Royal Belgian Stout.

Coined by Black Albert this is a style that I want to brew. But I'm not so sure about my recipe. Any input would be great, but mostly I am seeking advice on hopping and yeast choices.

20# Maris Otter
1# Special B
1# Roasted Barley
1/2# Carafa II or Chocolate

1.5 oz Warrior hops @ 60
1oz saaz or EKG @ 10
For about 55 IBU

Mash at 150
OG ~ 1.100
FG ~ 1.025

WLP550 Belgian Ale. Same as the Wyeast Belgian Ardennes (3522).

I want to have the roast malt and spicy yeast flavors to be the highlight of this brew. Hops should take a back seat. I will be brewing a Belgian pale first for the yeast cake.

Would carafa II or Chocolate be better, would it even make a difference?

I choose warrior hops because they offer clean bitterness, any thoughts on that?

Cheers and Thanks.

Looks good, but I have a question. Is there a reason for marris otter over something more " traditional" like pils? Are you looking for a larger malt presence.
I love the EKG addition.
Cheers

No real reason, other than I use MO for all my stouts. Its a habit by now, and I really like the results.

Why EKG over Saaz?

I find the EKG to be a more appealing finish for my stout's. I guess what we are attempting to determine...... do you want more british stout or more Belgian???

they always say there is more then 1 way to skin a cat......

At the risk of being obvious, the thread's title is "Royal Belgian Stout".

Just sayin'.

I think your grist is pretty good. I'd definitely opt for Chocolate for a broader spectrum of roasted flavors.

Also agree on the bittering schedule. I wouldn't bother with flavor additions. Don't get hops flavor in the way of the roasted grains and the yeast.

I absolutely ADORE Ardennes, and think it's an excellent yeast for this beer. Unfortunately, I don't think WLP550 is anything like Ardennes, but that might be my palate at work.

Good luck!

Bob

I have never used the WLP550, but I have used Wyeast 3522 and loved it.

Mind shedding a little light on the differences?

What temp would you ferment at, I want that spiciness, but I don't want too much, so I was thinking start it at 68 and let it get into the low 70s after a day or two.

You know, I can't quite quantify the difference. It's just different somehow. It just doesn't taste the same. I never did a side-by-side, which is my error. But my notes indicate a perceived difference. I wonder how much of that is psychosomatic...

At any rate, I prefer to start it at ~65F and let it ramp up to where ever it likes to stop. Belgian yeasts have been known to stall if you attempt to control the top end of fermentation temperature, and I've never been keen to find myself in that situation. Flavor has never suffered from that technique in my brewery.

Regards,

Bob