extract belgian recipe anyone?

massappeal120 · 11-27-2007, 08:41 PM

Ok so my porter just finished about a week ago and is almost half gone already. ( success ineed!) anywho now I want to brew a nice belgian. I want something light and flavorful just wondering if any of you got a good recipe. I am an extract brewer right now and use a lil bit of dry grain steeping. O yea and my local shop is hurting from the hop shotage so any hop substitutes for a variety that is a lil more available would be much appreciated. so yea let me know!

**BierMuncher** · 11-27-2007, 08:44 PM

Here's my extract with steeping grain recipe...go to post #5.

Blue Balls Belgian Wit

massappeal120 · 11-27-2007, 08:52 PM

looks pretty good biermuncher my thinking is that doesn't seem like it will be very high in alc. content. Am i wrong for expecting more sugar for the yeast to turn into alohol for a belgian? I always though of them as being quite hight it alc % would adding more lme get me a stronger ale?

JimC · 11-27-2007, 09:03 PM

You might be looking more for a Belgian Strong Pale Ale.

I would take the lightest DME/LME you can find (Belgian Pilsner would be ideal), steep somewhere between 1/2 to 1lb of Caramunich and add in somewhere around 2lb of very light (pee color) candy sugar toward the end of your boil.

Probably Saaz or Hallertauer for hops in the neighborhood of 30 IBU.

And of course White Labs WLP550 Belgian Ale, White Labs WLP570 Belgian Golden Ale or similar.

**BierMuncher** · 11-27-2007, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by massappeal120

looks pretty good biermuncher my thinking is that doesn't seem like it will be very high in alc. content. Am i wrong for expecting more sugar for the yeast to turn into alohol for a belgian? I always though of them as being quite hight it alc % would adding more lme get me a stronger ale?

Yes it will.

Figure about an extra .8% for each additional pound of extract.

massappeal120 · 11-27-2007, 09:37 PM

ok i found something on recipator.com (which is awesome if noone here has been there)! This sounds right up my alley and vvery similar to what you suggested.
steep

1/2 lb belgian pale
1.5 lb belgian cara vienne

extract

6lb light lme
1 lb light dme
2 lb belgian candy sugar

hops

3 oz saaz 2 oz bittering 1 oz aroma

white labs abbey ale wlp530 yeast.

Also was some flavoring/additive stuff

bitter orange peel with bittering hops
corriander with aroma
and irish moss somewhere.... anyone know what irish moss is for? someone told me it makes for a better head dunno if thats true.

o yea i may through in my 1/2 lb of amber malt i have left from the porter i just made. i dont want it to go bad and it is preety ligiht.

massappeal120 · 11-27-2007, 09:45 PM

almost forgot how long does this beer take to get ready. I am a very impatient brewer with only enough bottles for 1 beer at a time, any guesses on how long i gott atorturemyself by not being able to enjoy a nice strong belgian? lemme know! also anyone know where one can buy bottles for cheep? I have been saving bottles from purcahsed beer but i kinda would like to just buy 5 gallons worth of bottles so I can start doing more batches. Most the bottles i use are the grolsch style easy capping bottles, but i do have a capper and caps are cheap so i dont gotta go that way bigger bottles are a plus though

**the_bird** · 11-27-2007, 09:52 PM

As a general rule, the bigger the beer, the longer the wait. I lagered my Belgian dark for a couple of months; you don't have to do that, necessarily, but big beers take time to fully develop.

massappeal120 · 11-27-2007, 10:15 PM

well shux! guess I am buying more bottles then, as I am quite set on brewing this badboy. That way I can brew another "smaller" beer. Maybe heffe. My problem is most beers I love are big beers. Scots, Imperials, Belgians, Stouts. Guess good taste is a gift and a curse.