Belgian Golden Strong Ale Darker than it should be?

nitsuj80 · 04-04-2011, 03:55 AM

I brewed a Belgian Golden Strong Ale over a month and a half ago and it is much darker than I figured it would turn out. What would cause this? I followed the directions to the T. I have included the ingredients list. It was a kit from Northern Brewer. I smells and tastes awesome but is just much darker than it should be. Thanks.

SPECIALTY GRAIN
-- 0.25 lbs Belgian Caramel Pils
-- 0.25 lbs Belgian Biscuit
FERMENTABLES
-- 7 lbs Golden Light dry malt extract (60 min)
-- 2 lbs Clear Belgian Candi sugar (60 min)
HOPS & FLAVORINGS
-- 2 oz Saaz (60 min)
-- 1 oz Saaz (1 min)
YEAST
-- WYEAST 1388 BELGIAN STRONG ALE

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/recipe-kits/extract-kits/extract-ale-kits/belgian-strong-golden-ale-extract-kit.html

**Ace_Club** · 04-04-2011, 10:53 AM

How do you know it is much darker than it should be? Are you basing this on how it looks in the carboy/fermenter? If so, it will lighten up considerably once poured into a glass.

**Aschecte** · 04-04-2011, 12:57 PM

I agree fully with aceclub it will lighten significantly once out of the carboy ... never baser final srm while in carboy baring this lets say its bottled and still dark you may have caramelized your DME if you scorched it during that 60 minute boil. I am a big fan of late additions of extract lets say the last 15 minutes which aids in hop extraction as your maly profile is less inhibiting as well as letting you get a lighter final srm. either which way drink that belgian goodness up RDWHAHB. btw what yeast strain did you use ( im a huge belgian beer guy)

**Aschecte** · 04-04-2011, 12:58 PM

nevermind I see it in your recipe sorry

nitsuj80 · 04-05-2011, 04:40 AM

I am just going off of what it looks like in the carboy. I will have to look into late additions. Any advice on this? Thanks

**Aschecte** · 04-05-2011, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nitsuj80

I am just going off of what it looks like in the carboy. I will have to look into late additions. Any advice on this? Thanks

check this link out http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f37/extract-addition-last-15min-boil-26151/ also def wait until you have that beer out of the carboy before making a srm call. I have wit that I'm brewing that in the carboy looks like a brownish - dark brown and when I took it out it was a golden yellow.

**Revvy** · 04-05-2011, 01:48 PM

1)Beer always appears darker in a carboy, it has to do with light refraction.

2) Extract Always appears darker as opposed to algrain, that has to do with boiling/carmalezing the extract by the maltser.

3)With yeast and other proteins in the carboy that changes the appearance of it during fermentation as well, as it flocculates it will further look different.

We get this every day...there's no suggestions that can be made since really there's nothing wrong.