EinGutesBier

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After learning the hard way on a couple of batches, I did my 2nd AG session last night with my new converted keg brewing system. I figured I must've done something wrong, because it went well and went pretty quickly - about 5 or 6 hours. I figured I'd stick with something simple, but also Belgian (sounds like a contradictory phrase!) so I'm fermenting what I hope will be a Biere de Garde. Here's my ingredients list, though I won't bore you with the details of the brewing itself:

5 lbs. American Pale Malt
1 lbs. Marris Otter
1 lbs. Carapils
.5 lbs. Biscuit Malt
.5 lbs. Munich Malt

1 oz. Cascade hops
1 oz. Saaz hops
1 oz. Willamette hops

Wyeast Belgian Abbey II 1762

Everything pretty much went without a hitch and the airlock has been bubbling since a couple of hours after inoculation. I couldn't ask for much more on this one.

Reverend JC

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congrats! 5 to 6 hours is pretty avg. for AG brew day.

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EinGutesBier

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Good to know. : ) My first one must've been around 7 hours...

WBC

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That's why it went faster.........
If you know what to do, there are no hesitations. If you keep your head you will do well every time.

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Fermentor 1: Bill's House Ale II, Fermentor 2: German Helles, Fermentor 3: Bill's Schworzbier (Black Bier)
Tap 1: Bill's House Ale II, Tap 2: German Hefewizen, Tap 3: Nut Brown Ale
Future Brews: Stone IPA Clone, Blonde Ale, Budvar Clone, Newcastle Clone
New toy: Blichmann 27 gallon fermentor

“If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging”

“Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment”

paulthenurse

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I don't get why everyone wants to speed up their brew day. Do you try to get it over quickly when you're in the sack? It works but I've found it's generally a more satisfying time to stretch it out a bit. Of course that is just me, YMMV.

Homebrewjosh

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Yep 5-6 hrs is a decent brew day. Make sure you try to ferment that brew kind of warm if you can. at least 70-75 to keep the yeast happy plus you will get allot of nice flavors with that temp. Also I don't mind a longer brew day. I like the process of brewing beer.

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Secondary: Irish Red
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Kegged: English Pale Ale
Kegged: Oatmeal Stout
Kegged: Fat tire clone
Kegged: Bourbon Barrel Stout

On Deck: Duvel Clone and whatever else will keep the fermenter's and kegs full

EinGutesBier

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Josh, while a warm fermentation like you described would help make esters present, wouldn't it also have a chance of leading to off-tastes? I'm not sure what the threshold is between off-tastes and esters. : /

Reverend JC

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While i would like to think lifting my "gear" is as heavy as lifting brewing equipment..sadly it is not. While i like brewing is it in the same class as being "in the sack", naaaa. Its like the lonely touch game, while that is fun, its always better with a partner. While brewing is fun, its the drinking of the finished product that keeps most of us brewing.

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"Just because i don't care dosen't mean I don't understand." -Homer Simpson


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Erlendso

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Picking up an old thread here and giving some of my thoughts;

Style-wise; Wouldn't this recipe be more like a belgian dubbel?

According to the style, Biere De Garde shouldn't have a belgian type yeast. Rather, the style calls for a yeast that accentuates the malt character, and adds kind of a "moldy, cellar" taste hard to describe and mimick. The style may have a sweet aroma, but should have a dry finish. I think Wyeast has a seasonal "Biere de garde yeast", but you could probably also use Wyeast European Ale or even WLP "European ale/Kolsch".

The best hops (true to style) for this kind of ale would probably be Styrian Goldings, Saaz, or similar. 25-30 IBUs