A Belgian lawn mower. Please critique?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

SnickASaurusRex

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2009
Messages
424
Reaction score
83
Tell me what you think. I'm shooting for a Belgium single, or Belgium pale ale. I also have on hand some Munich, 40L, 120L, Carapils, CaraRed, and maybe some 'B'. I also have several other strains of dry yeast on hand. I am really trying for a Belgian inspired American lawn-mower ale with a slightly elevated abv.

8.5# --- Belgian Pilsener
.5# ---- Belgian Aromatic
.5# ---- Torified wheat
1# ----- Honey

.33 oz --- 60 min --- Magnum
.5 oz ---- 30 min --- Saaz
.5 oz ---- 15 min --- Saaz
1 oz ----- 2 min ---- Saaz

I thought I might add some spices to this one. Maybe some Orange zest, coriander and paradise seed in the last 2 minutes.

152F -- 60 min

90 min boil time.

S-04 @ 66F or T-58 @ 64F

1.055 OG
1.010 FG (predicted)
ABV - 5.8%
SRM - 5
IBU - 24
BU:GU - .40
 
Sounds good to me... The raspberry wheat I did with honey peaked later than sooner. I would make sure to bottle a few and hide them until fall or christmas. Honey ages well for my taste.

Oh, and as your first response, can you sned me a bottle as well? :mug:
 
you have two additions at 30 min... and if you are adding orange zest at flameout or 5 min, maybe you can scale back your hops a la a wit bier?
 
Yeah one is suppose to be at 15 minutes. That is what I meant.

I know what you mean with the orange and lesser hops a la wit, but I like that strong aroma and flavor from Saaz, yummy Saaz.
 
If it were my beer, and I wanted a lawnmower beer, I would drop the gravity a bit, say low 40's.

With what you got, that's a 5.8% beer, a tad more than lawnmower. Something like 1040 finishing around 1005 would be 4.5 and be a touch lighter and drier.
 
If it were my beer, and I wanted a lawnmower beer, I would drop the gravity a bit, say low 40's.

With what you got, that's a 5.8% beer, a tad more than lawnmower. Something like 1040 finishing around 1005 would be 4.5 and be a touch lighter and drier.

Ah you got me there.

Let's try this revision. I dropped 2# and added an alpha stage.

6.5# --- Belgian Pilsener
.5# ---- Belgian Aromatic
.5# ---- Torified wheat
1# ----- Honey

.25 oz --- 60 min --- Magnum
.25 oz ---- 30 min --- Saaz
.25 oz ---- 15 min --- Saaz
.5 oz ----- 2 min ---- Saaz

I thought I might add some spices to this one. Maybe some Orange zest, coriander and paradise seed in the last 2 minutes.

145F -- 30 min
155F -- Until converted

90 min boil time.

S-04 @ 66F or T-58 @ 64F

1.045 OG
1.005 FG (predicted)
ABV - 5.2% (predicted)
SRM - 4
IBU - 17
BU:GU - .44
 
I like the second version better. I agree with z987k (does he have a name? Inquiring minds want to know!) that lower gravity is better.

I think the grist too complicated, however. I'd replace the Aromatic with more Pils and the honey with simple sugar or an invert syrup like Lyle's Golden. Nice and dry, light-bodied and crisp.

You're far better off choosing either spices or late hops. Use both, and neither will come through; it'll just end up muddled. Me, I'd do late hops and save the spices for Witbier.

Beers like this are vehicles for the yeast. Use a distinctly Belgian yeast. I prefer Ardennes for non-Trappist, non-Abbey beers, though Trappist High Gravity is a good, widely-available Belgian yeast.

Cheers!

Bob
 
The Ardennes strain is worth the $6.50 for a smack pack, it makes a VERY good Belgian pale ale. 90% of the flavor of the beer will come from the yeast, so that isn't a good place to cut corners.

Second version, no spices, FTW. That will be a delicious beer!

I highly recommend the Antwerp Ale yeast WLP515 but it is Platinum strain that is a fall seasonal.
 
I like the second version better. I agree with z987k (does he have a name? Inquiring minds want to know!) that lower gravity is better.

I think the grist too complicated, however. I'd replace the Aromatic with more Pils and the honey with simple sugar or an invert syrup like Lyle's Golden. Nice and dry, light-bodied and crisp.

You're far better off choosing either spices or late hops. Use both, and neither will come through; it'll just end up muddled. Me, I'd do late hops and save the spices for Witbier.

Beers like this are vehicles for the yeast. Use a distinctly Belgian yeast. I prefer Ardennes for non-Trappist, non-Abbey beers, though Trappist High Gravity is a good, widely-available Belgian yeast.

Cheers!

Bob

Do I have a name? Why yes I do.

I agree with you though. If it were me, I would go 100% Belgian pils malt with a little bit of a simple sugar and a Belgian yeast to you taste. I don't know how hoppy you like your beer, but I leave a lot of flavor hops out of my Belgians and let the yeast shine. Balance it with bitterness to your taste and then maybe a touch of flavor, but not much.

Again if it were me, here's what I would do... actually I might do this real soon not that I thing about it.
Based on my 78% mash eff.
6.25lbs Belgian Pils
.5lbs clear or a very light amber candy sugar (just make your own from table sugar it's real cheap) Honey would be equally suitable if you already have it.
(1.040OG)
20 IBU's worth of either saaz, stryian goldings, or streisselspalt (aka alsace) or spalt
In this case I would go with 570 because I like the spicyness I get from it, but since the yeast are the biggest part of this beer this is where you really need to chose what you like.

That should ferment down real nice and crisp, leave you with a beer low enough in alcohol you can have 6 without being smashed that will also have a lot of flavor.
 
Do I have a name? Why yes I do.

:D Just a little friendly dig, man.

I agree with you though. If it were me, I would go 100% Belgian pils malt with a little bit of a simple sugar and a Belgian yeast to you taste. I don't know how hoppy you like your beer, but I leave a lot of flavor hops out of my Belgians and let the yeast shine. Balance it with bitterness to your taste and then maybe a touch of flavor, but not much.

Word. This is a good thing. Simple.

That should ferment down real nice and crisp, leave you with a beer low enough in alcohol you can have 6 without being smashed that will also have a lot of flavor.

Again, "Word." :) In fact, if you mash low and slow, you can leave out the sugars entirely and still end up with a well-attenuated, crisp beer with a nice, dry finish.

Cheers!

Bob
 
I brewed a partial mash version of Jamil's Belgian pale ale (recipe linked below) and it is fantastic for a refreshing Belgian ale. My only deviation is that I used a witbier yeast. I agree with the other posters - simple grain bill, no spices, a little bit of flavor hops, and don't skimp on the yeast! Good luck with your batch - I am glad I tried brewing this uncommon style.


Homebrew Beer Recipes: Jamil's Belgian Pale Ale
 
For a moment, I thought that was the same as the De Koninck clone Jamil had in a BYO last year. I brewed that, and DAMN. Yummy as hell, and didn't last long.

Here's that recipe.

Bob
 
Mash it lower at 145*F for 90 minutes. Pitch the yeast at about 60*F and let it get up to 80*. Use a BIG starter, at least a quart but two would be better. It will finish in primary in four days. Cold crash it and rack to a carboy with a packet of knox gelatin which has previousley been mixed properly with a cup of water. Let it condition foe a week or two cold and keg it. I'd make my own invert sugar out of beet sugar instead of wasting money on candi sugar. I think honey will slow down your fermentation as it is more difficult for the yeast to take care of. They will but it will take much longer.
 
I was a little confused at what you were getting at.

No worries.

When I'm agreeing with someone, I like to say, "What Dave said", not "What RH5hY34 said". Seems a bit more personal that way.

That's why I sign my posts. Well, most of the time. Sometimes I forget.

Bob
 
I like your recipe(#2) exactly the way it is except instead of using magnum i would use something more like centennial(for a more citrusy compound) to accentuate the orange zest. too much hop bitterness in the beginning might cancel out any flavors you put in the end so maybe try something like .25 oz centennial(60min) and .50 oz saaz(30min) then add the orange zest at the end. this will produce a more refreshing taste that lawnmowers like.:rockin::mug:
 
No worries.

When I'm agreeing with someone, I like to say, "What Dave said", not "What RH5hY34 said". Seems a bit more personal that way.

That's why I sign my posts. Well, most of the time. Sometimes I forget.

Bob

I see.

Zach
 
Back
Top