Golden Strong Ale, no grain???

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damiongrimm

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i got a recipe for a Belgian Golden Strong Ale today, and something just caught my eye as i was buying the ingredients--there is no grain on the recipe list! this is my second batch ive made (the previous being an American Amber Ale), so can anyone possibly explain to me why this is?:confused:
 
I'm assuming an extract kit? There is some crystal malt already in extract and golden strong can be pretty simple.
 
yes it is an extract kit. oh ok makes sense, thank you! just wanted to make sure there wasnt some big step that the guy forgot to add or something, or that im not going crazy haha. still new to this world =)
 
You don't need any specialty grains for a golden strong. Duvel is 100% Pilsner.
 
Extract IS grain....What you're missing is steeping grains, which some recipes don't need. What you probably have for this kit is a single grain extract. The thing to realize is that Belgian Beers are yeast driven more than grain. The flavor is going to come more from the yeast more than from a complex grain bill so therefore it's going to mean less "extras."
 
I remember a long time ago when I first started brewing doing a MoreBeer Double IPA kit that was nothing but extract......and a buttload of hops.
 
Extract IS grain....What you're missing is steeping grains, which some recipes don't need. What you probably have for this kit is a single grain extract. The thing to realize is that Belgian Beers are yeast driven more than grain. The flavor is going to come more from the yeast more than from a complex grain bill so therefore it's going to mean less "extras."
ohh ok so that explains why it came with 2 vials of yeast and 9lbs of pilsen malt as well then, rather than the 1 vial and 6lbs my last batch contained.
 
Ferment it HOT! I did my first Golden Strong recently and had ferm temps at around 62-65 (my usual). This yeast wants it hot (70-80)... my beer crapped out early.

JZ's book says to increase the temps a couple degrees a day to reach ~80 final temp. (I don't have the book open in front of me, so approximately).
 
No, JZ says start low, around 65 and slowly ramp up to about 70. In his radio podcast about this style he says the hot 75-80 degree ferments are a mistake.
 
No, JZ says start low, around 65 and slowly ramp up to about 70. In his radio podcast about this style he says the hot 75-80 degree ferments are a mistake.

That's not what his book says. From BCS:

Pitch yeast at 64°F and let the temperature rise slowly to 82°F over the course of 1 week.
 
You are correct sir, my bad. I was listening to the dark strong show, not the golden strong and confused the two. I went back and replayed the golden strong show and it does say to ramp to 82 to get better attenuation.
 
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