Belgian Tripel Recipe help!

So after talking to some fellow HBTers, I am trying to modify some recipes to make a good tripel and/or Abbey/Trappist ale. Here is what I have:

5.5 gallon w/ OG = 1.083 @ 70% efficiency
Mash @ 152

13 lbs Belgian Pilsner
0.75 lbs aromatic malt
0.75 lbs Special B
(Do I also need some Carapils to add body and head retention?)
2.5 lbs homemade candy sugar (@ 20 minutes left)

1 oz cluster @ 60 min
1 oz saaz @ 20 min

Yeast: WLP500 or Wyeast Trappist or S-33 dry yeast
(struggling with this one because never made a starter, but still want the authentic belgian flavor)

Any thoughts? Thanks!

Jason

If you want it to be a Tripel, you need to cut those specialty grains significantly. Maybe 6-8 oz. of Aromatic, no Special B at all. Perhaps some light crystal malt (10-20˚L) or Carapils to the order of half a pound for complexity.

I'd move the Saaz to about 10 minutes. 15 is fine, but a little bit of hop flavour is nice in a Tripel.

Use a liquid yeast. I can vouch for Wyeast 3787, it's my favourite yeast. Watch out for the krausen on that. There's a recent thread where someone shared an email from Wyeast about this strain. Avoid dry yeast, it just won't give you what you need. And do your research, be careful, and make a starter. Oxygenate well. Rouse the yeast in carboy if necessary, you don't want fermentation to stick. I've also heard good things about 3522 and 1762.

Good luck!

edit: oh, and mash fairly low.

I completely agree with Kai. A Tripel is like a Pils, many times a single malt with a very very minimal amount of anything else that has no color. And you can go up to 20% of your weight in sugar. I advise using invert, others don't but I fell it adds a little somethin somethin. I'd personally drop any flavor and/or aroma additions but that's just me.

Keep at it!

The 33 is good for doing certain Belgianesque brews, but stick to the liquid for the real deal. The yeast is where you really have some playing room, for a Tripel that is.

I just thought of something, and I hope it doesn't come across as EAC, but this is true insight (imho)....Styles have emerged because they have certain unmistakable characteristics that you just can't get rid of. In the case of a Tripel, (imo like a Pils) it is really truly about process, because you have a 'naked' brew consisting of usually one, maybe two malts. Sometimes there is no improving on something. Have fun though!

Thanks for the comments! The only thing I am unsure of is that I read on brewingtechniques.com that Special B is incredibly important in these, although maybe I misunderstood and it was talking about Special B being very important in Dubbels? I guess I am not going for a tripel then, but more of an abbey/trappist ale like chimay blue. I want it to have some darker flavors because some of the ones that I have tried so far have been like that. My favorite so far is Maredsous by Moortgat, which is a 10% ABV Trappist, I believe. I do agree with the change from 20 to 10 addition, and may drop the last addition altogether.

So would this be better as a Belgian strong dark ale?

Edit: after putting this into beer smith, it falls into the belgian dark strong ale style guidelines. Can I still use the trappist ale yeast?

Special B I believe would impart darker colors. I use it in some Dubbels I have brewed. I have brewed Trippels as well.

(Edit Note* This is a Trippel recipe)
One recipe I found to be very good is the "She Devil". It came out awesome and everyone loved it. The recipe below.

12.44 lb Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 74.71 %
1.00 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] (60 min) Hops 20.6 IBU
1.00 oz Mt. Hood [6.00 %] (15 min) Hops 7.2 IBU
1.00 oz Mt. Hood [6.00 %] (5 min) Hops 2.9 IBU
1.70 lb Cane (Beet) Sugar (0.0 SRM) Sugar 12.65 %
Wyeast Trappist.

Final note:

I would add some carapils to it though. I have been experimenting lately with NB Golden Malt Extract. Reason being it is Pale, with Carapils already in it. I realize that Many Trippels are made with Pilsner but some I have really enjoyed have the pale.

Hope maybe this helped. Again we really enjoyed this beer. And liked it better than other commercial Trippels we drink regularly.

Yes the Special B is very dark. Even if you added an 1/8 pound it would impact the color if you were using only Pils. Most likely it was for a Dubbel. Tbh, I like the Dubbel better. The Tripel (imho) is like the crown jewel of brewing a Belgian. I liken it to brewing a great Pils. There is nothing to hide any imperfection.

FWIW, here is the Tripel I plan to brew 2 batches from now. Started with a belgian pale (currently fermenting with crazy blow-off!), going to an experimental 'belgian IPA' next (pitched on cake), and finally ending with the tripel below. Please note this is not a 'dark' belgian, like a delirium nocturnum, etc. It has an orangish hue due to the munich 20L, otherwise it would be pretty light. Also, I'm using clear candi sugar, as the amber would also darken the brew quite a bit...:


BeerSmith Recipe Printout - www.beersmith.com
Recipe: RBBC Tripel
Brewer: Roaring Bull Brewing
Style: Belgian Tripel
TYPE: All Grain

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 6.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.097 SG
Estimated Color: 8.1 SRM
Estimated IBU: 37.6 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
10.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 58.8 %
4.00 lb Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 23.5 %
1.00 lb Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 5.9 %
0.50 oz Warrior [15.00%] (60 min) Hops 19.6 IBU
0.50 oz Pearle [8.00%] (60 min) Hops 10.4 IBU
1.00 oz Hallertauer [4.80%] (15 min) Hops 4.5 IBU
1.00 oz Saaz [4.00%] (10 min) Hops 2.1 IBU
2.00 lb Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) Sugar 11.8 %
1 Pkgs Abbey Ale (White Labs #WLP530) [Starter or Cake-pitch]

Here's my recipe.

It's within the SRM range---though next time I might omit the munich. I added a bit of carapils and flaked wheat for mouthfeel. I fermented with Wyeast 1762, which is the strain from Abbaye Rochefort. This yeast, well, it's my all-time favorite strain, and this beer is its moment to shine. I'm submitting it to the NHC this year, because it's probably the best beer I've made to date. I mean, it's really perfect stuff...which makes me scared to even omit anything next time. 10L munich doesn't really add much in the way of SRM or anything, it just gives it a little more flavor. But in the end, this is really about the yeast. And nothing rivals 1762.

RoaringBrewer said:

FWIW, here is the Tripel I plan to brew 2 batches from now. Started with a belgian pale (currently fermenting with crazy blow-off!), going to an experimental 'belgian IPA' next (pitched on cake), and finally ending with the tripel below.

Click to expand...

Your plan of pitching on previous yeast cakes is something I've done occasionally, but I have heard you never want to re-pitch on anything with a ton of hops in it (like an IPA). Something about all the oils having a major affect on cell viability. Just a thought.

Bromley said:

Your plan of pitching on previous yeast cakes is something I've done occasionally, but I have heard you never want to re-pitch on anything with a ton of hops in it (like an IPA). Something about all the oils having a major affect on cell viability. Just a thought.

Click to expand...

A reason for not pitching onto a super hoppy cake is because of the hop flavors---you just want to make sure that you're not pitching something with low hop character onto an IPA cake. Cell viability isn't too much of an issue with so many cells, AFAIAC. I pitched the 888 RIS onto the cake from an IIPA that had 12.5 oz of hops in it, and the stout fermented just fine.

Bromley said:

Your plan of pitching on previous yeast cakes is something I've done occasionally, but I have heard you never want to re-pitch on anything with a ton of hops in it (like an IPA). Something about all the oils having a major affect on cell viability. Just a thought.

Click to expand...

Now that you mention it, I've read this as well... It will be no problem for me pitching the IPA (50IBU) onto the Belgian Pale (24IBU) cake, however I guess I should 'wash' the yeast and build a starter before doing the Tripel...

Thanks for the heads up, I might have overlooked this fact in the interest of simplicity...

Evan! said:

Here's my recipe.

It's within the SRM range---though next time I might omit the munich. I added a bit of carapils and flaked wheat for mouthfeel. I fermented with Wyeast 1762, which is the strain from Abbaye Rochefort. This yeast, well, it's my all-time favorite strain, and this beer is its moment to shine. I'm submitting it to the NHC this year, because it's probably the best beer I've made to date. I mean, it's really perfect stuff...which makes me scared to even omit anything next time. 10L munich doesn't really add much in the way of SRM or anything, it just gives it a little more flavor. But in the end, this is really about the yeast. And nothing rivals 1762.

Click to expand...

Hi, thanks! Ive seen your recipe and was thinking of using it actually. Just a few questions, why the MO and not all pilsner? Also, was it a single infusion, and if so what temperature? I only have the capabilities of doing a single infusion, so if you used a step mash, what temp do you think would be ok?

Jason

The WLP500 yeast ROCKS! It really adds a great flavor and smells unbelievably tasty when fermenting.
-J

I will be starting a belgian trippel this week. Curious about the yeast. I will be using Wyeast 3787 Trappist HG. Will one packet be enough? Should I use 2, or make a starter? Sort of new to all this, sorry. I have heard of people adding more yeast later on. Is this wise/necessary?

.5 Caramel Pils

9.15 Gold Malt Syrup
1 Clear Belgian Candy Sugar
1oz Northern Brewer (60min)
1oz Saaz (1min)
Wyeast 3787 Trappist HG

I am thinking about adding another .5 candy sugar, and adding another 1oz of Saaz one at 15 min, and one at 1 min. Whadda yall think?

Here's my recipe for my Belgian, St Alfonso's Pancake Triple. It does need to be kept warm so that it attenuates completely, sometimes a problem in Feb. Not that '[m talking about my last batch or anything... This is alway a crowd pleaser, but like any Begian, it's all about the yeast. Keep the yeasties happy and you will be happy with the results.
14 lbs. Belgian Pils
0.25 lbs. Belgian Cara-Pils
1.25 lbs. Candi Sugar Clear


1.60 oz. East Kent Goldings (Whole, 5.1 %AA) boiled for 60 min.
0.50 oz. Saaz (Whole, 4.2 %AA) boiled for 5 min

Original Gravity 1.083
Terminal Gravity 1.013
Color 5.55 L
Bitterness 31.1 IBU
Alcohol 9.3 % ABV


Mash at 124 *F for a protein rest for 1/2 hour or so.
Mash at 155 *F for a sacrification rest for one hour
Mash out at 168* F

Culture out a yeast from your fave Belgian


PTN

stormtracker said:

Special B I believe would impart darker colors. I use it in some Dubbels I have brewed. I have brewed Trippels as well.

(Edit Note* This is a Trippel recipe)
One recipe I found to be very good is the "She Devil". It came out awesome and everyone loved it. The recipe below.

12.44 lb Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 74.71 %
1.00 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] (60 min) Hops 20.6 IBU
1.00 oz Mt. Hood [6.00 %] (15 min) Hops 7.2 IBU
1.00 oz Mt. Hood [6.00 %] (5 min) Hops 2.9 IBU
1.70 lb Cane (Beet) Sugar (0.0 SRM) Sugar 12.65 %
Wyeast Trappist.

Final note:

I would add some carapils to it though. I have been experimenting lately with NB Golden Malt Extract. Reason being it is Pale, with Carapils already in it. I realize that Many Trippels are made with Pilsner but some I have really enjoyed have the pale.

Hope maybe this helped. Again we really enjoyed this beer. And liked it better than other commercial Trippels we drink regularly.

Click to expand...

Has anyone tried this recipe? Any thoughts? I really want to try making a tripel as it is one of my all-time favorite beers. How long would one typically bottle condition one of these?

-- edit --

Just brewed this up today. Used 10 lbs of DME and 2lbs of dextrose. Tried a late addition on the DME, boy what a chore - not to mention my brew pot is only 16 qt so a 3 gallon boil and adding 12 lbs of solids = mucho boilover fun. After a few hours, it is bubbling happily away (the huge starter probably helped). Will report back in a few months on how it tastes