Belgian Blond Ale SWMBO Slayer - Belgian Blonde

Hey Biermuncher,

Thanks for posting this up, I love belgian blonde ales and this will be my second brew ever, so I am really keen to make it work.

I am following this recipe:

1.5Kg Muntons Wheat DME
2.0Kg Muntons Extra Lght DME
100g British Caramalt (Couldn't get Caramel 10 so have dialled down the amount, should I have used Carapils instead?)
250g Flaked Torrefied Wheat
125g Vienna Malt
25g Willamette hops

As for yeast, I plan to pitch onto a yeast cake from a Brewferm Tarwebier kit (Wit) yeast cake.

I have a few questions - mainly, do you think this will turn out well? I'm guessing it will be darker than it should be, due to the caramalt and the fact that it is an extract brew, but not certain - will this affect the taste at all?

The other question is, do you have any idea what the ABV will be? I kinda like a blonde beer to be around 6%, will this hit that? Do I need to add any sugar, or should I just put less water in? I have white belgian candy sugar if need be.

Any suggestions are welcome, I am very keen to try your centennial blonde next as my first all-grain.

Thanks!
G

I just brewed up 10 gallons of this. That yeast strain is crazy. I had my starters blow through the airlock while on the stir plate, and this is the first brew that i've needed a blow off tube.

I just ordered the all grain kit of this from midwest, it was only 17 bucks!! i didnt do the upgrade though just kept the dry yeast, it is danstar munich tht came with it, i have never used it before but i am looking forward to makin this, i have never made a blonde before

So I just confused myself....I saw that only 1oz willamatte hops used, and i just noticed they are all in for 60 minutes. has anyone played around with a bitter/flavor/aroma mix? Or would that be out of the belgian blonde style? I'll be brewing this up in a few hours if "I don't even like beer, make whatever" Er, uh, I mean if SWMBO allows.

portlandbeergeek said:

So I just confused myself....I saw that only 1oz willamatte hops used, and i just noticed they are all in for 60 minutes. has anyone played around with a bitter/flavor/aroma mix? Or would that be out of the belgian blonde style? I'll be brewing this up in a few hours if "I don't even like beer, make whatever" Er, uh, I mean if SWMBO allows.

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This one is all about a smooth malty flavor.

It's a bit higher than the high end of the gravity range (1.053 VS 1.052) and just under the IBU max of 20 IBU's.

No hops dominance in this beer. Just enough to balance...but leave lots of malt flavor.

Smooth and malty it shall be! Got the strike water coming up to temp now. I have a quick question about the cost of this recipe. I went to the LHBS, and I think they might be overcharging for their grain. I upped the two row and wheat by a pound each, expecting my usual poor efficency. And hey, nothing wrong with a little extra alcohol if it happens. Here's how the bill breaks down:

6# two row $9.50 ($1.58/#)
5# belgian wheat $8.40 ($1.68/#)
$1.44 for the specialty grain ($1.92/#)
$1 for the flaked wheat
$5.75 for two ounces of hops (only gonna use one ounce!)
$6.75 for the WLP 400 vial of yeast

Maybe this is the wrong forum to discuss recipe costs.....but some people have commented that this was under $20 easy for the whole batch. Why did I just pay $32.84? The only extra on that bill is the ounce of hops that will be saved for the future.
Thanks for any input, and apologies if $$$$$$ should be discussed elsewhere

portlandbeergeek said:

Smooth and malty it shall be! Got the strike water coming up to temp now. I have a quick question about the cost of this recipe. I went to the LHBS, and I think they might be overcharging for their grain. I upped the two row and wheat by a pound each, expecting my usual poor efficency. And hey, nothing wrong with a little extra alcohol if it happens. Here's how the bill breaks down:

6# two row $9.50 ($1.58/#)
5# belgian wheat $8.40 ($1.68/#)
$1.44 for the specialty grain ($1.92/#)
$1 for the flaked wheat
$5.75 for two ounces of hops (only gonna use one ounce!)
$6.75 for the WLP 400 vial of yeast

Maybe this is the wrong forum to discuss recipe costs.....but some people have commented that this was under $20 easy for the whole batch. Why did I just pay $32.84? The only extra on that bill is the ounce of hops that will be saved for the future.
Thanks for any input, and apologies if $$$$$$ should be discussed elsewhere

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That price looks high, but not out of line with a bricks-and-mortar LHB shop. Austin or Midwest are cheaper...but they do a lot bigger web business.

cool, i'll have to look into one of the web-based companies. Thanks for the info BM!

I'm about 15 mins into the boil on this one and it's tasting pretty f'in good! Let's hope i get a decent OG.

just got done brewing this at like 5 this evening overall i think it went pretty good i pitched teh dry yeast that came with it danstar munich just rehydrated and now at 10:30 it is already showing some activity in the airlock, I hit the sg nearly dead on it says 1.043-1.047 and i got 1.042. My only worrys is that I was geting alot of husk in my brew pot even though vorlauf like a gallon and recirculated with my stainless steel braid. and also the other worry is at last minute i grabbed a funnel to drain into the carboy, and guess waht i didnt sanitize it stupid mistake i thought i was over stupid mistakes like that, oh well maybe it didnt get infected

man i think i am gonna have to go put my blow off hose on this thing is about 1 inch from coming out of the carboy

kjones said:

man i think i am gonna have to go put my blow off hose on this thing is about 1 inch from coming out of the carboy

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Might be a good idea.

Here's my last batch.

too late went out back to play with my dog and it is in the airlock and foaming out of the top, can i still just put the blow off on?


well here is a pic

http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/kjones8424/blowoff.jpg

hey bm did you get a chance to look at that pic i posted? it looks a little lighter colored than yours but i did use dry yeast, any seems like the crazy fermentation has subsided but the krausen hasn't fallen, it was very vigourous but didnt last long maybe also bc of dry yeast

kjones said:

hey bm did you get a chance to look at that pic i posted? it looks a little lighter colored than yours but i did use dry yeast, any seems like the crazy fermentation has subsided but the krausen hasn't fallen, it was very vigourous but didnt last long maybe also bc of dry yeast

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Yeah I saw it. Looks like you were on the verge of a real blow off.

If the sides are gooped up with yeast sludge, give the carboy a slight rocking to knock that stuff back into the beer. Sometime enough yeast can beach itself on the wall to cause fermentation to slow down.

BierMuncher said:

Yeah I saw it. Looks like you were on the verge of a real blow off.

If the sides are gooped up with yeast sludge, give the carboy a slight rocking to knock that stuff back into the beer. Sometime enough yeast can beach itself on the wall to cause fermentation to slow down.

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i tryed rockin it and that stuff was stuck didn't even come off a little bit,maybe it just finished real quick. I hope so anyway

BM, me again with another question, I ordered some isinglass to use on this batch but I am not sure how to to use it, but i may not use it bc i was reading that you shouldn't use finings on this style of beer, but anyway it would still be nice to know how to use it. it is just a pouch of jelly looking stuff

I'd say skip it on this batch of brew. The wheat should give a nice cloudy color. Not sure how it would affect the flavor.


Speaking of flavor, i tasted a small bottle of this last night, three days after bottling. Still flatter than a 12 year old girl, but tasted delicious! can't wait for this one to carb

I am giving this a run this weekend and am ordering from AHS. This is my first non-boxed attempt at an extract.

I am using the following(from a previous post ):

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

I am assuming that I should combine the flaked wheat,carmel, and Caravienne malts in a single grain bag and steep those ?
Does this recipe sound right ( it differs from the extract version that BierMuncher posted) ?

Thanks a bunch!
Larry

Biermuncher, for the sake of Begin authenticity, would using Belgin 2-row make enough of a difference? Or just stick with the US?

jacksonbrown said:

Biermuncher, for the sake of Begin authenticity, would using Belgin 2-row make enough of a difference? Or just stick with the US?

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Go with whatever you have. This is not a strict style...but more for public enjoyment.

lrr81765 said:

I am giving this a run this weekend and am ordering from AHS. This is my first non-boxed attempt at an extract.

I am using the following(from a previous post ):

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

I am assuming that I should combine the flaked wheat,carmel, and Caravienne malts in a single grain bag and steep those ?
Does this recipe sound right ( it differs from the extract version that BierMuncher posted) ?

Thanks a bunch!
Larry

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I'd like to hear BierMuncher's opinion (or anyone else for that metter)on this recipe. It looks to me like a PM recipe, and that's right up my ally. I'm pretty much interested in the orignal recipe on this thread, but not capable of AG. In other words I would like to slay my SWMBO with a PM recipe that's similar.

just, opened a bottle of this yesterday, let me tell you this is the best all grain batch i have ever made hands down. This just such a well balanced beer, thanks bm.

kjones said:

just, opened a bottle of this yesterday, let me tell you this is the best all grain batch i have ever made hands down. This just such a well balanced beer, thanks bm.

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Glad you liked it. I need to get a batch of this going again. It makes a nice malty brew for the winter...without the dark grains.

the online stores may be cheaper, but when you need something quick (like a broken hydrometer) you can't beat the LHBS. I am glad i have one within walking distance of the pad.

Hi I just found this thread and it Perfect. I have a whit getting ready to finish in the primary with wpl410 and want something to start on the yeast cake. Man you have a bunch of nice looking recipes! I just shake up the wort and dump on the cake?
Thanks!

milracing said:

Hi I just found this thread and it Perfect. I have a whit getting ready to finish in the primary with wpl410 and want something to start on the yeast cake. Man you have a bunch of nice looking recipes! I just shake up the wort and dump on the cake?
Thanks!

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Dump it right on the cake indeed.

But make sure to rig a blow off tube. The blonde recipe along with that wit yeast can get pretty "exciting".

Do you use anything for priming sugars if you bottle?

jimba009 said:

Do you use anything for priming sugars if you bottle?

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The normal priming sugar blend, 3/4 cup of corn sugar to a five gallon batch.

Just make sure the beer is fully (3+ weeks) fermented.

Thanks again. Its been bubbling. Didn't get a blow off tube but it doesn't seem that vigorous. Hopefully it will be ok. My og was good. Need to get the stuff to do iodine test, for peace of mind

I plan on pitching this onto my cake from the easy wit recipe on this site, but i will still let it ferment for 3+ weeks if that is what you recommend!

Just checked it. Yeast dropped. Gravity went from 1.054 to 1.020 giving abv just under 4.5. Seems pretty darn low. Going to try giving it a swirl. Its been in the primary for 10 days. Bubbling is done to.Wondering if I should just rack it, swirl and check it in a few days, or pitch a bit of dry yeast...... My og was great. I had the same problem with my hoegaarden clone thats in the secondary now. Maybe not getting enough out of my mash, but the og is nice. Maybe just all unfermentable sugar?

Just had the first bottle. I'm not a SWMBO but I'm slayed. Going to make it again. mmmm yummy!

Oh, it slayed the SWMBO by the way

Just made it. +1 for big hit!
Anybody tried to make this with a dry yeast?
How do you think that would be?

milracing said:

Just made it. +1 for big hit!
Anybody tried to make this with a dry yeast?
How do you think that would be?

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Just made a blue moon style wit with s-33 dry yeast.It definitely does not have a belgian yeast type flavor.It's more crisp/clean tasting.More like blue moon than a true belgian like hoegaarden.Danstar has just come out w/ a german wheat beer yeast called Munich.I have a pack but haven't used it yet.It will go in my next wit.

This may be on my spring-time brew list.

2 words...blow off! I had a huge fermentation with this. Tastes great. I just threw this in the keg and it should be ready soon. Cant wait

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?

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

well I just did this today, and my OG was 1.051-52. I am using a CPVC manifold and a 48qt cooler...We shall see.