paradoxic

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Broken

Recipes 

I just brewed my partial mash version of this. The following stats are my results of brewing.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 6.50 gal
Actual OG: 1.100 SG
Estimated Color: 21.2 SRM
Estimated IBU: 19.5 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 79.00 %
Boil Time: 75 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Amount Item Type % or IBU
4.00 lb Amber Dry Extract (12.5 SRM) Dry Extract 27.12 %
8.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 54.24 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 3.39 %
0.50 lb Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 3.39 %
0.50 lb Wheat, Torrified (1.7 SRM) Grain 3.39 %
0.25 lb Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain 1.69 %
1.00 oz Hallertauer [3.90 %] (75 min) Hops 10.3 IBU
1.00 oz Styrian Goldings [4.00 %] (45 min) Hops 9.3 IBU
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 20.0 min) Misc
2.00 tbsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 20.0 min) Misc
1.00 lb Invert Sugar (0.0 SRM) Sugar 6.78 %
1 Pkgs Trappist Ale (White Labs #WLP500) Yeast-Ale

I was going for 60 min boil but I had to much water left so I boiled for another 15 minutes to try to get close to 5 gallons. I intended this to be 9% ABV, but my efficiency was a lot higher then I expected. This will be more like 10%. I guess I am getting better at mashing. I wll let you know how it turns out.... in about 2 months!!

paradoxic

Recipes 

Thanks for the info!

adagiogray

Recipes 

I used the Wyeast 3787 High Gravity Trappist with this recipe, and I like what I'm seeing. I'm on week 3 in the primary, it's still bubbling along about every 20-30 secs, and SG was down to 1.024 on Saturday. It smells great, and every week it's tasting more and more like Chimay. I'll probably rack to secondary here in a week or 2, then bottle after another couple of weeks, the wort is still *very* yeasty and a little sweet. Can't wait til this one's done!

Broken

Recipes 

My version has been sitting for 10 days. Fermentation after 3 days was at 1.034. After 10 days it is 1.032. I also noticed that my wort is very "chunky". It seems I have lots of stuff/hops suspended still. Also when I took a big whiff it smelled like hard alcohol, or rubbing alcohol. I actually had to cough after that.
So I tried a sample. Tastes fine as far as I can tell.

Anything to worry about? Any bad signs cause of the floaties or smell? Maybe its normal? This is my first time with a Belgian.

Thanks

adagiogray

Recipes 

I'm jsut a newbie, but this was my first batch, and so far it's coming along well. It took until near the end of week 3 for the krausen/foam head and 'floaties' to settle out for me, but I also used a slightly different yeast (Wyeast 3787 Brlgian Trappist High Gravity). It has a strong smell, but it's also a strong beer.

bknifefight

Recipes 

The 3787 will give you more of a spicy flavor that the suggested yeast (WLP500, I'm not sure the WYeast sub #). Chimay Grand Reserve is a very fruity beer and WLP500 gives you that flavor. I am sure you will have good beer but it won't be very close to Chimay.

I bottled my batch up on Saturday and having done many Belgians before, this is still a very good beer. With the lower ABV, there is no need to age it for 6 months. I will probably start drinking it a 1 month if it's carb'd well enough. There were no off flavors or sharpness to age out in this beer.

adagiogray

Recipes 

The Wyeast 3787 actually ended up tasting very similar to the Chimay Blue, very fruity yeast, I just put this to bottle yesterday with a FG of 1.013, pretty darn close to the recipe's estimation. Although Chimay Blue is a 9% beer, this recipe as shown only hits about 7.5%(assuming OG of 1.068 and fg of 1.011). I'm pretty happy with it thus far, I guess the proof is in the tasting after the bottle carb's done. I completely agree, at only 7.5% I think it'll be ready in a few weeks.

I'd be curious to try this recipe again with the WLP500 to see if it makes much of a difference. Anyone have any suggestions on how to get it closer to hitting the 9-10% range? More light or dark ME, pitch a bigger starter?

paradoxic

Recipes 

I've had this in the primary for about two weeks, using the WLP500 yeast. It definitely is missing those dark fruit tastes and is a bit sweet still (as of saturday, my last sample) but tastes excellent. Wishing I had used the Wyeast 3787

bknifefight

Recipes 

The fruitiness comes more from the temperature you ferment at if you read the yeast descriptions on WYeast or White Labs websites.