The Grand Cru 500

Sunday, while watching the Daytona 500 on tv, I brewed a Belgian Grand Cru recipe that I lifted from BYO magazine. It was from Worth Brewing in Iowa.
I increase the sugar and honey in the recipe because Iowa has an ABV limit that I wanted to pass.

10.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 80.00 %
0.50 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 4.00 %
0.25 lb Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 2.00 %
1.20 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] (60 min) Hops 19.2 IBU
0.50 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] (45 min) Hops 7.4 IBU
1.00 lb Honey (1.0 SRM) Sugar 8.00 %
0.75 lb Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) Sugar 6.00 %
1 Pkgs Belgian Ale (Wyeast Labs #1214) Yeast-Ale


Kind of a pain to brew as I had never done a 3 step mash. I was trying to raise the temps by just tossing a little boiling water in at a time. After I finished I realize I had my Beersmith set on Temp mash instead of Infusion Mash.

Well despite that I still nailed my OG of 1.070. I have never nailed an OG on any of my brews, so I was surprised that the one I had the most trouble with was dead on.

Go figure

It shall be called the "Grand Cru 500"

kegged it tonight.. FG 1.009 :rockin:



It's gonna be good

This is a great style. Tell us how it turns out!

The beer turned out awesome! Got alot of compliments on this one....
I'll be brewing it again!

You said that you used a 3 step mash. Could you elaborate. What rest stages, and times.
I use a two step (Alpha, Beta) sometimes, if I want a highly fermentable wort, but I just have not bothered with any other steps. I might try it sometime.

This looks like something I might like.

Protein rest at 137 degrees for 10 minutes.

Saccharification rest at 151 degrees for 50 minutes.

Dextrin rest at 158 degrees for 10 minutes.

Ferment at 65 degrees, then let rise to 75 degrees.