Barkingshins
Active Member
On 11/3 I brewed an AG, 6-gal batch of Belgian Golden Strong Ale. Here's the recipe that I used (based on a recipe from Jamil Zainasheff):
12.0*lb Pilsen Malt (I used Belgian Pilsner malt from Castle)
3*lb White Table Sugar (Sucrose)
3.0*oz Czech Saaz (3.0%AA) - 90*minutes
White Labs WLP570 Belgian Golden Ale
As per Jamil's recommendation, I mashed at about 149ºF and hit my OG dead-on (1.075). After a 90-minute boil and chilling I pitched a generous amount of WLP570 from a 1-gal starter (after pouring off most of the starter wort). As expected, the fermentation took off like gang-busters at ~64ºF and I transferred to a secondary fermenter on 11/16. It has been sitting undisturbed until today (12/5). I took a gravity reading and was shocked to see it at 1.004! That's almost 95% attenuation! I was expecting (hoping) it would end up at about 1.008. It tastes pretty good with no sign of infection whatsoever but is quite dry and there is a bit of fusel alcohol "hotness" to it that I am not used to tasting in commercial versions of the style (e.g. Duvel). I intend to let it sit in secondary for at least another two weeks before priming and bottling.
I'm wondering if attenuations this high are normal with this style and if the fusel alcohol hotness will diminish a bit as the batch matures. Before the brewday, I had done some reading about other people's experiences brewing this style and, based on what I had read, was anticipating problems with under-attenuation rather than over. Perhaps I over-corrected? Would I have maybe been better off mashing a few degrees higher?
Any thoughts are appreciated.
12.0*lb Pilsen Malt (I used Belgian Pilsner malt from Castle)
3*lb White Table Sugar (Sucrose)
3.0*oz Czech Saaz (3.0%AA) - 90*minutes
White Labs WLP570 Belgian Golden Ale
As per Jamil's recommendation, I mashed at about 149ºF and hit my OG dead-on (1.075). After a 90-minute boil and chilling I pitched a generous amount of WLP570 from a 1-gal starter (after pouring off most of the starter wort). As expected, the fermentation took off like gang-busters at ~64ºF and I transferred to a secondary fermenter on 11/16. It has been sitting undisturbed until today (12/5). I took a gravity reading and was shocked to see it at 1.004! That's almost 95% attenuation! I was expecting (hoping) it would end up at about 1.008. It tastes pretty good with no sign of infection whatsoever but is quite dry and there is a bit of fusel alcohol "hotness" to it that I am not used to tasting in commercial versions of the style (e.g. Duvel). I intend to let it sit in secondary for at least another two weeks before priming and bottling.
I'm wondering if attenuations this high are normal with this style and if the fusel alcohol hotness will diminish a bit as the batch matures. Before the brewday, I had done some reading about other people's experiences brewing this style and, based on what I had read, was anticipating problems with under-attenuation rather than over. Perhaps I over-corrected? Would I have maybe been better off mashing a few degrees higher?
Any thoughts are appreciated.