Extract - Easy Chimay Blue clone - Page 15

djbradle · 02-07-2012, 07:47 PM

Down to 1.020 now at 1.5 weeks. 11.94%. What should I do about bottle carbing at 12%? Does the WLP500 stand the high abv?

On tasting it's bubblegum, solvent, fruity. I don't think I'll be able to drink one until xmas 2012 or later.

bribo179 · 02-07-2012, 11:06 PM

I'd let it sit for awhile. Months...the repitch yeast two days before bottling and carb like normal. The flavor will improve better and more consistently if you bulk age it

AZOTH99 · 02-10-2012, 03:12 AM

O.k. I just went to my local homebrew store and bought some supplies for this batch. I'm also using the WLP500 as they didn't have the other.

One thing I'm not sure if I want to change to is or not is, and I"m asking for opinions on this.

I had to buy a full Lb of the torrified wheat? I have .5 already set to go but I'm curious as to whether I should just go ahead and use the other .5 lb or not? what is your opinions on this matter? how will if effect the flavor?

Shoud be brewing it sunday if all goes well.

The wife also just ordered me a two cornelius keg sytem, should be here on the 14th.

Fattylivers post is #70 for those catching up late.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FattyLiver

I followed the OP recipe fairly closely but tweaked it to get it to the magic 9% of Chimay Blue.

I also used Amber Belgian Candy syrup instead also.

I did however split it into two 2.5 gallon batches one with WLP500 and one with WY1214

Ingredients used

Ingredients
-----------
Amber LME 3.30 lb, Extract, Extract
Aromatic Malt (Belgian) 0.25 lb, Grain, Steeped
Northern Brewer LME - Munich 6.00 lb, Extract, Extract
Candi Sugar, Amber (Belgian) 1.00 lb, Sugar, Other
CaraMunich 0.50 lb, Grain, Steeped
Munich (German) 2.00 lb, Grain, Steeped
Special "B" (Belgian) 0.50 lb, Grain, Steeped
Torrified Wheat 0.50 lb, Adjunct, Steeped

Hallertauer (Germany) 1.00 oz, Pellet, 60 minutes
Styrian Golding (Slovenia) 1.00 oz, Pellet, 30 minutes

This somehow hit exactly 1.09 OG. This batch was almost meant to be so far.

I am 3 weeks into the primary and the gravity is as follows.

WY1214 batch = 1.022
WLP500 Batch = 1.0215

Taste test was delicious. The 1214 batch smells a bit better, while I preferred the taste of 500 batch a bit more. By a bit I mean minuscule and I can already tell these will both be delicious.

Odds are I am going to just bottle this from primary after week 4 since my FG is hit and it already tastes magical.

I decided I am going to add some 1214 before bottling to make sure nothing dare goes wrong while conditioning.

I'll report back sometime towards the end of June after I know I will cave in and try some of each early.

Thanks for the initial blueprint.

ajohnson153 · 02-10-2012, 10:06 PM

Thinking about brewing this for my next (2nd) batch. Two questions one would it make any difference if I.added champagne yeast at bottling to help with carbonation. Two I don't have a secondary, would this be fine sitting in primary for a month or more to age. I may end up buying a secondary anyway just to free up my primary. Sorry for the Noob questions.

AZOTH99 · 02-11-2012, 11:59 PM

Thinking of brewing it tonight but I haven't tried the candy sugar at all. This is my first go using it. The guy at the store said " just use it in the boil"
But after reading here it seems I add it in the last 5 minutes of the boil or add it in the primary? I've even read add it when kegging? so which is it or will it really make a difference in when I add it? if I add it in the primary or during kegging what is the proper way to accomplish that? just throw it in there solid the way it is? water it down into a syrup then add it what's the scoup on using it?

djbradle · 02-12-2012, 01:53 AM

I would stick with the .5 torrified wheat. It's strictly for head retention as far as I know.

djbradle · 02-12-2012, 02:05 AM

A Belgian strong ale is what it is because of that candi syrup. I would keep it as a late addition at the last 5 minutes or even at flameout. That's what I would have done if I didn't use rock candi instead. Now for adding it in the primary or even a secondary I don't know how it would add anything and it would be difficult to get it very diffused into the wort. It should be sterilized by the boil though and if you did add it in primary or secondary it should be boiled anyways in a small amount of water before adding it to primary, secondary, keg, etc.

I heard a mp3 a little while ago where Jamil spoke about adding the long chain fermentables in the boil or flameout and then adding the short chain fermentables into the primary once the first 2/3 of active fermentation are done so the yeast are not weakened by chewing on the sucrose/glucose first. Worth a try if candi syrup is considered the latter.

AZOTH99 · 02-12-2012, 06:11 PM

Just got done it's now in the primary wheww

djbradle · 02-12-2012, 07:42 PM

Nice!

ajohnson153 · 02-13-2012, 02:50 AM

I'm itchin' to brew this now. Might have to make a trip to the LHBS to get the ingredients for this after my hefe is done and I can use my primary for this one. I figure I can drink the hefe while waiting for this bad boy to get done.