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05-07-2009, 01:08 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 431
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A Belgian lawn mower. Please critique?
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Tell me what you think. I'm shooting for a Belgium single, or Belgium pale ale. I also have on hand some Munich, 40L, 120L, Carapils, CaraRed, and maybe some 'B'. I also have several other strains of dry yeast on hand. I am really trying for a Belgian inspired American lawn-mower ale with a slightly elevated abv.
8.5# --- Belgian Pilsener
.5# ---- Belgian Aromatic
.5# ---- Torified wheat
1# ----- Honey
.33 oz --- 60 min --- Magnum
.5 oz ---- 30 min --- Saaz
.5 oz ---- 15 min --- Saaz
1 oz ----- 2 min ---- Saaz
I thought I might add some spices to this one. Maybe some Orange zest, coriander and paradise seed in the last 2 minutes.
152F -- 60 min
90 min boil time.
S-04 @ 66F or T-58 @ 64F
1.055 OG
1.010 FG (predicted)
ABV - 5.8%
SRM - 5
IBU - 24
BU:GU - .40
Last edited by SnickASaurusRex; 05-07-2009 at 02:20 AM.
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05-07-2009, 01:21 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: north Georgia
Posts: 1,352
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Sounds good to me... The raspberry wheat I did with honey peaked later than sooner. I would make sure to bottle a few and hide them until fall or christmas. Honey ages well for my taste.
Oh, and as your first response, can you sned me a bottle as well?  |
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05-07-2009, 01:28 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: north Georgia
Posts: 1,352
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you have two additions at 30 min... and if you are adding orange zest at flameout or 5 min, maybe you can scale back your hops a la a wit bier?
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05-07-2009, 02:23 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 431
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Yeah one is suppose to be at 15 minutes. That is what I meant.
I know what you mean with the orange and lesser hops a la wit, but I like that strong aroma and flavor from Saaz, yummy Saaz.
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05-07-2009, 03:00 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Portland
Posts: 3,543
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If it were my beer, and I wanted a lawnmower beer, I would drop the gravity a bit, say low 40's.
With what you got, that's a 5.8% beer, a tad more than lawnmower. Something like 1040 finishing around 1005 would be 4.5 and be a touch lighter and drier.
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05-07-2009, 03:18 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 431
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Quote:
Originally Posted by z987k
If it were my beer, and I wanted a lawnmower beer, I would drop the gravity a bit, say low 40's.
With what you got, that's a 5.8% beer, a tad more than lawnmower. Something like 1040 finishing around 1005 would be 4.5 and be a touch lighter and drier.
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Ah you got me there.
Let's try this revision. I dropped 2# and added an alpha stage.
6.5# --- Belgian Pilsener
.5# ---- Belgian Aromatic
.5# ---- Torified wheat
1# ----- Honey
.25 oz --- 60 min --- Magnum
.25 oz ---- 30 min --- Saaz
.25 oz ---- 15 min --- Saaz
.5 oz ----- 2 min ---- Saaz
I thought I might add some spices to this one. Maybe some Orange zest, coriander and paradise seed in the last 2 minutes.
145F -- 30 min
155F -- Until converted
90 min boil time.
S-04 @ 66F or T-58 @ 64F
1.045 OG
1.005 FG (predicted)
ABV - 5.2% (predicted)
SRM - 4
IBU - 17
BU:GU - .44 |
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05-07-2009, 12:06 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Easton, PA
Posts: 3,710
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I like the second version better. I agree with z987k (does he have a name? Inquiring minds want to know!) that lower gravity is better.
I think the grist too complicated, however. I'd replace the Aromatic with more Pils and the honey with simple sugar or an invert syrup like Lyle's Golden. Nice and dry, light-bodied and crisp.
You're far better off choosing either spices or late hops. Use both, and neither will come through; it'll just end up muddled. Me, I'd do late hops and save the spices for Witbier.
Beers like this are vehicles for the yeast. Use a distinctly Belgian yeast. I prefer Ardennes for non-Trappist, non-Abbey beers, though Trappist High Gravity is a good, widely-available Belgian yeast.
Cheers!
Bob
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05-07-2009, 01:40 PM
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#8
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Be good to your yeast...
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Pflugerville, Texas
Posts: 5,425
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The Ardennes strain is worth the $6.50 for a smack pack, it makes a VERY good Belgian pale ale. 90% of the flavor of the beer will come from the yeast, so that isn't a good place to cut corners.
Second version, no spices, FTW. That will be a delicious beer!
I highly recommend the Antwerp Ale yeast WLP515 but it is Platinum strain that is a fall seasonal.
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05-07-2009, 08:00 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Portland
Posts: 3,543
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NQ3X
I like the second version better. I agree with z987k (does he have a name? Inquiring minds want to know!) that lower gravity is better.
I think the grist too complicated, however. I'd replace the Aromatic with more Pils and the honey with simple sugar or an invert syrup like Lyle's Golden. Nice and dry, light-bodied and crisp.
You're far better off choosing either spices or late hops. Use both, and neither will come through; it'll just end up muddled. Me, I'd do late hops and save the spices for Witbier.
Beers like this are vehicles for the yeast. Use a distinctly Belgian yeast. I prefer Ardennes for non-Trappist, non-Abbey beers, though Trappist High Gravity is a good, widely-available Belgian yeast.
Cheers!
Bob
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Do I have a name? Why yes I do.
I agree with you though. If it were me, I would go 100% Belgian pils malt with a little bit of a simple sugar and a Belgian yeast to you taste. I don't know how hoppy you like your beer, but I leave a lot of flavor hops out of my Belgians and let the yeast shine. Balance it with bitterness to your taste and then maybe a touch of flavor, but not much.
Again if it were me, here's what I would do... actually I might do this real soon not that I thing about it.
Based on my 78% mash eff.
6.25lbs Belgian Pils
.5lbs clear or a very light amber candy sugar (just make your own from table sugar it's real cheap) Honey would be equally suitable if you already have it.
(1.040OG)
20 IBU's worth of either saaz, stryian goldings, or streisselspalt (aka alsace) or spalt
In this case I would go with 570 because I like the spicyness I get from it, but since the yeast are the biggest part of this beer this is where you really need to chose what you like.
That should ferment down real nice and crisp, leave you with a beer low enough in alcohol you can have 6 without being smashed that will also have a lot of flavor. |
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05-07-2009, 11:23 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Easton, PA
Posts: 3,710
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Quote:
Originally Posted by z987k
Do I have a name? Why yes I do.
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 Just a little friendly dig, man.
Quote:
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I agree with you though. If it were me, I would go 100% Belgian pils malt with a little bit of a simple sugar and a Belgian yeast to you taste. I don't know how hoppy you like your beer, but I leave a lot of flavor hops out of my Belgians and let the yeast shine. Balance it with bitterness to your taste and then maybe a touch of flavor, but not much.
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Word. This is a good thing. Simple.
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That should ferment down real nice and crisp, leave you with a beer low enough in alcohol you can have 6 without being smashed that will also have a lot of flavor.
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Again, "Word."  In fact, if you mash low and slow, you can leave out the sugars entirely and still end up with a well-attenuated, crisp beer with a nice, dry finish.
Cheers!
Bob
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