Ideas on Belgian Golden Strong Ale

[Ouroboros]

Stats
Batch size: 6.5 gal
OG: 1.096
FG: 1.016
ABV: 10.1%
Color (SRM): 6
IBU: 29
FG and ABV projections based on 80% attenuation of grain sugars, 100% attenuation of dextrose

Fermentables
20 lb Belgian Pilsner
1 lb Flaked Wheat
3 lb Dextrose

Hops
1.5 oz Northern Brewer (60 min)
0.5 oz Celeia (20 min, 10 min, 0 min)

Mash Schedule:
Heat strike water to 136F for a target mash-in temperature of 120F. Hold 20 min. Raise temperature to 149F and hold until conversion is complete. Pull a decoction, boil 30 min, and return decocted portion to raise MLT temperature >170F. Boil first 8 gal of runnings for 120 min.

Step up starter of WY3787 (Trappist High Gravity) in 1.040 and 1.080 wort. Pitch at 65F. Beginning on the third day of fermentation, allow temperature to increase 3-5 degrees per day to no higher than 80F.

Notes
I think I'm going to minimash some biscuit, caramunich, and munich in the last bit of runnings to make a smaller beer. I have no idea what to expect for the gravity, though. I'm planning on Perle and Saaz for hops and a cool fermentation with pacman.

 

[lyacovett]

I did something very similar to this, using the same yeast strain.

11.5 lbs MO
2 lbs sugar (cane/beet)

1.5 oz Willamette (45 min)
1 oz Hallertauer (15 min)

My OG was 1.086 and my FG was 1.008.
I started fermentation low (around 68 then over 3 weeks let it climb up to about 85)
Keep that in mind, I actually wish I would have used a bit of carapils to get some better head retention.

The yeast is great. I had blowoff for 3 days straight. The flavor is awesome, a little fruity at first, but with a few months of age on it the spicy character comes through really nice.

Good Luck.

 

[BeerPressure]

You can use cane sugar and get the same effect as dextrose.

A golden strong isnt a golden strong unless you use the right yeast. WLP570 is the best.

1.016 doesnt seem dry enough to me either

 

[KyleWolf]

I think beerpressure is right. You may want to down the pilsner and add some simple sugars to get that terminal gravity (I would say aim for 1.010 or below) Brew calculators will not be accurate on your FG using simple sugars (like cane sugar), so you are kinda shootin from the hip.

 

[Freezeblade]

I did a golden strong awhile back that was pretty simple:

12# belgian pils malt
3# raw honey (citrus)

WLP570. it got down to 1.005. The key was the 570, adding the honey on the 2nd day of fermentation, and the strange ramped mash I did, which was a 135min mash from 100-170 F. It stayed like rocket fuel for about a year, now it's getting really really good.

 

[avidhomebrewer]

It depends upon if you want a maltier finish or a drier finish. If you substitute some malt for sugar, you'll get a drier finish. Mash a bit higher (around 154) with malt and you'll get a maltier finish. I personally like the maltier finish.

I would drop some of the base malt and put in a couple of specialty malts, like some aromatic, biscuit, or some light crystal. Good choice on the yeast. Make a huge starter for this one.

 

[BeerPressure]

It depends upon if you want a maltier finish or a drier finish. If you substitute some malt for sugar, you'll get a drier finish. Mash a bit higher (around 154) with malt and you'll get a maltier finish. I personally like the maltier finish.

I would drop some of the base malt and put in a couple of specialty malts, like some aromatic, biscuit, or some light crystal. Good choice on the yeast. Make a huge starter for this one.

That yeast plus specialty malts & higher FG sounds like a tripel to me. just sayin

 

[Ouroboros]

Lots of good feedback, thanks!

I was planning on WY3787 because I kept some after brewing a strong dark. That yeast is a fiend that has attenuated a 1.01-ish wort almost 86% in 13 days. I would consider WLP570/WY1388 if that's a staple for the recipe but I hear Westmalle (the source of WY3787) makes a golden strong with its proprietary yeast.

Please remember that I'm using so much malt because I'm planning on making the golden strong from the first few gallons of runnings and using the later runnings to make a second, smaller beer. I've never done this "partigyle" thing before, though, so I'm certainly open to suggestions.

Also, I'm hoping for a drier finish, but I included no specialty malts and am mashing low because I'm assuming that the protein in the flaked wheat and the melanoidins generated in the decoction and in the long boil will add to the perception of body. I want this beer to taste like a Tripel on PCP, but at the same time I don't want to overpower one of my most favorite yeasts with specialty grains.