So, I'm on my ninth batch. So far, I've done a few Dunkelweizen, a bitter, an IPA, etc...
This time, I decided to do a strong Belgian, but I still am preferring to brew all-extract recipes. My kitchen is limited, and I'm more interested in making good beer than "doing it right."
Anyway, here's my recipe:
3.3 lb. can of BrewFerm Grand Cru LME
6 lb. Extra Light DME (Pilsner Light)
8 oz. Belgian Light Candy Sugar
2 oz. Spalt hops, added with 10 min. left in boil for aroma
Wyeast Trappist yeast slap pack
5 gal. store-bought "bottled" spring water
Did my boil (wort was VERY foamy for a long time); chilled the wort; measured the OG.
Target OG was about 1.077, actual OG was 1.082 @ 82 degrees, adjusted to 1.0849.
Is this too high? What kind of krausen should I expect? Should I do a blow-off?
My brews normally start having decent airlock activity after about 12 hours, but this morning (12 hours later), I had to lightly press the lid to see any gas moving through the airlock. Normal?
What should my FG be? Something like 1.020? How long should primary take? Secondary? How long should it stay in the bottle before drinking? How long can it age?
I guess I'm just looking for what to expect from this beer, since it's very different from the other styles I've brewed.
Consumed:#2 Hefeweizen, #3 SoHo Brown Ale, #7 Belgian Wit, #9 Belgian Amber
Bottled: #1 Trout Belgian Trippel, #4 Smoked Porter, #5 Apfelwein, #10 Bell's Brown Ale Clone, #11 Belgian Wit, #8 Wee Heavy
Secondary:#6 Trout Belgian Trippel
Secondary:
Primary 1:
Primary 2:
Primary 3: Empty
On deck: ???
At that gravity you will need 3 smack packs to produce sufficient yeast cells to properly attenuate and avoid a stuck fermentation. At 80% attenuation (a high attenuation but not unreasonable) your FG will be 1.017 (within style). I suggest pitching more Trappist yeast. Here is a link to a calculator that will help you determine the required yeast for higher gravity brews:Mr Malty Pitching Rate Calculator
As far as temperatures:
Start the fermentation in the mid-60's and over the course of 2 weeks ramp the temperature to the high 70's. Your fermentation could last a month depending on the strain of yeast you have used.
You will find that this brew will benefit from secondary carboy time (bulk aging). I have just kegged a tripel that is almost a year old and it is starting to get pretty good. If you need to bottle right away, the longer you age the beer the better it will taste.
Last edited by noisy123; 05-08-2009 at 02:07 PM.
Reason: Added link
OG isn't too high, and FG of 1.018 could be expected, sometimes those Trappist yeast are slow to start. I've not had any blow-off concerns when I just pitched a smack pack. With active starters I came close. I now always use a blow-off tube for the first week, just in case. Are you in a 6.5 gallon bucket?
I'd say your looking at lease 3 weeks in the primary...
I've got a trippel in the secondary and I plan on leaving it there for 2 months...
A Grand Cru could bottle condition for 6 months or longer....
__________________
Woolly Bugger Brewery
Consumed:#2 Hefeweizen, #3 SoHo Brown Ale, #7 Belgian Wit, #9 Belgian Amber
Bottled: #1 Trout Belgian Trippel, #4 Smoked Porter, #5 Apfelwein, #10 Bell's Brown Ale Clone, #11 Belgian Wit, #8 Wee Heavy
Secondary:#6 Trout Belgian Trippel
Secondary:
Primary 1:
Primary 2:
Primary 3: Empty
On deck: ???
So, 3 1/2 days in, and this thing is chugging along!!! As woolly said, it was a slow starter (my wheat beers are quick!), but it's almost like it's still picking up speed!
Anyway, I quickly went to a blow off hose, and I'm glad I did! I've had to pull it and rinse it twice already!!
Luckily, nothing was actually clogged, so I feel like I'm in good shape, but WOW is this thing fermenting hard core!
I am actually in a 7.8 gallon bucket, I think. The bucket I use for primary was actually made for a wine kit, but I like it for beer, too.
Again, 3 weeks in primary? I was thinking more like 1 week (assuming airlock activity is done), then let it sit for a while in secondary. Any reason that won't work?
leave that tripel on the yeast cake until you reach FG!
__________________
Woolly Bugger Brewery
Consumed:#2 Hefeweizen, #3 SoHo Brown Ale, #7 Belgian Wit, #9 Belgian Amber
Bottled: #1 Trout Belgian Trippel, #4 Smoked Porter, #5 Apfelwein, #10 Bell's Brown Ale Clone, #11 Belgian Wit, #8 Wee Heavy
Secondary:#6 Trout Belgian Trippel
Secondary:
Primary 1:
Primary 2:
Primary 3: Empty
On deck: ???
I've always waited to airlock activity to cease for a day or 2 and then racked to secondary. Then, I check to make sure the FG is where it needs to be before bottling. Is there a problem with this approach. Also, if I'm doing primary in a bucket, what's the best way to take a gravity reading while keeping sanitization in mind? Should I re-sanitize the whole lid and airlock/blow off assembly?
How come you are not using any honey for your recipe? Dont all Grand Cru's use honey?
I have a Grand Cru kit which I might do this weekend, I brewed a Belgian Wit (used 2nd generation yeast on it for the first time) and a Breakfast Stout. I ran into a small problem and it will be a few days before I can use my yeast starter kit again.
__________________ Old school or the new, doesnt mean a thing if your heart's not true!
Primary: 01/29 Cranberry Apfelwein Secondary: Kegs drinking: 11/24-12/25-12/31 Lacto Brevis Lemongrass Wheat, 11/20-12/19-1/05k-1/15 TWR Belgian Golden Ale Kegs conditioning: 10/30-11/20-01/07 Houblomonstre Tripel IPA, 01/07-01/29 Lemongrass Wheat RIP: 11/07-11/28-01/29-05/04-11/17 Flanders Brown Ale
Grand Cru?
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