Help me hop my tripel - Page 3

**944play** · 08-10-2011, 06:11 PM

I think you'll like it.

While I have not tasted the final carbed, aged, and, chilled beer, I might actually tweak the recipe some based on the sample at racking and last year's batch.
Mash pH was a little low. Although this is probably not a problem, since efficiency was good and the beer tastes great, I'll cut the acid malt down to 6oz next time I brew it.
It isn't lacking for rich, malty goodness, what with the decoction and Aromatic. I'd cut the Aromatic in half or replace it with a pound of light Munich. I'm targeting something close to De Ryck Arend Tripel, with its brisk, snappy bitterness and easy cigar-box and bubblegum aromas.

**944play** · 08-24-2011, 12:13 PM

Wow, batch #2 is TASTY! It's incredibly aromatic with intense sweet fruity stuff evocative of Fruit Stripe gum. It's objectively dry, but the esters and maltiness print a lot of sweet. Bitterness is pretty striking -- it should be better after a few more weeks, especially since this is the first yeasty pull off the keg. The RO water was a really good change, since I've had so many Belgian (and Belgian-style) beers lately with icky chalky stuff going on.

It's a little short on carbonation, which I can easily make up with bottled CO2.

It doesn't have the cool, woody, spicy stuff I'm after, but everything else is very pleasing. If there really is more than 8% alcohol, it's tucked in there very surreptitiously. This brew has panty-dropping potential.

**Yooper** · 08-24-2011, 01:47 PM

Sounds great! My tripel is on schedule to be made in about 3 weeks- once the "starter beer" is done and kegged so I have enough WLP 500! I'm using Styrian Goldings, I think, for the hops.

JoePro · 08-24-2011, 02:27 PM

Awesome job! I put in a mail order with my LHBS to get my corks + cages for my tripel today. Mine is hopped with 1 oz Tettnang @ 45 and .75 Saaz @ 30. Bottling today, hopefully!