Belgian Dark Strong Ale The Rabbi (pseudo-clone of Avery's The Reverend) -- Belgian Quad

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heywolfie1015

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Messages
523
Reaction score
13
Location
Los Angeles
Recipe Type
All Grain
Yeast
Wyeast 3787
Yeast Starter
Most definitely
Batch Size (Gallons)
5.5
Original Gravity
1.092
Final Gravity
1.02
Boiling Time (Minutes)
60
IBU
21
Color
14 SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
14 at 68F, moving up to 70\'s
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
21-42 in low 70\'s
Additional Fermentation
Bottle condition as long as you want
Tasting Notes
Rich, complex, fruity, and malty. This one is just a fantastic-tasting toe curler.
Ingredients

14.00 lb Belgian pale
0.25 lb Caramel 40L
0.25 lb Caramel 15L
0.25 lb CaraVienne
0.25 lb CaraPils
0.25 lb Belgian Special "B"

2.00 lb Belgian candi sugar, amber (added 1 lb. at a time during primary fermentation, see below)

Hops

1.3 oz Styrian Golding (60 min.)

Yeast

2L starter of Wyeast 3787. You want to make sure to have a large amount on hand when you pitch.

Process

  • Mash at 149-150 for 90 minutes in order to maximize fermentability and conversion. I listened to an interview with Adam Avery, who swore that they only do single infusion mashes. (If it ain't broke...)
  • Sparge at 170F. I personally batch sparge, but do whatever makes you feel most comfortable.
  • Do not add the candi syrup at the boil. Instead, add 1 lb. 24 hours after pitching, and the final 1 lb. 48 hours after pitching. This will insure that the yeast is not overloaded and will reduce "hot" alcohol flavors.

Notes

I really love this beer. Seriously complex, fruity, and malty, it's the kind of Belgian Strong Ale that makes someone sit up and take notice...and then sit back, relax, and love life. Although this started out as a clone experiment, it morphed slightly into just a darn tasty Quad. Hope you enjoy.

EDIT: the instructions are a little unclear regarding primary fermentation. You should pitch at 68 and keep it there for the first day, but then start ramping up to the 70's and even 80's shortly thereafter. The higher temps are crucial to getting that unique Belgian Quad taste.
 
You have the Avery process right, they start fermentation a little higher though, and let it get pretty warm towards the end, you will get a great yeast flavor from 3787, minimal fusels, and dryer finish that way as well.
 
You have the Avery process right, they start fermentation a little higher though, and let it get pretty warm towards the end, you will get a great yeast flavor from 3787, minimal fusels, and dryer finish that way as well.

Yeah, I definitely think the next time I make this, it could stand to go into higher temps during primary fermentation. I have to tell you, though, the 68-74 batch I have now tastes pretty amazing, as is.
 
Ohhh. Ok. I was forgetting the crash cool part and just imagining pitching that much starter would change the beer too much.
That makes way more sense.

Do you think any of the dried yeasts would yield a comparable result?
I want to try a really small batch of this.
 
Do you think any of the dried yeasts would yield a comparable result?
I want to try a really small batch of this.

Honestly, I don't think so. Reason for that is because this beer really derives a large part of its unique flavor from the yeast. If you are going to make a small batch, though, one package of 3787 might do the trick by itself.
 
Question about that starter calculator. I usually do 1L starters and forget about decanting, never really taste it, especially when brewing fuller bodied ales. Is the # of liters of starter required what they recommend pitching, or would that be the original volume before decanting?
 
Question about that starter calculator. I usually do 1L starters and forget about decanting, never really taste it, especially when brewing fuller bodied ales. Is the # of liters of starter required what they recommend pitching, or would that be the original volume before decanting?

I always understood that to be the volume before decanting.
 
Here, this should work better:

4597322376


4597322326
 
I used your recipe as inspiration for a 10 gallon batch I did a couple of weeks ago. My final abv is close to 12%! I think my mash temps were on the low side. It is still aging but even now it tastes really good other than the booze smack you get with the first sip. It should be a nice warmer as the weather gets colder. Thanks!
 
Targeting 10gal final product (any comments on the recipe?) I had to make some minor mods/subs:

26 lb Belgian Pale
1/2lb each of Caramel 40L, Caramel 15L, CaraVienne, Cara Pils, Belgian Special "B"
3 oz Styrian Golding (might use 2.5 oz)
4 lb Belgian candi sugar
White Labs Abbey Ale WLP530 (2 vials in a starter)


One question:

The Belgian sugar I bought looks like rock candy. Are you really splashing that into actively fermenting beer?

I mentioned the recipe process in the OP to the owner of my LHBS and he thought that was strange.

I'm wondering if I should:
1-reduce my pre boil volume so I finish with 8 gal (split in 2 carboys), then
2-boil the candi on the stove with 2gal water then
3-cool it and add 1/4 gal to each carboy after 24hrs &
4-add the other 1/4 gal per carboy at 48 hrs.

Am I over thinking it?
 
No responses so maybe Im talking to myself but I will update anyway.

I brewed this up yesterday. I started with 9gal but did a 90 min boil and lost a full 2gal in boil-off. I split it so 3.5 gal in each carboy.

I boiled 4 gal of water just enough to sanitize and disolve 4 lbs of Belgian candi sugar. My LHBS didnt have amber so I used 2 light and 2 dark. Once it cooled, I sanitized a siphon and pumped it back into the 4 "milk jugs" to cool completely.

Once the fermentation is rolling strong--either tonight or tomorrow AM, I will add one gal each to the carboys...and again after 48 hrs. Pretty excited to see how this turns out.
 
Avery and The Rev are some of my personal favs. Fantastic Quad. That being said, I'd like to have a run at a recreation....but I'm still pretty new to the homebrew scene and not geared for all-grain. Is there a way you can figure out from a given grain recipe a reasonable facsimile (long hand, reference tables, software, etc) using extracts? I don't see myself getting into AG for a while!
 
I think the problem is the limited types of extract. It is like reproducing a complex dish from a good restaurant, using limited ingredients from a small grocery store.

that said, I think some of the brewing software will do those conversions for you to get as close as possible.


BTW, my batch has that band aid home brew taste...pretty disappointing. first time that has happened to me since switching to AG. from what i can find, this particular off flavor is usually caused by Belgian yeast strains and/or bad temp control during fermentation.
 
any suggestions on the software that does conversions and handles them well.... few beer proggies out there on the interwebs....
 
There is a Brewing Software forum. I would start with the 7 pages in the sticky thread that describe all of the different programs and what they do.
 
I think the problem is the limited types of extract. It is like reproducing a complex dish from a good restaurant, using limited ingredients from a small grocery store.

that said, I think some of the brewing software will do those conversions for you to get as close as possible.


BTW, my batch has that band aid home brew taste...pretty disappointing. first time that has happened to me since switching to AG. from what i can find, this particular off flavor is usually caused by Belgian yeast strains and/or bad temp control during fermentation.
i've been under the impression that bandaid/medicine was chlorophenols. you would have to have a chlorine source somewhere. water filter on its way out, unrinsed bleach sanitizer, stuff like that.
 
i've been under the impression that bandaid/medicine was chlorophenols. you would have to have a chlorine source somewhere. water filter on its way out, unrinsed bleach sanitizer, stuff like that.

You could def be right but I always seemed to get that off flavor from extract batches, even living in two very different regions.

I will say that this is the first time the flavor subsided over a couple weeks and it turned into a real crowd pleaser.
 
1.020 is a heck of a beer!

I'm interested in trying this, is that FG accurate? I really like Delirium for its dryness, I'd imagine this is a total different beast.
 

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