help with 3 philosophers

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leapdog

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going to try and brew a 3 philosophers type beer. belgian quad with 2% cherry lambic
og 1.096
fg 1.010
abv 11.5%
ibu 26.2

grain bill:
12# belgian 2-row
2# belgian pils
.5# belgian aromatic
3# belgian candi sugar, amber

hops:
.75oz hallertau 8%aa 60 min
1oz saaz 7%aa 20 min

yeast:
wyeast belgian strong ale 1388

any tips on this recipe would be greatly appreciated. i am pretty set on the ingredients, unless someone has strong objections, but am specifically looking for help with fermentation, i.e. how large of a starter would i need. temperature control. And, in order to get the 2% cherry lambic, I was just going to add one bottle of a sam adams cherry lambic... to bottling? not sure on that part.
thanks in advance
 
You're going to need some Special B in there for a good, rather authentic Dark Strong.

Also, Sam doesn't make a Cherry Lambic. They make a Cherry Wheat and a Cranberry Lambic.

To authenticate the 3P, use a bottle of Lindeman's Kriek.
 
Yeah, my bad. Totally got the two Sam Adams beers mixed up in my head. Thanks for that. So I will add some special B. What does that contribute? Also, any idea on ferm temps?
 
Special B is a 180L malt (kind of an extra dark crystal). It'll add a dark, sweet richness to your wort & that's a good thing because at the moment it looks too light in color & flavor to be a Quad. I think leapdog's call on the Special B is an excellent one.

Also, if you were really thinking of adding Sam Adam's Cranberry lambic to your lovely quad, I'd re-think that. SA's cranberry lambic is one of the most villanized beers out there both here on HBT and on sites like BeerAdvocate & RateBeer. It's certainly not a lambic and, personally, one of the poorest craft beers I've had.
 
In the book Brew Like a Monk, Stan Hieronymus details this beer and its recipe. The book is a great read and you can probably find it at your homebrew shop. Take a look next time you're in there (p. 248).

According to him, the recipe calls for:

- Belgian Pale
- Belg Munich
- Flaked wheat malt
- Special B
- CaraMunich
- CaraVienna
- Northern Brewer Hops (only 1 addition)
- OG = 1.087, FG = 1.020

They also add sucrose syrup to the secondary, and use Wyeast 3787.

I'd take a look at the book and collaborate with you brewstore owner. It's a somewhat more complicated recipe/process than usual... Good luck!
 
Stan H. doesn't elaborate on the Kriek addition... I'd imagine, like the OP said, you could just blend when the brew is done fermenting...

leapdog: Where did you get the 2% figure?
 
"leapdog: Where did you get the 2% figure?"
Right on the bottle of 3 philosophers i believe. it says right on it 98% belgian quad/2% cherry lambic. could be mistaken. i will be searching out the lindemans when i brew this early next month. i have settled on a different grain bill. the ingredients are ordered so this will be it:
11# belgian 2-row
2# munich
2# belgian pils
.5# flaked wheat
.5# special b
and 1.5# amber candy sugar added after initial fermentation

hope this gets me somewhere close. if anyone has ideas on starter size and ferm temps please let me know. otherwise i will just be going with the usual start at around 65-68 and then ramp up towards 75-80deg as the fermentation continues.
 
Yep, got a bottle in my fridge & it says on the front 98% ale, 2% ale with cherries added. And on the side it says it is a classic dark malty Belgian ale with authentic kriek added, a cherry lambic ale.
 
Great, guys... Thanks! Might try to fashion something out of Stan H.'s recipe, and factor in the kriek addition. Will be a fall/winter brew though.
 
Randy Thiel from Ommegang is interviewed on The Brewing Network, Sunday Session. I think its from '07 so scroll down a bit and look for Ommegang in the title.

He talks about 3 Philosophers.
 
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