Belgian Dark Strong Ale Dirty Monk Belgian Dark Strong Ale

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ohiobrewtus

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
7,762
Reaction score
75
Location
Ohio
Recipe Type
All Grain
Yeast
WLP570
Yeast Starter
slurry
Batch Size (Gallons)
5.5
Original Gravity
1.080
Final Gravity
1.012
Boiling Time (Minutes)
90
IBU
22.8
Color
18.4
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
21 @ 68
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
21 @ 68
Tasting Notes
see below
BeerSmith Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Dirty Monk Dark Strong Ale
Brewer: ohiobrewtus
Asst Brewer:
Style: Belgian Dark Strong Ale
TYPE: All Grain


Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 8.04 gal
Estimated OG: 1.081 SG
Estimated Color: 18.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 22.8 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes


Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 37.50 %
5.00 lb Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 31.25 %
1.00 lb Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain 6.25 %
1.00 lb Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 6.25 %
1.00 lb Wheat, Torrified (1.7 SRM) Grain 6.25 %
0.50 lb Melanoiden Malt (20.0 SRM) Grain 3.13 %
0.50 lb Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 3.13 %
2.00 oz Saaz [4.00 %] (60 min) Hops 22.8 IBU
1.00 lb Sugar, Table (Sucrose) (1.0 SRM) Sugar 6.25 %
1 Pkgs Belgian Golden Ale (White Labs #WLP570) Yeast-Ale

Mash Schedule: Double Infusion, Medium Body

Total Grain Weight: 15.00 lb
----------------------------
Double Infusion, Medium Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
45 min Protein Rest Add 3.38 gal of water at 132.1 F 122.0 F
35 min Saccrification Add 3.00 gal of water at 197.3 F 154.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 2.63 gal of water at 205.6 F 168.0 F

I brewed my Belgian Pale Ale with WLP570 and pitched 7.5 oz of slurry from that cake into this batch.

When krausen begins to drop (about 2-3 days), boil 1# sucrose, 1# DME in 1/2 gallon of water for 15 minutes, cool to 60F then pitch into fermenter. The OG of the step wort should be about 1.180. I'm not completely sure what the abv of this beer is but from the taste I'd estimate that it is around 12%. If anyone knows a good way to estimate this given the steps that I have laid out here, please let me know.

Tasting notes and reviews to follow.

I'll give this a formal review when I have more time, but I could not be more pleased with this beer. It is very much along the lines of Chimay Blue.
 
9-8-08002.jpg
Here are a couple pics, with a promised review to follow soon (one by me and one by Evan, who received one of these late last week).

Of course, you've got to drink a beer like this from a chalice. :D
9-8-08001.jpg
 
Did you and Evan ever get around to reviewing this beer? I'm formulating a Belgian Dark recipe and would love to hear how this one turned out.
 
No, but now that I've been reminded I'll try to do a review of it tonight.
 
Aroma: There is a mild fruity apple presence surrounded by dark fruit and a bit of lingering sweetness. There is no discernable hop presence and no noticable alcohol.

Appearance: Nice pffft upon opening. Pours a deep amber color giving about a 1 finger head in my goblet that dissipates fairly quickly.

Flavor: The sweetness and fruity esters of the nose continue into the palate, and provide a nice balance with the dark fruit and the deep pilsner taste. As the beer warms there is a mild alcohol hotness in the finish that, while certainly not everwhelming, provices a nice, slight warming finish to this beer. Little to no diacytl, no DMS.

Mouthfeel: High carbonation makes this feel like a full bodied beer. Carbonated slightly above 3.0 volumes as this style should be.

Overall Impression: This is a very good beer. One of my best so far. I will be sending a few of these out to a few folks for reviews to see if it's as good as I think it is. If you like the BDSA style you will not be disappointed with this.

To clarify, I had to add a step addition a couple of days into fermentation because I got some pils with a SG of about 1.015 (I ran 2 tests to verify this). Thankfully I took a gravity reading and saw how far off it was and was able to step it up. The bad thing is that I don't have a way to measure exactly what the abv of this beer is but when I make it again I will use the same method that I did with this one.

Using WLP570 is optional as there are plenty of other strains that would fit this beer as well, but I would highly recommend this strain.
 
Does the step wort need to be done or can I just add that to the intial brew.
 
why such a long protein rest? I have been reading that protein rest over 30 minutes kills the head on a beer. Any thoughts about yours
 
Does the step wort need to be done or can I just add that to the intial brew.

If you want to, you can just up the amount of grain you use initially.

why such a long protein rest? I have been reading that protein rest over 30 minutes kills the head on a beer. Any thoughts about yours

No reason in particular. I've done a single infusion on this beer as well and I was happier with the results of this batch and the step infusion. Head retention is normal, and this batch seems to have a stronger pils taste to it.
 
I think this is going to be the next beer I'll brew. Im a big fan of Belgian Darks.


ohiobrewtus- is this anything like Unibroue- Chambly Noire?
 
I think this is going to be the next beer I'll brew. Im a big fan of Belgian Darks.


ohiobrewtus- is this anything like Unibroue- Chambly Noire?

I've never had the beer you're askign me about, but it's a damn fine beer in its own right.
 
Thinking about brewing this. What grain would you recommend increasing to eliminate the need for the step mash? I was thinking about upping the Pilsner 2-Row to 7lbs and the Vienna Malt to 6lbs... input?
 
A step mash isn't even necessary. I've brewed this recipe with a single infusion and with a protein rest. Both turned out well.
 
I plugged the recipe into BS and it comes up a little low on OG. it shoes 1.077OG and color at 17.3. What was the point of adding those ingredients at drop of krausen?
 
I'm not sure. I could have made some adjustments on the fly, or had some settings (SRM, etc) incorrect in the version of Beersmith that I was running at the time. I If you want to bump them up, I would recommend increasing the base grain slightly.

As for the addition I made:

To clarify, I had to add a step addition a couple of days into fermentation because I got some pils with a SG of about 1.015 (I ran 2 tests to verify this). Thankfully I took a gravity reading and saw how far off it was and was able to step it up.

I've made this beer a few times since I posted the recipe, utilizing the original recipe with a few tweaks here and there, and a single infusion mash at 154/155 and been pleased with the results..
 
Think I am going to run this as is. This was factoring a efficiency of 70% (on my part). I will do a 155'F mash and see how that turns out. Thanks.
 
I'd really like to try this but it will be my first time step mashing and I dont fully understand the discription:

Double Infusion, Medium Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
45 min Protein Rest Add 3.38 gal of water at 132.1 F 122.0 F
35 min Saccrification Add 3.00 gal of water at 197.3 F 154.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 2.63 gal of water at 205.6 F 168.0 F

First of all, are you still adding the normal amount of strike water at the beginning of the mash (1 liter per pound of grain)? And what are the temp ranges on each line (132.1F 122.0F)? I finally have a system that will allow me to step mash but I haven't done it yet. I would definitely appreciate any guidance.

Thanks!
 
Any advice for fermenting a Belgian dark ale?

I'm about to make an ale mostly based on a 'Brewing Classic Styles' recipe (pp. 244-246) and plan to ferment beginning at 68 deg. and slowly raising to 72 deg.

Do you condition at all in secondary? Another BDSA recipe I looked at conditioned in the secondary for 5 weeks at 75 deg before bottling.

I was also going to add 1# of Dark Belgian Candi Syrup during high krausen to give the yeast a chance to conver the more complex sugars first. Have you ever used syrup?

Thanks in advance!!
 
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