Rochefort Inspired Dark Strong

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DannPM

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2011
Messages
1,867
Reaction score
25
Location
Pittsburg
Recipe Type
All Grain
Yeast
Wyeast 1762 Belgian Abbey Ale II
Yeast Starter
2.4 Liter
Batch Size (Gallons)
5.5
Original Gravity
1.078
Final Gravity
1.008
Boiling Time (Minutes)
180 Minutes
IBU
21.6
Color
19 SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
4 days past hitting TG
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
N/a
Additional Fermentation
Bottle Conditioned
Tasting Notes
detailed notes below.
260142_605020722049_58801067_33143560_356676_n.jpg


Abv. after bottle conditioning; 9.77%

11 lbs Wyermann Pilsner Malt
1 lb Flaked Wheat
1 lb Caramunich
0.5 lbs Special B
1 Lbs D2 Belgian Candi Syrup
0.34 lbs Turbanado Sugar

0.5 Ounces Styrian Goldings 3.4% AAU @ 90
0.3 Ounces Magnum 14.1% AAU @ 90
1 Tab Whirflock @ 15 minutes
0.6 TSP Wyeast Yeast Nutrient 10 Mins
0.5 TBS Coriander Seed 10 mins

Mashed 6.5 Gallons @ 149 for 90 mins
Batch Sparged 3 gallons @ 170 for 15 mins

This was originally a Rochefort 8 clone. After tasting, it's a good Belgian dark strong, but not quite Rochefort...at least yet, one month after bottling. I will report back after this has been cellared for another 6 months.


Look: Dark brown, head is tan and ridiciously large, 4 fingers thick, like a Duvel head when you stick a finger in it, but tan. Head looses about a finger every 3 minutes until it falls to 1 finger for about 20 more minutes till it falls to nothing. Lacing is poor but expected to be poor due to abv.

Aroma: Smooth dark ripened fruit aroma, raisins, strong smooth alcohol aroma.

Taste: Dark fruits, strong fig taste, very mild cherry, brunt malt notes with a strong alcohol presence that isn’t harsh at all but very apparent. Better as it warms.

Mouthfeel: Substantial mouthfeel for the FG. Carbonation is smooth and not prickling. Rich but dry.

Drinkability: Satisfying. Sessionable if it weren’t this alcoholic. Kind of dangerous being this drinkable at almost 10% abv
 
I'm looking for a belgian I can ferment hot(upper 70s-low 80s) and secondary/bottle condition hot. You didn't mention temp. What were yours?

Thanks.
 
You won't want to do 1762 in the upper 70's, you'll get a total fusel bomb. I pitched this at 64, held at 64-65 for 3-4 days and then slowly ramped it up to 72-74 over another 4-5 day period.

If you sub a yeast which you can let run after the first few days instead of what I used for this one, 3711 and 3787 would be great in this IMO. I'm doing a dubbel and I'm on about day 5, still fermenting, pretty much holding itself at 76 in my 65-69 degree basement. I pitched the 3787 at 68, kept it there for a few days before letting it run.
 
I don't really have the capability to ferment lower than ambient household temp, unless I went with some kind of cooler and ice combo which would be a pain in my already too small house. If it's a necessity, I'll do it I guess.

Is there a yeast I can pitch at 74ish and just let it go?
 
Yeah, I'm not really sure, 3724 would work at those temps but you'd probably have to alter the mash schedule due to the high attenuation. I've never used the strain before but you'll actually have to heat your brew even at your place, bringing it up to mid 80's. I'm not sure how it would work in this though having never used it.
 
Month 2 Tasting:

Look: Deep dark reddish brown, fluffy head.

Aroma: Strong dark figs, strong cherry, less present alcohol aroma, not the most dominate characteristic now.

Taste: Intense cherry, mild ethanol, dark fruits. Alcohol has subsided to be a background flavor now, stone fruits, figs, and cherry, very cherry, flavor now prominent.

Mouthfeel: Smooth silky mouthfeel. Carbonation supplements smoothness, warming sensation without being hot.

Drinkability: The level of alcohol has decreased SIGNIFICANTLY, this is smooth and refreshing

This is REALLY starting to taste like Rochefort...VERY EXCITING!!!!
 
I'm reviewing this again as I want to make it but I'm curious about the boil times. Obviously, I'm new to this but that seems like a really long time. I managed to boil about 1.25 gallons off on my last 60 minute boil. And 6.5 gallons is about the max I'd like to try in my brewpot.
 
Rahahb said:
I'm reviewing this again as I want to make it but I'm curious about the boil times. Obviously, I'm new to this but that seems like a really long time. I managed to boil about 1.25 gallons off on my last 60 minute boil. And 6.5 gallons is about the max I'd like to try in my brewpot.

It is a very long boil you're right. I used 2.5 gallons for a third batch sparge collected separately in a reserve kettle to replenish what boils off in the first hour or so. I add my 90 minute bittering additions after I fill the kettle with the last of the third runnings and go from there. Hope that helps. I was going for a darker color and some wort caramelization with this long boil.
 
Last thing I am going to say about this. Don't even think about opening this one for 3 months...Amazing, perfect, exactly as I had dreamed it would be at the 3 month mark.
 
Wyeast 3711 is the french saison yeast right? I've used that in a saison but never thought of using it in this kind of beer due to the spice it gives off. I know the 3711 is a subdued kind of spice, with a lot of belgian fruit intermingling, but do you think it would work? I have some on hand now and want to try this recipe.
 
I'm about to brew this beer this weekend, and I had a couple questions:

Did you add the candi syrup and turbinado during the boil, or during fermentation?

Did you bottle condition this beer in normal bottles or champagne bottles?
 
I added both near the end of the boil. Also, I did bottle condition in normal bottles. Expect to wait about 6-8 months for this to get really good.
 
I added both near the end of the boil. Also, I did bottle condition in normal bottles. Expect to wait about 6-8 months for this to get really good.

I have had mine in the primary for 30 days, crash cooling now at 46.

Did you add yeast at bottling?

what temps are you aging this? I plan on bottling after a few days at 46 degrees, letting it come back to room temp to carbonate, then aging it for a few months like you suggest. not sure whether to age it in a converted freezer at 55 or so, or age it at basement temps which will be in the upper 60's to 70 all summer long.
 
I put it in my cellar which is between 55 to 65 depending on the weather. That seems to work fine for the aging I am doing.
 
If using the 3711 suggested above for the yeast, where would you mash? I'm thinking to go a bit higher to keep it from getting too dry. Also, what fermentation temps would you recommend? Start low and let it go? Should I leave it in the basement (60s ambient) or upstairs (~70 ambient)?
 
Old thread bump!

The idea of the 180 minute (this makes me almost gasp, as it would use up 2 propane tanks!) boil is to develop color and melanoidins. Would a decoction mash be a good alternative?
 
I used this recipe formulated for 65% efficiency and wound up hitting 87%, because I decided to try fly sparging. That, and the 3711 yeast put my at 12% abv. I brewed on June 8th, and it's starting to get really good. Thanks for the recipe!
 
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