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maida7 · 01-15-2010, 01:03 PM

I'm getting ready to brew some Belgians. I have ingredients for a dubble and a triple. In the past I have used the WLP550 Belgian ale and it gave a spicy clove flavor that was very nice. I'm brewing the dubble this weekend and I picked up a vial of the WLP500 Trappist ale to use. What do you think of the WLP500? What's your favorite yeast for Belgians?

thelastdandy · 01-15-2010, 04:11 PM

i've really had a lot of luck with wyeast 1388 belgian strong ale and wyeast 1762 and love their flavors and they attenuate awesome (my lhbs doesn't carry white labs for some reason). i really got into brewing belgians a while ago and picked up a copy of the book "brew like a monk". its a great read and has a break down of all the white labs and wyeast belgian yeast strains and what flavors they will produce at what temperatures. if belgians are something you are going to keep doing, pick up a copy of the book. it will help you a lot.

danlad · 01-15-2010, 05:47 PM

Chimay yeast. I stole some out of a bottle of Chimay and have been using it for everything! Made a tripel type for Spring, and a stout which has taken on a fine, full, dried fruit flavour. Brown ale fermenting as we speak and a witbier and a pale ale planned. It's nice to use a yeast that really produces fruitiness as I've been frustrated by dried yeasts like Safale 04 not imparting the great smell it has when fermenting into the beer.

maida7 · 01-15-2010, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danlad

Chimay yeast. I stole some out of a bottle of Chimay and have been using it for everything! Made a tripel type for Spring, and a stout which has taken on a fine, full, dried fruit flavour. Brown ale fermenting as we speak and a witbier and a pale ale planned. It's nice to use a yeast that really produces fruitiness as I've been frustrated by dried yeasts like Safale 04 not imparting the great smell it has when fermenting into the beer.

The wlp500 that I have is supposedly the same as the stuff they use at Chimay. Here is a chart of all the yeast strains.

What temp did you ferment at? Did you get a big banana aroma/flavor?

danlad · 01-15-2010, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maida7

The wlp500 that I have is supposedly the same as the stuff they use at Chimay. Here is a chart of all the yeast strains.

What temp did you ferment at? Did you get a big banana aroma/flavor?

Edinburgh autumn into winter temps, so quite cool. Say 15c ambient in my brew corner. A touch of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit while fermenting, but the stout is much more fruity. Far more raisiny, pruny in the aftertaste than banana. Bit of maturing and (if I may put my wine ponce hat on) it has behind the stout roasted taste an almost port-like element to the flavour. Me likey.

maida7 · 01-15-2010, 08:18 PM

15c = 59F that's kinda cold.

I'd really like some rasin / prune in my dubbel. Sounds great! I'm getting excited. I'm making a starter tonight. Brewing on Sunday.

danlad · 01-15-2010, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maida7

15c = 59F that's kinda cold.

I'd really like some rasin / prune in my dubbel. Sounds great! I'm getting excited. I'm making a starter tonight. Brewing on Sunday.

Is 15c/59f ambient just now and my brown ale is trying to climb out the top of the bucket...

Must be a few degrees higher inside, but is working fine. If it is slower than some ferments so be it, am prepared to wait a few weeks for it to finish. Smells good so far.

electric_beer · 01-15-2010, 09:27 PM

Wyeast1762 is what Rochfort uses and they make a tasty Trappist. Although I would never complain about the wpl500 either.

michael.berta · 01-16-2010, 06:03 PM

Wyeast 1214. I think it's the Chimey strain. It's really good.

**VolFan** · 01-17-2010, 01:42 PM

I have made several dubbels with WLP530 Abbey Ale and really like it. Latest was a Westmalle clone that tasted great, that fermented in the mid 60's. Have also made several batches with yeast cultured from Duvel, also fantastic. Be prepared for an extremely active fermentation with any of the belgians, make sure you use a blowoff tube.