Belgian Triple Help

[Hopper31]

I am going to brew a Belgian Triple this weekend and I went to the LHSS and I picked up the wrong yeast I picked up the WLP029 German Ale/ Kölsch Yeast. Should I go back and get the WPL500 Trappist Ale Yeast or just give the German Ale yeast a shot? Here is the recipe I will be following:


Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 6.31 gal
Estimated OG: 1.072 SG
Estimated Color: 11.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 9.7 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
8 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 61.54 %
2 lbs Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain 15.38 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 11.54 %
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 3.85 %
0.05 oz Styrian Goldings [5.40 %] (90 min) Hops 0.9 IBU
0.75 oz Styrian Goldings [5.40 %] (15 min) Hops 6.3 IBU
1.00 oz Strisslespalt [4.00 %] (5 min) Hops 2.5 IBU
1 lbs Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) Sugar 7.69 %


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body
Total Grain Weight: 12.00 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Full Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
45 min Mash In Add 15.00 qt of water at 173.8 F 158.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 6.00 qt of water at 197.6 F 168.0 F

 

[Ó Flannagáin]

I suspect this would be a really tasty beer with the kolsch yeast, but it won't be a tripel.

 

[DeathBrewer]

WLP550 is my favorite for strong belgian ales. You could also forget the candi sugar...all it's going to add is alcohol and it's expensive. Maybe use some table sugar, brown sugar or even corn sugar.

I'd put the gravity up a bit, too, but that's just me

Looks good

 

[Hopper31]

Thanks I have never used any kind of sugar. Does the candi sugar have any finishing flavor over table, corn or brown sugar?

 

[DeathBrewer]

none from what i've read or experienced.

 

[Ó Flannagáin]

Actually, I'd be carful about that. Table sugar can leave a "tang" that is undesirable. Similar to prison hooch. Go with the candi sugar, or even turbinado (which you can get at the grocery store) if you are going to add sugar.

 

[mrkristofo]

Candi sugar is the way to go in my experience using it both during fermentation and priming.

You're definitely going to want the belgian yeast, though. WLP530 has worked well for me. Great EtOH tolerance and spicy/fruitiness. just make sure you pitch one helluva starter in a beer of that gravity, and aerate the bujeezus out of.

 

[DeathBrewer]

sorry, meant cane sugar, not table. the flavor for belgian candi sugar is exactly the same.

 

[Evan!]

Yeah, I'm definitely gonna use candi sugar on my upcoming Tripel Twins Showdown. There's a reason they use it. It gives you extra alcohol without any kind of twang or cidery taste. It ferments out very cleanly. I might drop my amounts down a little and use some dextrose just to keep the costs down, but the majority will still be candi.

And no, don't call it a tripel if you're using kolsch yeast.

 

[iamjonsharp]

Make your own inverted candi sugar! You can do it with cane sugar and acid (such as lemon juice). Costs basically the same as regular sugar (just takes about an hour to make). The longer you carmelize it the darker it gets. Do a search here on the forums (invert sugar, candi sugar) and you'll find links to how to do it. I made 3 lbs of it a couple of weeks ago it was simple.

 

[Hopper31]

Should my starter be as high as the beer?? or around 1.060

 

[iamjonsharp]

The closer OG of the starter is to the OG of your beer the better.

 

[mrkristofo]

Make the starter around 1.040-1.060. Simple way to do it: 3 cups water + 3oz DME + 3/4tsp yeast nutrient.

 

[Hopper31]

I will give that a try tonight. I am going to go get the WLP500 I am making this for a party so that way i can keep my german yeast and make a ALT next week.

 

[mrkristofo]

If you want, I have a starter of WLP530 going right now. I'd be happy to pitch a bit of that into a starter for you.

 

[Hopper31]

Dang i just got back from the beer nut. What was the OG of your starter?

 

[mrkristofo]

1.044. I made up a batch of 22oz bottles with 500mL starter each. I used 2 bottles on this starter.