Brewing My First Belgian. What Fermentation Temp?

[sqyre]

Hey Guys,
We are having a go at making our first Belgian Dubbel today but i cant seem to find any info on fermentation temps..
We are doing something similar to Ash from Perths "Dubble Trouble? using a Wyeast 3787 smack pack and some home made Candy sugar.

There is only a pitching temp on the smack pack but i have vague memories of someone talking about stepping up the temp during fermentation..?
Or it does it on its own due to the high gravity or something..??? :huh:

Can any one enlighten me on what temps i should be trying to maintain as all my searching has given me nothing..

Cheers,
Sqyre..

 

[bindi]

From the Wyeast site:


Flocculation: Medium-High
Attenuation: 74-78%
Temperature Range: 64-78F, 18-25C
Alcohol Tolerance: 12% ABV

18-20 works great for me.

 

[sqyre]

Thanks Bindi didn't think to check the wyeast site.. Duh

and also

At what point do I add the candy sugar?

sqyre

 

[devo]

I tend to start the first 48hrs @ 18c and then raise the temp to 22c.

 

[Adamt]

Depends on the desired "funk" level! I used 3787 at about 19-20 and it was definitely there but not too over-the-top.

 

[Jazzafish]

Brew Like a Monk tells me about this strain:

Temp of 24*C to 29*C will give Bubblegum, Clove, Alcohol, Fruity, Tart ans Solvent flavours.
Temp of 18*C to 25*C will give Clove, Alcohol and Pineapple flavours.

I would kick it off at 18*C then let it go... stopping it at 25*C with the ferment fringe.

 

[sqyre]

looks like 18 - 25 degrees is the concensus..

Thanks guys we shall see how we go..
I have just finished making the Candi sugar and its nice deep red color.
Not sure when to add it in but beersmith defaults with a 90 minute boil so we will go with that..

Cheers for the help guys..

Sqyre..

 

[bindi]

Thanks Bindi didn't think to check the wyeast site.. Duh

and also

At what point do I add the candy sugar?

sqyre

Don't know what others do but I add the candy sugar at 15min to flame out after melting it in a little water on the stove, it is almost boiling when I add it.

3787 is best [for me, others don't agree] 18-20c and not over 22c, love this yeast but I am "one sick puppy".

 

[Tony]

18 to 22 is the goods. Dont let it get to hot.

For your candi sugar, dont add it to the kettle. once the yeast has been firing for a couple of days melt it on the stove with a touch of water to make a syrip. Add this to the ferment while stiring in with a sterile spoon.

half on day 3, half on day 5 of the ferment worked wonders for me. No solventy alcahol at all in a 7 or 8 % tripel

I just pitched some into the Knight Rye-der yesterday. 40 liters @ 1.068. pitched into the entire wort volume at about 20 deg c. Its a great yeast.

cheers

 

[bindi]

18 to 22 is the goods. Dont let it get to hot.

For your candi sugar, dont add it to the kettle. once the yeast has been firing for a couple of days melt it on the stove with a touch of water to make a syrip. Add this to the ferment while stiring in with a sterile spoon.

half on day 3, half on day 5 of the ferment worked wonders for me. No solventy alcahol at all in a 7 or 8 % tripel

I just pitched some into the Knight Rye-der yesterday. 40 liters @ 1.068. pitched into the entire wort volume at about 20 deg c. Its a great yeast.

cheers

'
Ok, I have tried feeding the sugar over a few day and it made no 'wonders' for me. came out the same, good but the same.
Will re think it and try it again.

 

[sqyre]

Bugger... i chucked it in at the start of the boil...
Oh well.. we will see what happens... :lol:

Sqyre...

 

[gap]

Bugger... i chucked it in at the start of the boil...
Oh well.. we will see what happens... :lol:

Sqyre...

Shouldn't make any difference. Apparently the Trappist Breweries just put the Candi Sugar in the kettle.

Regards


Graeme

 

[Tony]

Should be fine mate.

If its only a Dubbel it will make bugger all difference.

I recon incrimental feeding would help more with a bigger beer.

I pitched a freshly smacked pack, no starter, into 40 liters of 1.068 with nothing more to add. Its frothing on the top now and i have a fan and wet towl on it to keep it down to 20 deg.

Im glad you started this when you did Sqyre. I went and checked the temp of mine after i read this and it was getting up to 22 deg.

Wrapped it in a wet towl and put a fan on it.......... its down to 20 deg now.

cheers

 

[sqyre]

Cool Tony,
Im just wondering how to keep mine cool now...
We are expecting 32 tommorrow... :blink:
I have chucked it in the kitchen and will run the aircon for the next 48 hours, its good to keep the room at a close 23.
thats the best i can do at the moment.
Mrs Sqyre will be demanding a fermentation fridge now we are heading for summer..

Sqyre..

 

[clarkey7]

Cool Tony,
Im just wondering how to keep mine cool now...
We are expecting 32 tommorrow... :blink:
I have chucked it in the kitchen and will run the aircon for the next 48 hours, its good to keep the room at a close 23.
thats the best i can do at the moment.
Mrs Sqyre will be demanding a fermentation fridge now we are heading for summer..

Sqyre..

Laundry tub or similar with frozen water bottles on rotation

Edit: Isn't there a ferm fridge in that there green shed?

PB

 

[gap]

Also expect this yeast to go beserk. Even at 18 -20 C it will want to climb out of the fermenter.
Fabntastic for top cropping for future brews or even collecting yeast from the blow off bottle if you use a blow off tube.

Regards

Graeme

 

[Tony]

I have wraped mine in a wet towl and put a fan blowing on it in the ccolest part of the house (garage)

Droped it from 21.8 to 20 deg in a couple of hours, youve just got to keep the towl damp for it to work. got it just as the yeast was starting to work and form a head on the brew!

I keep a spray bottle on the fridge and give it a few hundred mills of cool water if it starts to warm up.

cheers

 

[schooey]

+1 for the start at around 18 and raise to 22 after about a week. Only other bit of advice I can offer is to not bother racking it if you were thinking on doing it, just let it ferment out in primary

 

[drtomc]

Also expect this yeast to go beserk. Even at 18 -20 C it will want to climb out of the fermenter.

+1

I had to clean about 2 cups (500ml) of yeast sludge out of the top of the lid of my fermenter both times I've used this yeast so far, and that's doing about 20L in a 30L fermenter. Of course, if you were sufficiently careful, you could crop this for next time, or at least save it for boiling into yeast nutrient.

T.

 

[petesbrew]

Found this on my pc. Hope it helps
View attachment belgianchart_1_.pdf