dry hopping a belgian strong ale?

[McGlothan]

Hi,

I was wondering of anyone has ever dry hopped a belgian strong ale. I have a dark belgian strong ale in primary that I made for my girlfriend. I am blood type IPA though. I was wondering if a dry hopped belgian would be good. Or, is there anything above and beyond to add to a belgian if hops aren't a good idea. I know its all about preference but has anyone done this and been very pleased with the outcome?

Thanks,

Shawn

 

[worksnorth]

I suffer the exact same symptoms as yourself, blood type IPA. I've wondered the same question and thought about dry hopping my belgians but have forced myself not to. People seem to enjoy the Belgians like they are so I've always left them alone, figured that if I did dry hop them then I'd have a Belgian IPA. Might as well just do an IPA!! lol Anyway, DO IT. Dry hop it! Let us know what it ends up tasting like.

 

[WilliamWS]

I'd say if you want to lightly dry hop with a noble hop you'll be fine. Not really typical to the style but fine.

Having said that, IMHO strong Belgian yeast character and strong American hop character don't mesh well. A lot of "Belgian IPA's" are not good-too many strong hop and yeast flavors and aromas fighting each other.
On the other hand, if you use restraint on both counts you can make a very nice beer.
For Belgian/American hybrids I like to use WLP550 (Achouffe yeast) and ferment a little lower than I usually would on a straight up Belgian beer. I also like to use either a blend of noble and American hops or use American grown versions of noble hops.

And don't go overboard. You want balance. If you want really in-your-face American hop aroma/flavor I'd suggest brewing one of the half-dozen or so American style beers where it really works.
But, then again, that's just my opinion.

 

[afr0byte]

I'd say don't dry hop. The beer is all about the alcohol and dark fruit flavors.

 

[McGlothan]

I have only done pale ales and ipas in the past. this would be my first belgian. I do see how using a noble hop or a spalt hop variety would make sense. I didn't think about the intense american hop character being really intense along with the belgian yeast. I am ok with brewing it as it is supposed to be according to the style. But, i feel anything extra that can be done to enhance your beer in secondary is well worth it because it is so easy to do, and I love hops. I used mt. hood hops instead of hersbrucker hops because I was told it is the same. It is the american version of the same hops as far as I could gather. Maybe I will dry hop with this variety and see what happens. I have a friend in denver who is growing mt. hood hops and has some for me just in time to use the fresh hops in secondary. Could be interesting

 

[Calder]

Houblon Chouffe is supposedly dry hopped with Amarillo. I've made a clone of it, and it's pretty good.

 

[afr0byte]

Houblon Chouffe is supposedly dry hopped with Amarillo. I've made a clone of it, and it's pretty good.

Huh, if it is dry hopped with amarillo it must be very lightly dry hopped, or the dry hops have mostly aged out by the time the bottles get here. I've had it both on draft and in a bottle. Plus, that's a pale beer.

 

[afr0byte]

I have only done pale ales and ipas in the past. this would be my first belgian. I do see how using a noble hop or a spalt hop variety would make sense. I didn't think about the intense american hop character being really intense along with the belgian yeast. I am ok with brewing it as it is supposed to be according to the style. But, i feel anything extra that can be done to enhance your beer in secondary is well worth it because it is so easy to do, and I love hops. I used mt. hood hops instead of hersbrucker hops because I was told it is the same. It is the american version of the same hops as far as I could gather. Maybe I will dry hop with this variety and see what happens. I have a friend in denver who is growing mt. hood hops and has some for me just in time to use the fresh hops in secondary. Could be interesting

I'd suggest trying the recipe as is, especially since it's for your girlfriend (I suppose she could be a hop head...but then I don't know why you'd be brewing her a dark strong ale).

 

[McGlothan]

She is not a hop head. I am. That is why Im trying to find a happy medium. She barely drinks. When she does, she likes a 1 or 2 strong belgians or wheats. I don't want to brew a wheat. I can appreciate a traditional belgian beer. I figured it would be fun to take it a step further though.

 

[afr0byte]

She is not a hop head. I am. That is why Im trying to find a happy medium. She barely drinks. When she does, she likes a 1 or 2 strong belgians or wheats. I don't want to brew a wheat. I can appreciate a traditional belgian beer. I figured it would be fun to take it a step further though.

Well, you're going to want to age the beer for a couple months, so you won't get much hop flavor/aroma anyways. At the very least I'd wait to taste it first.

 

[McGlothan]

Thats true, but dry hopping might just add the touch Im looking for. I will taste it when I check my FG and go from there. I forgot I get to sample along the way

 

[WilliamWS]

Yeah, I'd just finish up as is then maybe make your next brew a hybrid that's actually designed to be one.
Also, one area where you can get creative with Belgians that does work with the prominent yeast flavors is the use of variuos spices.

 

[afr0byte]

Like others have said. I'd go with something like saaz if you insist on dry hopping.

 

[beergolf]

Well, you're going to want to age the beer for a couple months, so you won't get much hop flavor/aroma anyways. At the very least I'd wait to taste it first.

My thoughts exactly. If you age a Belgian, which most of us do to get the best flavor, the dry hop aroma will be gone. So why waste the hops?

The yeast is the main flavor in a Belgian so let it be. I am learning that the simple recipes are the best. The Monks knew what they were doing.

 

[McGlothan]

Ok. Thanks for diverting me from the dry hops. I will brew as intended and get my hops craving out on my next batch. I appreciate all types of beer and understand why being true to style is so important. Thanks for the tips. As for spices, what would some recommendations be?

 

[DannPM]

Hell yeah you should. I got a bottle of the limited edition beer Outblack, a coop by De Struise Brouwers and some American brewery, so much American hop flavor in that bdsa style beer. It was pretty damn good.

 

[McGlothan]

Couldn't I just age for a couple of months in secondary, then dry hop the last couple of weeks before bottling? Does it need to age in the bottle necessarily?

 

[WilliamWS]

Ok. Thanks for diverting me from the dry hops. I will brew as intended and get my hops craving out on my next batch. I appreciate all types of beer and understand why being true to style is so important. Thanks for the tips. As for spices, what would some recommendations be?

Some of the more commonly used spices are: coriander, star anise, black pepper, grains of paradise, ginger, mustard seed, chamomile, and orange peel

I find it helpful to make a little tea from the spices I'm thinking about using to see how they taste together, keeping in mind the flavor of the base beer. And again you're after balance, not over-the-top spice.

One of my favorites that I've made was basically a dark strong ale brewed with coriander, star anise, candied ginger, and fresh orange peel. I used both the WLP530 (Westmalle yeast) and Wyeast 1469 (very fruity yeast from Yorkshire, think stone fruit). I also added prunes and raisins in secondary.
It placed 3rd out of 40+ entries as a Belgian specialty ale in the first comp I ever entered when it had only been in the bottle for a month. And at 9.5% it got better with time

I also recently made a sour saison with hibiscus, rose petals, black pepper, and wildflower honey that is delicious.

 

[caiafa]

Actually triples fermented at lower temps then usual go well with dry hopping, even more so when fermented with a rather clean yeast (3522, 3787).

It would be great if you could bulk age for 3-4 months before dry hopping, as you would need to drink the beer in the next 1-2 months after dry hopping. Amarillo is great, and I bet Cascade or Citra would work too.

 

[sweetcell]

Houblon Chouffe is supposedly dry hopped with Amarillo. I've made a clone of it, and it's pretty good.

international beer language lesson of the day: "houblon" is french for "hops".

thus, not too surprising that it's dry-hopped.

 

[Kate00]

I just finished a tripel where I split the batch and dry hopped half with French strisselspalts. I bottled it three days ago. The hydrometer sample that I drank was REALLY good. I'll update when I try it after it carbs up.

FWIW, what I had was good enough I say try dry hopping.

 

[Calder]

Huh, if it is dry hopped with amarillo it must be very lightly dry hopped, or the dry hops have mostly aged out by the time the bottles get here. I've had it both on draft and in a bottle. Plus, that's a pale beer.

Houblon Chouffe (not Houblon) uses Tomahawk (Columbus), Saaz, and Amarillo. As best as I can figure, the Columbus is the bittering charge, the Saaz provides some flavor, and the Amarillo is dry hop.

Dry hos will stay with a beer for a long time, it just will not be "in your face".

 

[Rundorig76]

I'm not so sure for the dark belgians but I brewed a batch of moderately hoppy golden belgian strong ale. It needs to be bottled but so far its great. A brew calculator estimated the IBUs at 54.

I used 1 oz 60min additions of stryian goldings and german smaragd, then 1/2 oz, 15 and 5 min additions of hallertau and mosaic. I then dryhopped with 1 oz of mosaic for a little more than a week.

So far without carbonation it tastes great, with a start of fruity yeasty goodness blened with the tropical citrus of the mosaic. It finishes with some good spicy, floral flavors from the german hops. This is only my first hoppy belgian but I think dry hopping works great if you don't over do it.