.2 % 
1.40 kg Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (5.9 EBC) Grain 18.4 % 
0.57 kg Wheat Malt, Bel (3.9 EBC) Grain 7.4 % 
0.23 kg Caraamber (59.1 EBC) Grain 3.0 % 
0.17 kg Caraaroma (256.1 EBC) Grain 2.2 % 
0.17 kg Chocolate Malt (886.5 EBC) Grain 2.2 % 
55.90 gm Styrian Goldings [5.40%] (60 min) Hops 38.3 IBU 
27.95 gm Styrian Goldings [5.40%] (20 min) Hops 6.4 IBU 
4.00 gm Coriander Seed (Boil 0.0 min) Misc 
7.70 gm Seeds of Paradise (Boil 0.0 min) Misc 
0.57 kg Candi Sugar, Clear (1.0 EBC) Sugar 7.4 % 
1 Pkgs Belgian Ale (Wyeast Labs #1214) Yeast-Ale 


Mash Schedule: My Mash
Total Grain Weight: 2.53 kg
----------------------------


Notes:
------


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


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## brettprevans (28/4/07)

citymorgue2 said:


> I got a chimay recipe at home. uses the yeast from a bottle of chimay in the recipe. havent' made it yet (its on the cards), but the guys swears by it. Will post it tonight/tomorrow.



Cant find the AG or partial recipe so you'll have to settle for a K&K recipe

Yeast starter made from Chimay blue (made 1 day in advance)
light dry malt 2extract 2.3Kg
black malt grain (crushed) 30g
soft dark brown sugar 400g
blended honey 250g
bittering hops hallertau pellets 40g
bittering hops goldings pellets 20g

mix evrythinh (not yeast) together and bring to boil for 30-40min in 304L of water.
strain and discard solids
adjest volume to 15L with cold water.
wait til temp is below 25C
add yeast

OG1081, FG 1018, Alc 9.3%


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## Stuster (28/4/07)

That looks a nice recipe, braufrau.

You could probably back off the bitterness a bit, to more like 30-35 to be more in line with what Belgian Dark Strongs usually are, but it's your beer of course.

Also, hopefully Doc will comment, but it looks like a lot of Seeds of Paradise. :unsure: 

There is really no reason to use clear candi sugar though (unless your money is just burning a hole in your pocket  ). It will contribute nothing to your beer that ordinary white sugar will. Dark candi sugar is different.


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## braufrau (28/4/07)

Thanks Stuster.



Stuster said:


> That looks a nice recipe, braufrau.
> 
> You could probably back off the bitterness a bit, to more like 30-35 to be more in line with what Belgian Dark Strongs usually are, but it's your beer of course.


Well, I just used the same IBUs as the recipe jazzafish posted.
It is outside the guidelines for this style.
Scaling it down to 32IBUs gives 40 and 20g for the hop additions.



> Also, hopefully Doc will comment, but it looks like a lot of Seeds of Paradise. :unsure:


Again, that's just 1/2 the quantity used in the other recipe.
Does chimay really have those spices in it at all? Or are they there to 
give some of the characteristics otherwise given by the yeast and particular fermentation
process/temperature? :unsure:
Michael Jackson describes it as "very spicey indeed".
I should just go buy some shouldn't I?



> There is really no reason to use clear candi sugar though (unless your money is just burning a hole in your pocket  ). It will contribute nothing to your beer that ordinary white sugar will. Dark candi sugar is different.


Oh well, I think we will have to agree to disagree on this one.
I think a practical, cheap, alternative is to partially invert the sugar while you're mashing
and dump the hot syrup into the kettle.


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## Stuster (28/4/07)

I'll refer you again to MHB's posts on the thread you started a while ago, here. Posts 20 and 29. I've seen similar information in other books. What advantage do you see in inverting the sugar?

According to a good book on Belgian beers (Brew Like A Monk), Chimay Blue is 1077, 9%, 89% attenuation, 80 EBC and 35IBUs. Since your starting gravity is that bit higher, maybe your original IBUs might give you a similar balance.  

That book also says there are no spices in Chimay beers (except the beer for the monks, Doree).

Edit: Doc's not around it seems, but he used 1.5gr of Grains of Paradise in 40L of Saison, Link.


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## braufrau (28/4/07)

Stuster said:


> I'll refer you again to MHB's posts on the thread you started a while ago, here. Posts 20 and 29. I've seen similar information in other books. What advantage do you see in inverting the sugar?


Well I refuted some of the things stated in those posts in the thread itself.
The liquid sugar that breweries use is partially inverted or it wouldn't stay liquid.
After post 29 I just gave up. There's no "just shredding" of sugar by yeast. 
Hmmm. Well I'm not going to go into a sermon about activation energies and how enzymes
change them here. I'm not easily blinded by a bunch of chemistry since i have a Ph. D. in the subject.
Inverting the sugar, as I said before, means the yeast doesn't have to do it, and the
process of inversion produces unwanted flavours. Otherwise why don't the monks just
chuck in sucrose?
Although inverting sugar on the stove with acid probably wont give the % inversion in belgian candy
sugar. Probably it would make more sense to mix purchased fructose:glucose: sucrose 1:1:2.



> According to a good book on Belgian beers (Brew Like A Monk), Chimay Blue is 1077, 9%, 89% attenuation, 80 EBC and 35IBUs. Since your starting gravity is that bit higher, maybe your original IBUs might give you a similar balance.


80EBC?? Really?  
wyeast 1214 has attenuation of 72-76%. I don't suppose I can know what the real
attenuation will be for the particular wort, without fermenting it.



> That book also says there are no spices in Chimay beers (except the beer for the monks, Doree).


So the spices are there to emulate a taste that should be produced by the 
yeast. So what is lacking in home brewing that the authors of the original recipe felt these spices
have to be added? Maybe they're the result of some sort of web-chinese whispers thing, starting
with a recipe that didn't use the right yeast. :unsure:
Is there a trick to getting the spiciness out of the yeast?


And BTW - its not my recipe  I was just converting it to a partial for yeasty.


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## braufrau (28/4/07)

OK. So the grains are gone.
I've dropped the OG a tad and upped the average attenuation for the yeast to 76%. (Was 74%).
Upped the boil volume to 12l.
Adjusted the bitterness.
Left the colour pretty much the same 'cause I'm still a bit sceptical about the 80EBC.
Should just go and buy some and see 


BeerSmith Recipe Printout - www.beersmith.com
Recipe: chimay blue
Brewer: Sam
Asst Brewer: 
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
TYPE: Partial Mash
Taste: (35.0) 

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 21.00 L 
Boil Size: 12.00 L
Estimated OG: 1.089 SG
Estimated Color: 45.6 EBC
Estimated IBU: 35.0 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU 
3.00 kg Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 EBC) Extract 42.4 % 
2.50 kg Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (5.9 EBC) Grain 35.4 % 
0.51 kg Wheat Malt, Bel (3.9 EBC) Grain 7.1 % 
0.21 kg Caraamber (59.1 EBC) Grain 2.9 % 
0.20 kg Chocolate Malt (886.5 EBC) Grain 2.8 % 
0.15 kg Caraaroma (256.1 EBC) Grain 2.2 % 
44.90 gm Styrian Goldings [5.40%] (60 min) Hops 30.0 IBU 
22.45 gm Styrian Goldings [5.40%] (20 min) Hops 5.0 IBU 
0.51 kg Candi Sugar, Clear (1.0 EBC) Sugar 7.1 % 
1 Pkgs Belgian Ale (Wyeast Labs #1214) Yeast-Ale 


Mash Schedule: My Mash
Total Grain Weight: 3.56 kg
----------------------------


Notes:
------


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Prolly tastes nothing like it.


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## braufrau (28/4/07)

Or bigger bacth size, smaller mash.


BeerSmith Recipe Printout - www.beersmith.com
Recipe: chimay blue
Brewer: Sam
Asst Brewer: 
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
TYPE: Partial Mash
Taste: (35.0) 

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 23.00 L 
Boil Size: 12.00 L
Estimated OG: 1.089 SG
Estimated Color: 45.6 EBC
Estimated IBU: 40.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU 
4.50 kg Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 EBC) Extract 60.7 % 
1.20 kg Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (5.9 EBC) Grain 16.2 % 
0.55 kg Wheat Malt, Bel (3.9 EBC) Grain 7.5 % 
0.22 kg Chocolate Malt (886.5 EBC) Grain 3.0 % 
0.23 kg Caraamber (59.1 EBC) Grain 3.0 % 
0.17 kg Caraaroma (256.1 EBC) Grain 2.2 % 
51.21 gm Styrian Goldings [5.40%] (60 min) Hops 34.5 IBU 
25.61 gm Styrian Goldings [5.40%] (20 min) Hops 5.8 IBU 
0.55 kg Candi Sugar, Clear (1.0 EBC) Sugar 7.5 % 
1 Pkgs Belgian Ale (Wyeast Labs #1214) Yeast-Ale 


Mash Schedule: My Mash
Total Grain Weight: 2.36 kg
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temp Step Time 
Step Add 5.91 L of water at 75.3 C 68.3 C 90 min 


Notes:
------


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


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## neonmeate (28/4/07)

braufrau are you happy with being a "Partial Man" on this site!!!??


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## braufrau (28/4/07)

neonmeate said:


> braufrau are you happy with being a "Partial Man" on this site!!!??




Well it came as a bit of shock to my husband when I told him I was a partial man.
Didn't seem to affect our relationship though. 

Glad I've graduated from Gives good head.

But what I really miss on this blokey site is some girly emoticons! 
There's no embarassed and no crying. So constraining! 
I'm sure there's some guys on the site who are in touch with their emotions and could
use a good cry sometimes too.


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## neonmeate (28/4/07)

i just need a "have a day" emoticon :l 

but yes good beer is one of the few things that can make me cry... that and the bach cello suite no. 6


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## Duff (28/4/07)

braufrau said:


> Glad I've graduated from Gives good head.



:lol:


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## braufrau (28/4/07)

Duff said:


> :lol:




Actually .... the head thing is a bit distasteful but I sort of figure that if I hang out with boys I have
to be tolerant of boy humour. 

And, everyone on this site is so nice and helpful and tolerant (not the case on all brewing sites) that little things like that can just
be ignored.


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## TidalPete (28/4/07)

braufrau said:


> But what I really miss on this blokey site is some girly emoticons!



braufrau,

Why not give --- Linky a go?

[im




g]http://smileys.on-my-web



.com/repository/Love/love-093.gif[/img]





Don't condemn me fellas!

:beer:


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## Darren (28/4/07)

braufrau said:


> Well I refuted some of the things stated in those posts in the thread itself.
> The liquid sugar that breweries use is partially inverted or it wouldn't stay liquid.
> After post 29 I just gave up. There's no "just shredding" of sugar by yeast.
> Hmmm. Well I'm not going to go into a sermon about activation energies and how enzymes
> ...




Hi Brau,

I too have wondered about the liquid sucrose used by megabreweries. Is it possible that partial inversion occurs by simply adding water (pH 5-6) to sucrose?

Certainly would free up some of the energy used by the yeast!

Further to this, if you boil the sucrose for 1hr in pH 5-6 wort would you invert the remaining sucrose?


I suspect that the main reason that "breweries" use liquid "sucrose" is because if you dumped 50kg of dry sugar into the boiler it would scorch. Liquid sugars disolve a whole lot better!

cheers 

Darren


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## Chris (28/4/07)

Wyeast 1214 is definately the right chimay yeast. It does its best at 18 -20 degrees. If you let it over say 22, well dont say you wern't warned.


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## DJR (28/4/07)

Darren said:


> Further to this, if you boil the sucrose for 1hr in pH 5-6 wort would you invert the remaining sucrose?
> I suspect that the main reason that "breweries" use liquid "sucrose" is because if you dumped 50kg of dry sugar into the boiler it would scorch. Liquid sugars disolve a whole lot better!
> 
> cheers
> ...



At least one fairly major sydney brewery just uses plain old white sugar in 25kg bags from CSR - i've seen it with my own eyes. Nobody says they have cidery flavours in their beer either


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## Jazzafish (29/4/07)

A while ago I went in on a bulk buy of grains with Samwise Gamgee and Thommo. We had some left overs and decided to make something that would stand close to a Chimay Blue. 

It is different to the recipes I found and posted earlier, but I recon it is a nice beer that is not far off target. See how it ages in the bottle I guess. Best get the opinions of Thommo and Samwise Gamgee (sp?) too. 

Next time around I'll make it with less cardamom seed, and half Marris Otter, half Pilsner... remember this recipe was for the leftovers of a bulk grain purchase!

Leftovers GROUP IDEA (Dark Belgian)

A ProMash Brewing Session - Recipe Details Report

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (L): 19.00 Wort Size (L): 19.00
Total Grain (kg): 6.05
Anticipated OG: 1.079 Plato: 19.21
Anticipated EBC: 41.1
Anticipated IBU: 24.3
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential EBC
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
16.5 1.00 kg. Bairds Golden Promise Great Britain 1.038 5
16.5 1.00 kg. Bairds Marris Otter Great Britain 1.037 5
16.5 1.00 kg. JW Dark Munich Australia 1.040 19
16.5 1.00 kg. JW Pilsner Australia 1.039 3
16.5 1.00 kg. JW Traditional Ale Australia 1.039 6
6.6 0.40 kg. Corn Sugar/Dextrose Generic 1.046 1
5.0 0.30 kg. Weyermann Caramunich II Germany 1.035 125
4.1 0.25 kg. Weyermann Dark Wheat Germany 1.039 18
1.7 0.10 kg. Weyermann Carafa Special III Germany 1.035 1300

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
14.00 g. B Saaz Pellet 8.00 16.9 60 min.
28.00 g. Hallertau Pellet 5.20 7.4 20 min.


Extras

Amount Name Type Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.50 Unit(s)Whirfloc Tablet Fining 20 Min.(boil) 
1.00 Tsp Cardamom Seed Spice 5 Min.(boil) 
2.00 Tsp Corriander Seed Spice 5 Min.(boil) 


Yeast
-----

WYeast 3787 Trappist High Gravity


This is a Chimay Blue:



This is Our Dark Belgian:


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## 3GumsBrewing (29/4/07)

Jazzafish said:


> This is a Chimay Blue:
> View attachment 12356
> 
> 
> ...



SOLD  

I will be making this one, how did it taste? It looks amazing!!

Cheers
DK


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## braufrau (29/4/07)

Did you just turn the glass around for the 2nd pickie?? 

 

Its very pretty. Lovely pillowy head.


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## Jazzafish (29/4/07)

davekate said:


> SOLD
> 
> I will be making this one, how did it taste? It looks amazing!!
> 
> ...




I quite like it... shame I have to share it with the other guys! Cardamom seed would be better in a more suttle amount. I'd at least halve it. Tommo recons it needs more time in the bottle. I tend to agree... My dad recons it is the best beer he has had, but that doesn't say much :lol: 



braufrau said:


> Did you just turn the glass around for the 2nd pickie??
> 
> 
> 
> Its very pretty. Lovely pillowy head.



No, but it is the same glass... Just a few months apart!

The head is probally the main thing that seperates the two visually. Photos can't show it too well, but the Chimay head has a darker tan colour, and the carbonation is different in bubble size. The bottom of the head looks different in the pics, but thats about all it shows.

Holding up to the light the one we brewed has more of a ruby tone.

I'll have to taste the two side by side for a true comparison... any excuse really :chug:


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## Boje (11/2/08)

Hi 

First of all Sorry for my bad spelling. 

@ *Jazzafish
*I'll have to taste the two side by side for a true comparison 
Did you trey that ?
is ther some thing in the resepi to change ?

Have anny one of you brewet A chimay klone and treyd them against a real chimay ? 
What is the result

is ther any other resepies for the chimay 



Cheers Bo


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## TrenthamTripper (14/2/08)

"but yes good beer is one of the few things that can make me cry... that and the bach cello suite no. 6 "

A man, or woman, after my own heart...


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## Jazman (14/2/08)

my type not a clone hence the kiwi hops and no candi sugar

le bugger ass reserve

A ProMash Recipe Report

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (L): 26.00 Wort Size (L): 26.00
Total Grain (kg): 7.23
Anticipated OG: 1.07133 Plato: 17.358
Anticipated EBC: 37.9
Anticipated IBU: 28.6
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Formulas Used
-------------

Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.
Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.
Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppg
% Yield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.

Color Formula Used: Morey
Hop IBU Formula Used: Rager

Additional Utilization Used For Plug Hops: 0 %
Additional Utilization Used For Pellet Hops: 10 %


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential EBC
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.1 0.15 kg. JWM Wheat Malt Australia 334.126 4
72.6 5.25 kg. JWM Traditional Ale Malt Australia 317.420 7
3.5 0.25 kg. Weyermann Caramunich II Germany 292.357 125
3.5 0.25 kg. Weyermann Caraaroma Germany 284.010 350
1.1 0.08 kg. Weyermann Carafa Special II Germany 300.710 1100
3.5 0.25 kg. Powells Melanoidin Australia 302.702 50
13.8 1.00 kg. Cane Sugar Generic 386.000 0

Potential represented as IOB- HWE ( L / kg ).


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
15.00 g. Pacific Gem Pellet 14.40 24.7 60 min.
10.00 g. Nelson Sauvin Pellet 12.70 3.9 15 min.


Yeast
-----


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## chadjaja (10/5/10)

I'm planning on doing this brew in the next fortnight. Anyone care to add any input to what I plan on using? I was going to use some of my home made dark candi syrup but I've had good success in the past using the soft dark brown sugar option. First time using some of the Belgian speciality malts too. 


Batch Size: 13.00 L
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 


Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU 
3.00 kg Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 65.36 % 
0.90 kg Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 19.61 % 
0.20 kg Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 4.36 % 
0.07 kg Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain 1.53 % 
0.07 kg Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 1.53 % 
15.00 gm Magnum [14.00 %] (60 min) Hops 32.6 IBU 
0.35 kg soft dark Brown Sugar, Dark (50.0 SRM) Sugar 7.63 % 
1 Pkgs Belgian Ale (Wyeast Labs #1214) [Starter 125 ml] Yeast-Ale 


Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.084 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.021 
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 8.29 % 
Bitterness: 32.6 IBU


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## hazard (10/5/10)

Jazzafish said:


> The head is probally the main thing that seperates the two visually. Photos can't show it too well, but the Chimay head has a darker tan colour, and the carbonation is different in bubble size. The bottom of the head looks different in the pics, but thats about all it shows.
> 
> Holding up to the light the one we brewed has more of a ruby tone.
> 
> I'll have to taste the two side by side for a true comparison... any excuse really :chug:


From my readings, the grist for Chimay Blue should be 10% raw wheat (I've heard that the monks even use flour, but who'se gonna chuck flour in the mash tun? That is propbably why the difference in bubble size - actually I assume that the Chimay has smaller bubbles, last one I drank had a mousse-like head that you could eat.


I see that you have a small quant of dark wheat (is this malted? I assume so). To get closer to Chimay i would sugggest replace dark wheat with raw wheat, and add dark candi sugar. I made some at home for a Chimay clone, and I know that lots of members of this forum have done likewise. Its very easy, and only a small additional effort to make a beer that retails for $9 a stubby (330ml). I look at it this way - 23 litres is about 60 stubbies, about $300. So spend a little extra time and it will still cost only $30-40 to brew it.


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## aaronpetersen (3/9/10)

chadjaja said:


> I'm planning on doing this brew in the next fortnight. Anyone care to add any input to what I plan on using? I was going to use some of my home made dark candi syrup but I've had good success in the past using the soft dark brown sugar option. First time using some of the Belgian speciality malts too.
> 
> 
> Batch Size: 13.00 L
> ...



Chad, did you brew this? How did it turn out?


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