Today's Brew (Belgian Strong)

[slcmorro]

Belgian Belter (Belgian Golden Strong Ale)

Original Gravity (OG): 1.086 (°P): 20.7
Final Gravity (FG): 1.014 (°P): 3.6
Alcohol (ABV): 9.39 %
Colour (SRM): 4.1 (EBC): 8.1
Bitterness (IBU): 31.8 (Average - No Chill Adjusted)

53.85% Pilsner
23.08% Cane Sugar
23.08% Vienna

2.5 g/L Tettnanger (4% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
1 g/L Tettnanger (4% Alpha) @ 30 Minutes (Boil)


Single step Infusion at 65°C for 60 Minutes. Boil for 60 Minutes

Fermented at 23°C with Wyeast 1388 - Belgian Strong Ale


Recipe Generated with BrewMate

Pitching this directly onto a yeast cake from a Belgian Blond that start at 1041.

The sugar will be added in 500gm lots, after most airlock activity has subsided each time. Planning on having this one occupy the ferm chamber for a month.

 

[manticle]

Looks good. Only thing I would suggest is pitching cool and allowing to rise to 23 over a few days.
Easy to get hot alcohol in strong belgians which is unpleasant. Low temp at start and gradual sugar feeding are two of the main things I've found help avoid that. Big healthy pitch is another.

For future reference, styrian goldings give wonderful character to Belgians.

 

[slcmorro]

Thanks mate. I'll take that into account. Might start at 18c, and ramp up by a degree each day perhaps. Healthy pitch won't be a problem going onto an active yeast cake. She's sitting in the cube right now, doing it's thing.

 

[Not For Horses]

Cranking out some good beers lately up there in ballarat!

 

[slcmorro]

Thanks mate

 

[The Judge]

I'm also brewing one at the moment and won't get that sort of attentuation. Let us know if you hit 1014, be curious to see how it works for you.

 

[manticle]

1388 should have no trouble, especially with that mash temp.

 

[slcmorro]

Yeah, I've heard that getting down that low takes a bit of special attention. Stalling at 1030 is a somewhat common theme apparently with 1388. I'll most likely rack to secondary after all the sugar additions have been eaten up (will take a grav sample) in an attempt to help push it that little bit further, then I'll cc it at -1c for a week, and hopefully clear it up for a 6 month period in the bottles before consumption.

 

[The Judge]

But that's nearly 85%... regardless, like to hear how it turns out.

 

[Adr_0]

ooohhh, looks yummy.

good luck and enjoy...

 

[The Judge]

Good shout - might adopt a crash chill too.

 

[Adr_0]

Yeah, I've heard that getting down that low takes a bit of special attention. Stalling at 1030 is a somewhat common theme apparently with 1388. I'll most likely rack to secondary after all the sugar additions have been eaten up (will take a grav sample) in an attempt to help push it that little bit further, then I'll cc it at -1c for a week, and hopefully clear it up for a 6 month period in the bottles before consumption.

going to re-pitch yeast for bottling or see how it goes?

 

[slcmorro]

going to re-pitch yeast for bottling or see how it goes?

I wasn't planning on it mate. I have read a few people add a couple of grains of a champagne yeast to be sure, but I reckon I might just leave it be. I plan on rolling the bottles around every so often in the first few months anyway, and being that we're coming into the warmer months around the time I'll be bottling, I don't think it'll be a huge concern. This might be a nice little autumn sipper to cap off every evening. That's the plan anyways!

 

[manticle]

I've never had 1388 stall. It was even my recovery yeast for my last dark strong that stalled at 1030 using trappist high gravity.

 

[manticle]

No need to reseed for this kind of brew in my experience.

 

[slcmorro]

Cheers Manticle. This is my first time doing anything Belgian. Billygoats Belgian Strong we had at his place earlier this month spurred me into having a stab at these types of beers.

 

[slcmorro]

By the way, this was just a 60 min boil, but I boiled the absolute bejesus out of it. Might bump the specs up a little due to a higher boil-off. All 4 rings on my burner going flat out, inside the shielded burner-stand. The metal was glowing red, and I ended up with 18L in the cube.

 

[sp0rk]

No need to reseed for this kind of brew in my experience.

Ignore me...

 

[mje1980]

Looks good. Only thing I would suggest is pitching cool and allowing to rise to 23 over a few days.
Easy to get hot alcohol in strong belgians which is unpleasant. Low temp at start and gradual sugar feeding are two of the main things I've found help avoid that. Big healthy pitch is another.
For future reference, styrian goldings give wonderful character to Belgians.

+eleventy billion on yeast temp. You can easy get 4-5c above planned temp when pitching a big beer on a yeast cake, especially Belgian strains. They like it hot, heavy and root like mad. Also, be prepared for volcanic krausen when adding sugaz

 

[sp0rk]

Also, be prepared for volcanic krausen when adding sugaz

This has never happened for me :wacko: