Belgian Blond Ale SWMBO Slayer - Belgian Blonde

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fivehoursfree said:
Ok, I did more research and realize that wheat extract is partially pale malt. ssoooo

MASH
1.0lb Belgian pale
1.5lb wheat (white wheat or red wheat?)
.5lb Crystal 10L
.5lb wheat flake
.25 lb caravienne
-------------------------------------
add 5lb Wheat LME

1.00oz willamette @60min
Click to expand...


Does this look like a reasonable conversion to partial mash? I'm hoping to brew this on Saturday but can't do AG yet.
 
Yea, I don't know. No one has commented on it yet. I'm doing a Belgian Wit right now, with the idea to use the yeast from that to do this one. I think I'm just going to bite the bullet and give it a shot. As I learn more, I realize that a smaller boil will lower the hop utilization, but I plan on compensating by not adding the extract until 15 minutes left in the boil. I don't know if it's exact, but it should increase the hop utilization enough.
Hopefully I will have time to mess around with the brewsmith before I start it.
 
Ok, so I messed with the brewsmith a little. According to a 3 gal boil, if you added 1.5 lb of extract at the beginning of the boil (the rest near the end, 15 min) 1oz of hops should be fine. I also calculated if you add all the extract at the beginning, you would need 1.5oz of hops to get in the same general area.( a little under 20ibu). Adding all the extract darkens the color a bit, but the late extract addition gets it right. So I will probably be doing the late extract addition.
 
This turned out to be an excellent brew. I brewed it for SWMBOs back off the wagon present (pregnant) but I don't think it will make it. I guess I'll have to do another batch.
 
im a noob to brewing but would this be a good beer as a base to a fruit beer.. maybe rack to secondary on top of fresh oranges or blueberries?
 
fivehoursfree said:
Here are my calculations for a Partial Mash version. Maybe someone could run it through some brewing software to see if it matches up well enough to the original. Also, I do math better on paper, so this is up for edit an correction.

---------------------------------------------------
2.25 lb Pale Malt Extract
3.00lb lb Wheat Malt extract

2.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row)
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L
0.50 lb Wheat, Flaked
0.25 lb Caravienne Malt

1.00 oz Williamette [5.50%] (60 min)
---------------------------------------------------
I would follow the standard mash technique: 45min @ ~155F, sparge @ 170F.


Some notes: Austin homebrew does have wheat malt, so I put all the wheat as extract. They also don't have "pale" LME, they have "Extra Pale". I don't know if thats the same thing or not. Close enough?

How does this look?
Click to expand...

I am putting together a partial mash recipe for this brew right now. Your recipe seems to have a lot of extract to me, cause I usually hit an OG of around 1.05* using ~4lb. of grain and 3.3lbs of DME for a 5.5gallon batch. I haven't made this yet, but here's my plan:

Maris Otter 2.2lb
Wheat malt 1.5lb
Crystal malt 0.4lb
Wheat DME 3.3lb (which is 60%wheat and 40%barley)
Same yeast and hops as above

I'd suggest to add some of the wheat malt for balance instead of relying on extract 100%. Wheat malt is pretty common so unless there's a shortage of some sort, I'd just order it from somewhere else. Also, I'd throw in 0.25lb of caravienna malt and some flaked wheat (maybe 0.25lb) into the mash. I just can't get those last two items where I live.

Hope this helps. Keep us posted on what you decide to do and how your beer turns out!
 
Brewed this last weekend, still fermenting like crazy, lucky for that blowoff tube. Can't wait on this one.
 
I did this back at the end Nov. and it's been on the gas for about 3 weeks, I tasted the other day and it tastes like the yeast smells...I can't drink it, it has a very phenolic taste.
 
BM, I brewed this today with slight alterations. I used pilsen instead of AM 2-row and had to sub .5 lb flaked oat for flaked wheat due to unforeseen shortcomings at my LHBS. The brew day went excellent. olllllo, BrandonO and I enjoyed the last brew I made of yours, Centennial Blonde with late addition subs of summit. I just wanted to say thanks for the recipes, it's no wonder you win so many competions.
 
Thanks B30.

But for every beer that places or wins...I have 3-4 entries that don't. :eek:

I just remind myself that it's still a bit of a crapshoot.

Glad you and the gang enjoyed the CB recipe.
 
i found a commercial brand "Belgian Blond" here is what it looks like...BM I want to extend some great kuddos. The commercial brand taste just like this recipe...it's just not my taste but I am very happy I did it right... and the wife likes it

CIMG2444.jpg
 
BM,

What do you think about adding fruit to the brew? I have been seeking out a decent Blond Ale recipe to turn into a Strawberry Blond Ale, and this sounds pretty good to me. Maybe use Wyeast 3068 fermenting a little high to get some banana character into the mix.

Also, I would be doing this as a PM but I want to use more grains than the Extract you posted up. I only want to use extract to create a base for the rest. Any ideas on how I could modify it?

Maybe keep this all the same
4.00 lb Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM)
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM)
0.50 lb Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM)
0.25 lb Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM)

and translate the 5lbs of Pale Malt (2 Row) to
3.00 lb Pale DME

Would that work or will I still be missing the enzymes needed for the wheat?

Cheers :tank:
 
drunkatuw said:
Midwest sells this as an all-grain kit and extract. There extract kit includes:

3 lbs. Wheat DME
2 lbs. Extra Lght DME
8 oz. Caramel 10°L
8 oz. Flaked Wheat
4 oz. Caravienne malt

1 oz hops (looks like they changed to Glacier from Williamette)
Click to expand...

I thew this into beer smith, and its gravity is low any ideas? How would adding some honey sound?
 
Rhymenoceros said:
I thew this into beer smith, and its gravity is low any ideas? How would adding some honey sound?
Click to expand...

Honey would be a nice addition, but beware the fact that honey is a very slow and thorough fermentable. Plan on adding an extra 7-10 days to whatever fermentation schedule you have.

You may just consider and extra pound each of the wheat and light DME's.
 
Has anyone been putting coriander and bitter orange peel into this? I have all my ingredients and plan on brewing this tomorrow.

3 lbs. Wheat DME
2 lbs. Extra Lght DME
8 oz. Caramel 10°L
8 oz. Flaked Wheat
4 oz. Caravienne malt

I also plan on doing a partial mash with the flaked wheat and the other malts. Anyone see a problem with that?
 
MgMt_Home_Brew said:
Has anyone been putting coriander and bitter orange peel into this? I have all my ingredients and plan on brewing this tomorrow.

3 lbs. Wheat DME
2 lbs. Extra Lght DME
8 oz. Caramel 10°L
8 oz. Flaked Wheat
4 oz. Caravienne malt

I also plan on doing a partial mash with the flaked wheat and the other malts. Anyone see a problem with that?
Click to expand...

They would be a nice addition. You're definitely leaning more towards a wit at this point...though with a more malty profile.
 
3 Weeks in primary, 1.5 weeks on the gas, and this is beer is tasty. Definitely a hint of citrus, definite yeast profile with good mouthfeel. Mine is still a bit more cloudy than I would hav thought. Excellent will brew again before summer.:rockin:
 
not that it wasnt great to start with, but i just found two bottles of this lost in the back of my fridge for months. Wow, even better now. Crystal clear tastes a whole lot leffse blonde(prob spelled wrong) very good i gotta put this one back in the line up
 
Just got done making this. My hydro sample measured only 1.048, but ithad a lot of trub in it, so i don't know if that impacted it. My mash temp was a bit low (153°) and the grains were bought and crushed a month ago, so that might have had some impact on it, i don't know.

What are the chances i need to worry about blow off since i stepped up and used a 7.5 gallon pail for the 5 gallon batch (had one laying around and it seemed like a good idea). ?
 
Does anyone use a protein rest for this one? I thought wheat could benefit from one (but it will not fit in my cooler MLT if I do it!). Considering this for my first all grain batch...
 
I brewed the extract version of this and it was very nice. I kegged it on Thursday and then had some people over on Friday and it got kicked Saturday morning. Everyone gave lots of compliments (hard to tell if they are genuine when they are getting free HB :drunk: )

But yeah it was a big hit and I really enjoyed it. Im gona take the jump to AG once I get my tax return and I can't wait to make this again and even better.

:mug:
 
BioBeing said:
Does anyone use a protein rest for this one? I thought wheat could benefit from one (but it will not fit in my cooler MLT if I do it!). Considering this for my first all grain batch...
Click to expand...
No rest necessary.

It has an inviting unfiltered wheat look to it and the chics dig it regardless. :D


MgMt_Home_Brew said:
I brewed the extract version of this and it was very nice. I kegged it on Thursday and then had some people over on Friday and it got kicked Saturday morning. Everyone gave lots of compliments (hard to tell if they are genuine when they are getting free HB :drunk: )

But yeah it was a big hit and I really enjoyed it. Im gona take the jump to AG once I get my tax return and I can't wait to make this again and even better.

:mug:
Click to expand...

Glad it turned out nice. Kicking a keg in less than 24 hours? Must have been brewed pretty well.
 
BierMuncher said:
No rest necessary.

It has an inviting unfiltered wheat look to it and the chics dig it regardless. :D
Click to expand...

Makes the volume manageable then. I got a 10 gal cooler, but was hoping to do a 10 gal batch. Might have to do this next weekend (if I get the last of my AG equipment), and slay my SWMBO too :mug:
 
BierMuncher said:
Glad it turned out nice. Kicking a keg in less than 24 hours? Must have been brewed pretty well.
Click to expand...

It was deffinetly my best Belgian Wit I have made. My only issue that I have had on the last two Wits (including this one) has been a stuck fermentation. Both times I waited about a week and the krauzen was still pretty think. So I got some dry yeast and sprinkled it in there which cleared it up in a day or so. Im not sure why this is happening.

My first thought was temp since it got pretty cold where I was keeping it. Since I have taken some yeast cake out of my fermenter after I kegged it and made a starter with it which has been built up twice and the krauzen has done the same thing...any ideas? :confused:
 
MgMt_Home_Brew said:
...Both times I waited about a week and the krauzen was still pretty think. So I got some dry yeast and sprinkled it in there which cleared it up in a day or so. Im not sure why this is happening.
Click to expand...

Belgian yeast is notorious for violent, prolonged fermentation. Sometimes it will
actually get so thick on the fermenter wall that fermentation slows down and you have to knock the yeast back down into solution.

It's pretty typical.
 
BierMuncher said:
Belgian yeast is notorious for violent, prolonged fermentation. Sometimes it will
actually get so thick on the fermenter wall that fermentation slows down and you have to knock the yeast back down into solution.

It's pretty typical.
Click to expand...

interusting. I guess I will have to try knocking this stuff back down into the wort when I get home.

Regardless of the issues I have been having I have just been loving the wits lately and so does the lady freind. Now if only I could clone Wittekerke! One of these days I will... :mug:
 
I promised SWMBO a belgian for my next batch, and the recipe(s) in this thread have me intrigued. I do have one question however, if you don't have a yeast cake from a previous belgian in the fermenter, how will it effect this brew to just use a fresh package?
 
I used a fresh packet the first time I made this and it was fine except for the stuck fermentation which i don't think had anything to do with the freash yeast.

I did another on of these guys last sunday and it has been fermenting like crazy. I have also been taking a spoon and scrapping the yeast from the sides of the fermenter to help keep the fermentation going. It seems to be working well, I have been doing it every other day and a day after I do it the krauzen is freakin massive again.

I also used some grape fruit zest this time around instead of bitter orange peel so I am curious to see how it turns out.
 
just popped the first bottle. tastes nice. light but flavor full. its been in bottles for 3 weeks, probably needs a little longer. OR at least longer in the fridge. tastes a but yeasty.

Here is the final Partial Mash recipe I used. Not sure if it tastes like BeirMucnhers, but I like it:
Amount Item Type % or IBU
3.00 lb Wheat Liquid Extract [Boil for 15 min] Extract 34.29 %
2.00 lb Wheat Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 22.86 %
1.50 lb White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 17.14 %
1.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 11.43 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 5.71 %
0.50 lb Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 5.71 %
0.25 lb Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 2.86 %
1.25 oz Williamette [5.50 %] (60 min) Hops 16.9 IBU
1 Pkgs Belgian Wit Ale (White Labs #WLP400) Yeast-Wheat
 
Thanks BierMuncher, I believe I have found what I'm going to brew for homebrewday. I'm getting really excited about this one. One question though (just as a curiosity) what would happen if one were to attempt to prime with wheat extract? (D/LWE)?
 
epimortum said:
Thanks BierMuncher, I believe I have found what I'm going to brew for homebrewday. I'm getting really excited about this one. One question though (just as a curiosity) what would happen if one were to attempt to prime with wheat extract? (D/LWE)?
Click to expand...

If given the choice, I would usually save my extract for brewing. You never know when you're going to want to kick up a recipe just a bit.
 
Got my batch going on Saturday. My first all-grain, and my first 10 gallon. Brewing went without a hitch. I was afraid of a stuck sparge, so I added 1 lb of rice hulls, and it came flowing out without a problem. For my next batch though, I think I'll add a spigot to my brew kettle. Auto-siphons are great, but they are slow...

I had bubbles in my airlocks by 12 hours. At 36 hours, I had krausen in my airlock. Didn't think I'd need a blow off tube from my two 7.5 gal buckets, but I did!
 

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