4 lbs table sugar in Belgian Tripel -- am I crazy?

[Bogs]

My grandmother passed last year and she had a few phrases that she'd repeat -- one of them was "That's Not Necessary"

My cousin, who is hosting thanksgiving, asked me to brew a beer for the party (if covid cooperates, that is) named "That's Not Necessary." Her only stipulations were that it's ridiculously high in alcohol but still drinkable, and has one other thing that is completely extra (read "not necessary).

I decided to brew a belgian tripel on my brewer's edge mash and boil. Here's the recipe:

6 gallons (5 in keg, 1 in bottles)


16lb Briess Pilsen -- Single infusion mash @148 for 75 mins

90min boil

4 lbs of table sugar (added w/10 mins left in boil)

1 oz orange peel w/10 min left in boil

1.5 oz styrian goldings @ 60
1,5 oz SG @ 30
1 oz @ flameout

Yeast blend of WLP 530 abbey ale and WLP 590 French Saison w/ starter

I also may substitute 1-2 pounds of Cara8 malt for the pilsner malt for color. not sure yet.

My question: I've seen brewing advice that says "Up to 20% of fermentables should be sugar" but also "no more than two pounds"

If I pitch this yeast with a healthy starter, would this recipe work? or will this much sugar in a 6 gallon batch make the beer too hot? Should I only use 2 pounds in the boil and add the rest gradually as fermentation progresses?

Any advice would be great. Thanks in advance!

 

[shoengine]

For Belgians I added my sugar (beet) in primary.

It did get a little hot even with merely two pounds.

Also... orange peel?

 

[Bogs]

For Belgians I added my sugar (beet) in primary.

It did get a little hot even with merely two pounds.

Also... orange peel?

one of my favorite beers from Missing Mountain Brewing Company used orange zest in their Tripel Smell My Fingers - Missing Mountain Brewing Co. | Photos - Untappd

did you use a starter for your brew?

 

[Velnerj]

Why don't you just use belgian candy sugar at 2lbs or less. Totally not necessary when you could just use table sugar....

 

[Miraculix]

How long are you planning to age it? Big beers need time...

 

[Alan Reginato]

Boil it and Add after high krausen. There's articles suggesting that simple sugars, in the growing phase, while there's still a lot of FAN in the wort, increase production of fusel oils.

I was reading this article today, check out the graphics, where the glicose consumption rate are direct correlated to increased consumption of FAN and formation of fusel. In the 50th hour you can see it clear.

Cheers!

 

[AlexKay]

Use less sugar to avoid any possible fermentation problems. Then add a bottle of vodka when you’re done. The vodka, well … it’s not necessary.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

I decided to brew a belgian tripel

My question: I've seen brewing advice that says "Up to 20% of fermentables should be sugar" but also "no more than two pounds"

If I pitch this yeast with a healthy starter, would this recipe work? or will this much sugar in a 6 gallon batch make the beer too hot? Should I only use 2 pounds in the boil and add the rest gradually as fermentation progresses?

Short answer, yes the 4 lbs will work, although probably about 5% of fermentables higher than what Westmalle uses in their amazing Tripel.

Longer answer, below is a snapshot of the Westmalle Tripel recipe from "Brew Like a Monk". 4 pounds of 20 pounds of fermentables is 20%, so in the ball park but on the high side. Reducing the amount by 5% of fermentables will put it more in line with the 15% referenced in the recipe below.

My single experience with WLP 530 in my recipe and mash plan below (3 gal batch), a Belgian Tripel with 14.25% table sugar added to the kettle, with a highly fermentable mash plan, hit 1.006 from an OG of 1.074. Also I underpitched the yeast based on what Westmalle uses for its pitching rate and oxygenated my wort well. So, based on a single point of data (so not worth very much), the yeast performed admirably, even with the sugar added to boil. As far as too hot - running your recipe and target 6 gallon batch (assuming packaged) with an OG of 1.081 and FG of 1.009 through my system/program, and targeting 15% of fermentables for table sugar, I would expect to need about 15lbs of pilsner malt and 2.7 lbs of table sugar and will yield an ABV of 9.5%. Given your efficiency will be different to mine, then the pounds seem reasonable for a very high gravity, high abv beer like a Tripel. Will it be too hot meaning high in alcohol, well 9.5 is certainly ok for the style, and WLP530 can handle it, just let it the temp rise slowly, never backwards, but definitely not sessionable.

One last comment - 530 is a beast and will crawl out of anything - use a blowoff - and give it time to finish the last few points