Modifying A Fwk Into A Belgian

[.DJ.]

I need to make a Belgian Style beer for a mate and it needs to be ready in 4 weeks...

however, brewing time for the next few weeks in ZERO...

so I had this silly idea...

Can I buy a FWK, use a Belgian yeast (like 1338 or 1762) to make something like a dubbel or tripel?

If if feasable, which one would be most appropriate? And I can assume I will need to add a whack of sugar to up the alc %...
http://www.esbrewing.com.au/wort-kits/brew....html?limit=all

any assistance?

 

[Nick JD]

Add a bottle of dark belgian candy syrup and use 1214 or 3787.

Doesn't really matter which FWK you start with!

 

[dkaos]

I can tell you from experience that it will not taste very good aging for just two weeks before tapping.

Clint

 

[blakie21]

If you use 3787, I would use it on the low side maybe or something. After using 3787 it took a good month or two to mellow out. Was still very drinkable and if in a strong flavoured belgian would probably be nice still, but much better after aging.

 

[manticle]

I'd go a pale base, ibu anything between 30 and 40 and use something like 1388. Belgian yeast is what makes it belgian and my experience suggests paler beers are drinkable quicker than darker (in terms of belgians) but I still think a decent conditioning length is essential so I reckon you might be pushing shit uphill to get a worthwhile example ready in that time.

Cold conditioning helps push things along faster.

 

[black_labb]

I'd be using a mellower belgian yeast (1388 maybe? havent used it), doing a big starter and keeping the temps around 18-19 to keep the yeast flavours low. Stronger yeast flavours are nice, but they need time to develop. I'd go for a Dubbel around the 6.5-7% so that you don't need as much time to mellow out the alcohol flavours. Maybe a minimash of munich and spec B or similar. You could even pitch to the minimash and once the yeast has developed some krausen pitch the FWK. Add some dark or amber candy sugar when the krausen starts to drop.

 

[.DJ.]

hmmm, the ageing thing is a good point which I did not even consider originally...

thanks for the advice...

 

[Mikedub]

maybe tell your mate he can have a Dr S's TT Landlord in 4 weeks instead