Belgian Blond Ale Revvy's Belgian Blonde (Leffe Clone)

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I brewed a 19L batch a little while back, and I'm just now able to start popping the caps off and enjoy. Wow! Your recipe is exactly what I was hoping for. :mug: Thanks!
 
I brewed this following the OP recipe but rounding everything up for easier measurements. Mashed at 158. I haven't advanced to liquid yeast / starters yet so I used Danstar Abbaye dry yeast. Tried keeping it on the cool side with my warming blanket set around 67* F and never got vigorous fermentation, just a few slow airlock bubbles around day 2. I'm trying to be patient, tested it recently after 3+ weeks in primary and it's only down to 1.020. I am anxious to keg this so I ramped the blanket temp up to 72 over the last few days so I'll check it again this week & I'm hoping it drops a bit lower. Samples taste good though!
 
Brewed this a couple of weeks ago. The fermentation was very vigorous, so today at bottling I was very dissapointed to find that the apparent attenuation was only 70%. After a bit of reading I found that it is not unheard of that wlp530 gets stuck unless you let it finish at elevated temperatures. Well, the hydrometer sample tasted nice and very Leffe like but a bit sweet as you might expect. This will be a lesson in yeast management, and I'm sure I'll brew this recipe again.
 
Just bottled after about 5 weeks. Smells great it taste isn't all that pleasant. It's really green. How long does this take to condition and mature in the leg? I'll sample each week but I'm thinking this will need four weeks of cold conditioning ?
 
Just tried my second bottle after 4 weeks in primary and 4 weeks in the bottle. Best batch in my 6 months of brewing, after Centennial Blonde. I can taste lots of clove with a little residual sweetness. No harsh alcohol taste that I had when I tried it last week after three weeks in e bottle. Looking forward to it getting better in the coming weeks. Better than the hefeweizen I got at the Blue and Gray brewpub in Fredericksburg, if I say so myself.
 
Hi guys, I have this Revvy Blonde on the fermenter for 2 weeks now, ready to cold crash and keg it.

Are you guys using gelatin to fine it? Will that take off some of the flavor?

Thanks
 
I've just finished brewing, kegging and conditioning this recipe. It is a great tasting beer! My batch only tastes a tiny bit like Leffe Blonde (and the Belgian Yeast gives a vaguely similar scent), but not to worry. It will still go down a treat!

I'm going to try clarifying it with gelatine over the next few days, see if that helps remove some of the haze.

Next time I make a similar recipe, I may try adding ~20% wheat malt, as I think this is what gives Leffe beers a characteristic Belgian taste.
 
Kegged this recipe today. Cold crashed for 2 days and fined with gelatin for more 2.

Very clear, not crystal clear, but very delicious!

Friends loved. Not always we can enjoy a nice home brew Belgium blonde here in China

Thanks OP for he amazing recipe!!
 
Just made this beer again using 3522 Belgian Ardennes this time. It's only been in bottles a couple weeks, but the clarity is great and the flavor is very good. Great base recipe to use with a Belgian yeast of your choice!
 
Does this look about right for a 10 Gall version of the recipe? I am also using 3SRM Belgian 2 row. I am trying to split the wort into 2 fermenters, 1 as an original and the second racking with fruit in the secondary.

Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 10.00 gal
Boil Size: 12.68 gal
Boil Time: 90 min
End of Boil Vol: 11.18 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 9.25 gal
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage
Date: 10 Oct 2014
Brewer: ILL Omen Brewery
Asst Brewer:
Equipment: Ill Omen Brew Equip
Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 75.8 %
Taste Rating: 30.0
Taste Notes:
Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
22 lbs 3.2 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 88.4 %
15.2 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 2 3.8 %
5.0 oz Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 3 1.2 %
3.3 oz Melanoiden Malt (20.0 SRM) Grain 4 0.8 %
2.69 oz Styrian Goldings [5.40 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 5 24.0 IBUs
1.40 oz Saaz [4.00 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 6 6.5 IBUs
1 lbs 7.2 oz Sugar, Table (Sucrose) [Boil for 15 min](1.0 SRM) Sugar 7 5.8 %
2.0 pkg Trappist High Gravity (Wyeast Labs #3787) [124.21 ml] Yeast 8 -
Gravity, Alcohol Content and Color

Est Original Gravity: 1.068 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 7.3 %
Bitterness: 30.4 IBUs
Est Color: 6.3 SRM
Measured Original Gravity: 0.000 SG
Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Actual Alcohol by Vol: -75.8 %
Calories: 34.4 kcal/12oz
Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Sparge Water: 8.12 gal
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE
Total Grain Weight: 25 lbs 1.8 oz
Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Tun Temperature: 72.0 F
Mash PH: 5.20
Mash Steps
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Mash In Add 29.58 qt of water at 163.7 F 152.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (1.78gal, 6.34gal) of 168.0 F water
Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).
 
I've been making this for a while now, I've tried several others and this one is the best so far. Once I accidentally mixed up the hop additions and actually enjoyed the beer more so that's what I've done ever since.

Thanks for the recipe
 
Revvy, simply just tossed in the wrong hops at the wrong time.


1.36 oz Styrian Goldings [5.40 %] (30 min) Hops 23.4 IBU

0.71 oz Saaz [4.00 %] (60 min) Hops 7.0 IBU

I know this would change the bitterness and hop flavor up quite a bit and there are more factors in why this arrangement works better for me than the original recipe but this makes a nice brew as well.
 
Revvy, I used this recipe as a base to make a pumpkin ale in September of last year. A handful of people said it was the best beer I've ever made. I'm gonna make it again this year.

With your permission I'm planning on posting the recipe and my procedure with the pumpkin and spice, acknowledging that it's yours of course. if really was an amazing base beer for the pumpkin style.
 
I'm still an extract brewer, is there an extract w/ mini-mash recipe that turned out well?
 
stever1000 said:
I'm still an extract brewer, is there an extract w/ mini-mash recipe that turned out well?
Click to expand...

Just replace the two-row with either 7.5 pounds of LME or 6 pounds of DME. Mini-mash the rest of the grains and go on with the recipe, I'd say.
 
I am doing a PM version of this recipe today:
OG: 1.064
IBU: 22.51

Mini-Mash at 158 for 45 minutes in brew kettle with 1.25 qt per # of grain
2.5 # Pilsner
5.5 oz Melanoiden
5.5 oz Biscuit
1 # Munich

Sparge at 168 (by "dunking the grains" in a separate kettle for 10 minutes, then pouring that same water over them into original kettle)

Boil 90 Minutes
6.6 # Pilsner LME (90 min)
2 oz Styrian Goldings - Alpha 3.7 (60 min)
1 oz Saaz -Alpha 3.6 (15 min)
10.6 oz Sugar (15 min)
Yeast Nutrient and Whirlfloc (10 min)

Abbey Ale Yeast (White Labs)

I will let yall know how it turned out in a month or so . . .
 
great recipe, tastes lovely, it's been bottled for 3 weeks and gives a decent head and a nice taste.

I brewed this as a way to have enough 530 for a belgian quad, but it definately is worth it just on it's own merit.

attachment.php
 
BIAB brewer here (not that it makes a difference). I want to brew this next weekend. I've looked at other Belgian Blonde recipes and this is the first one that shows a mash temp of 158. What, if any, difference would it make if I mash at 150-152 for 60 minutes?

Also, the OG shows 1.068 and FG of 1.010. When i entered into brewers friend the OG is 1.061 and FG is 1.017. Would mashing lower reduce the FG?
 
brew703 said:
BIAB brewer here (not that it makes a difference). I want to brew this next weekend. I've looked at other Belgian Blonde recipes and this is the first one that shows a mash temp of 158. What, if any, difference would it make if I mash at 150-152 for 60 minutes?

Also, the OG shows 1.068 and FG of 1.010. When i entered into brewers friend the OG is 1.061 and FG is 1.017. Would mashing lower reduce the FG?
Click to expand...

If you use WLP530, your final gravity will be way below 1.017. This yeast is a monster. Beersmith estimates but obviously cannot predict your FG. I usually get 80-85% attenuation with WLP530.

Higher mash temperature means less fermentable sugars and more body. If you mash at 150-152F, and you add sugar on top of that, and you use WLP530, you'll end up with a very dry beer.
 
brew_darrymore said:
If you use WLP530, your final gravity will be way below 1.017. This yeast is a monster. Beersmith estimates but obviously cannot predict your FG. I usually get 80-85% attenuation with WLP530.

Higher mash temperature means less fermentable sugars and more body. If you mash at 150-152F, and you add sugar on top of that, and you use WLP530, you'll end up with a very dry beer.
Click to expand...

A Belgian Ale is supposed to be dry correct? I do plan on using WLP530 and i plan on adding sugar per recipe.
 
brew703 said:
A Belgian Ale is supposed to be dry correct? I do plan on using WLP530 and i plan on adding sugar per recipe.
Click to expand...

Not that dry. As per BJCP style guidelines,

Belgian Blond Ale Vital Statistics:
OG 1.062 - 1.075
FG 1.008 - 1.016
ABV 6-7.5%


Of course, you can make it as dry as you like, if that's what you prefer.
 
I want to try and keep it as close to the guidelines as possible. Lately my gravities have been up so if I can get 1.015 or so I would be happy.
 
brew703 said:
I've looked at other Belgian Blonde recipes and this is the first one that shows a mash temp of 158. What, if any, difference would it make if I mash at 150-152 for 60 minutes?
Click to expand...

I provided the explanation in the very first post on this thread as to the mash temp. And yes, it would make a difference, it wouldn't be the same beer, it wouldn't taste like mine, it wouldn't have the same body. People always ask, "if I do this, if I substitute this..." And the answer is "then you'd be making a completely different recipe."

Nothing wrong with that, experimentation is fine... But when you want to make a specific recipe, be it food, or assembling a model kit, or building something from plans, if you want to make it exactly as the person intended, then you follow their instructions.

In this case it's a clone of a specific beer. And to approximate the taste of that beer, THIS is what I did to get there... If you want to make a clone then follow my lead... if you want to make a nice Belgian Blonde then tweak to your heart's content.


On National Homebrew Day I brewed a Belgian Beer based on this original recipe, except I wanted to make a Mesquite Smoked Pineapple Belgian Blonde. I changed the hops to Citra because they tend to have to me a pineapple note to them, and I changed the yeast as well (and I don't have my notes here) to a different yeast that when fermented at a certain temp my research said it tends to create a pineapple flavor as well.

Then on Friday I sliced two pineapples up and macerated them overnight in brown sugar. On Saturday I smoked them in a stovetop smoker for 30 minutes with mesquite chips. I tossed the pineapple back into the plastic baggie with the brown sugar pineapple syrup that had formed overnight. Yesterday I sanitized a hop bag and added the pineapple to the fermenter and then poured the syrup in along with it. I'm going to keg it this weekend, and possible throw either that pineapple or perhaps fresh pineapple into my randall and run my beer through it.

Looking forward to trying it. But I know it's not the same beer it's not going to be a clone of Leffe.

This is a great recipe to experiment with, it's a good base. But if you're trying to achieve a close approximation of what I was trying to achieve (and think I did really well with this one...took a lot of trial and error and research) then sticking to the recipe is the way to go.

:mug:
 
Revvy said:
I provided the explanation in the very first post on this thread as to the mash temp. And yes, it would make a difference, it wouldn't be the same beer, it wouldn't taste like mine, it wouldn't have the same body. People always ask, "if I do this, if I substitute this..." And the answer is "then you'd be making a completely different recipe."

Nothing wrong with that, experimentation is fine... But when you want to make a specific recipe, be it food, or assembling a model kit, or building something from plans, if you want to make it exactly as the person intended, then you follow their instructions.

In this case it's a clone of a specific beer. And to approximate the taste of that beer, THIS is what I did to get there... If you want to make a clone then follow my lead... if you want to make a nice Belgian Blonde then tweak to your heart's content.


On National Homebrew Day I brewed a Belgian Beer based on this original recipe, except I wanted to make a Mesquite Smoked Pineapple Belgian Blonde. I changed the hops to Citra because they tend to have to me a pineapple note to them, and I changed the yeast as well (and I don't have my notes here) to a different yeast that when fermented at a certain temp my research said it tends to create a pineapple flavor as well.

Then on Friday I sliced two pineapples up and macerated them overnight in brown sugar. On Saturday I smoked them in a stovetop smoker for 30 minutes with mesquite chips. I tossed the pineapple back into the plastic baggie with the brown sugar pineapple syrup that had formed overnight. Yesterday I sanitized a hop bag and added the pineapple to the fermenter and then poured the syrup in along with it. I'm going to keg it this weekend, and possible throw either that pineapple or perhaps fresh pineapple into my randall and run my beer through it.

Looking forward to trying it. But I know it's not the same beer it's not going to be a clone of Leffe.

This is a great recipe to experiment with, it's a good base. But if you're trying to achieve a close approximation of what I was trying to achieve (and think I did really well with this one...took a lot of trial and error and research) then sticking to the recipe is the way to go.

:mug:
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info Revvy.

Experimentation is all part of the brewing process and I only asked because there are other Leffe clones that I've read where the mash temp was in the low 150's and a mash time of 60 min- Yours show 45 min I believe.

I just got my hands on a 6 pack of Leffe Saturday and that was the first time I ever tasted a Belgian blonde or any Belgian. I did try Stella a couple weeks ago but actually prefer the Leffe.

Before I go ahead and brew this I just wanted to make sure it turns out like a Leffe and not something else. I'm fairly new to brewing and all of my previous brew's were mashed in the low 150's so this would be my first time venturing higher than 154.
 
brew703 said:
I did try Stella a couple weeks ago but actually prefer the Leffe.
Click to expand...


Stella is not a real representative of the Belgian family of beers. It's a lager fermented with lager yeast. Nothing wrong with that, of course.

Belgian blonde, pale ale, and strong dark ales are brewed with Belgian ale yeast strains, producing clove and pepper flavour profiles.

And don't be afraid to go higher with your mash temperature. 154F is not even that high.
 
I'll go ahead and brew as the recipe states. Don't like making changes on a first brew. Just wasn't sure on the mash temps.
 
my batch is almost gone, and it was a great succes taste wise.

Just one thing, has anyone else noticed this beer travels bad? the few bottles i've given to friends to take home have always turned out to be geysers, even though none of the ones at home were and they did rest them for several days in the fridge.
 
Incase anyone is looking for a metric version of this (hops and grain as available) I did it up on Brewtoad

Thinking of trying Mangrove Jack's M47 - Belgian Abbey (dry yeast). Does anyone have any experience or should I stay with the liquid?

Or if anyone can recommend any of the other dry Abbey yeasts?

Edit: I see the dry yeast question has already been discussed
 
BandonBrewingCo said:
Incase anyone is looking for a metric version of this (hops and grain as available) I did it up on Brewtoad

Thinking of trying Mangrove Jack's M47 - Belgian Abbey (dry yeast). Does anyone have any experience or should I stay with the liquid?

Or if anyone can recommend any of the other dry Abbey yeasts?

Edit: I see the dry yeast question has already been discussed
Click to expand...

I'm curious about Safbrew Abbaye Yeast. Here's a comparison article between it and Belle Saison yeast for a saison.
 
BandonBrewingCo said:
Thinking of trying Mangrove Jack's M47 - Belgian Abbey (dry yeast). Does anyone have any experience or should I stay with the liquid?

Or if anyone can recommend any of the other dry Abbey yeasts?
Click to expand...

I am very curious about the Mangrove Jack's Abbey yeast, and have thought about trying it in a Dubbel. If you decide to try it, let us know how it turns out!
I have used Danstar's Abbaye yeast in a dark strong belgian, and wasn't too impressed.
 
I brewed a nearly identical recipe last weekend which I found on beersmith. I pitched Safbrew Abbaye because it's what I had. Hoping for the best.

Also did a step mash with Protein rest and mash at 152...
 
GurraG said:
I am very curious about the Mangrove Jack's Abbey yeast, and have thought about trying it in a Dubbel. If you decide to try it, let us know how it turns out!
I have used Danstar's Abbaye yeast in a dark strong belgian, and wasn't too impressed.
Click to expand...

Will do

griffi said:
I brewed a nearly identical recipe last weekend which I found on beersmith. I pitched Safbrew Abbaye because it's what I had. Hoping for the best.

Also did a step mash with Protein rest and mash at 152...
Click to expand...

Let us know how it turns out!
 

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