Belgian Tripel Belgian Trippel (2006 World Beer Cup Gold Medal: Dragonmead Final Absolution clone)

[HuRRiC4Ne]

Haven't made the AG version, just happened to come across it online one day. The notes do say, "This is Dragonmead's 90 gallon recipre, scaled down to 12.5 gallons. ". But I have no idea if that's actually true.

Yeah, thats the recipe I went from when converting to LME. And i'm a personal big fan of Final Absolution myself. All I have to say is my clone came pretty close.

I'm really interested to see how the AG version compares, I would think that it actually comes out closer then mine. Because I had to substitute some things.

 

[petep1980]

I just got hooked on Belgians this past weekend. I am tempted to make this AG to end the year.

 

[Lodovico]

Made a beer based on this recipe and just won a first place medal with it at a BJCP sanctioned event! I only tweaked a couple little things. Thanks!

 

[HuRRiC4Ne]

Doesn't shock me Lodovico... This is a winner thats for sure, I'm glad others have made use of the recipe. Did you go AG or extract? and what changes did you make?

 

[Mermaid]

I would like to try this recipe, but given how much I've been reading lately with regards to the concept of using a secondary "not really necessary" - is pulling it off the yeast cake at 10 days necessary to prevent the yeast from getting too funky? What does this yeast do when it gets funky... do you get more banana, more clove, or more like old socks?

Has anyone tried going 3 or 4 weeks in the primary before bottling? Just curious (I'm a noob, trying to parse information from many different sources)

 

[z987k]

I would like to try this recipe, but given how much I've been reading lately with regards to the concept of using a secondary "not really necessary" - is pulling it off the yeast cake at 10 days necessary to prevent the yeast from getting too funky? What does this yeast do when it gets funky... do you get more banana, more clove, or more like old socks?

Has anyone tried going 3 or 4 weeks in the primary before bottling? Just curious (I'm a noob, trying to parse information from many different sources)

A lot of us don't secondary and months on the cake would be ok. Pulling it off the yeast early leads to things like diacetyl and acetaldehyde. Both bad things. Leaving it on longer cleans those up and there is no downside.
Now if you'r talking 12 months well then sure but no one does that.
IMO with this beer, or any big beer, 10 days is way too short.

 

[Lodovico]

Doesn't shock me Lodovico... This is a winner thats for sure, I'm glad others have made use of the recipe. Did you go AG or extract? and what changes did you make?

I did an all-grain brew. I tweaked the grain bill slightyl and the amount of sugar and type used.

I also made a big starter instead of the two vials. I also fermented and aged longer than recommended in the recipe.

I still don't think a beer this big is ready in the time suggested in this thread

 

[Mermaid]

A lot of us don't secondary and months on the cake would be ok. Pulling it off the yeast early leads to things like diacetyl and acetaldehyde. Both bad things. Leaving it on longer cleans those up and there is no downside.
Now if you'r talking 12 months well then sure but no one does that.
IMO with this beer, or any big beer, 10 days is way too short.

Oh this makes me VERY happy to read.

I've been looking for a Belgian dubbel or tripel extract recipe (or two) to run primary fermentation during the summer, then let it bottle condition in the late summer through the fall (would love to start drinking this when the weather gets chilly)

Will definitely check back to see what folks post as far as recipe tweaks, I was thinking it might be yummy to add some steeped specialty grains (maybe a lb. total of Belgian biscuit with a little bit of Belgian aromatic).

 

[pnh2atl]

I think a version of this will be next months beer for brew night. I will go with the same yeast but let it warm up over the fermentation to the high 70s low 80s. The hard part will be letting it get a little age on it with out sampling it til its gone. I will check back after the 18th of next month and give you an update.

 

[BK1017]

Anybody have an ideal IBU value for this recipe? I'm definitely a hops head, but never had the real Absolution so I don't know how hoppy it is. Thanks! - BK

 

[HuRRiC4Ne]

Anybody have an ideal IBU value for this recipe? I'm definitely a hops head, but never had the real Absolution so I don't know how hoppy it is. Thanks! - BK

Min: 20 IBU, Max: 25 IBU

 

[millsware]

Could I brew this in the 70's range? I don't have any temperature control in my house.

 

[HuRRiC4Ne]

Ohh yeah, thats the perfect temp range.

 

[gecko45]

I had this fermenting for an entire month at 68F, and when I just checked it it was at 1.044 still... and I used two entire vials of WLP500...

I whirled it around and left it at 75F. If it doesn't pick back up, what would be recommended to finish it out?

1) Buy another vial of WLP500 and dump it in.

2) Buy another vial, make a big starter, dump that in.

3) Throw a packet of SafAle or something in there.

4) Make a dry yeast starter and toss it in.

 

[HuRRiC4Ne]

I had this fermenting for an entire month at 68F, and when I just checked it it was at 1.044 still... and I used two entire vials of WLP500...

I whirled it around and left it at 75F. If it doesn't pick back up, what would be recommended to finish it out?

1) Buy another vial of WLP500 and dump it in.

2) Buy another vial, make a big starter, dump that in.

3) Throw a packet of SafAle or something in there.

4) Make a dry yeast starter and toss it in.

I just remade this, but all grain. It hit 1.009 (9.9brix) in 7 days from a 1.088OG (21.0125 brix). That was with two vials of WLP500 (no starter, although I recommend a starter)... What I did is, I did a heavy aerate, added nutrient and energizer... Thats it.

For you, try this. Open the Lid, let fresh air get in there. Now put cap back on and tip it back and forth to aerate it. My guess is a weak aerate. If it doesn't take off in a day, then add nutrient and energizer. Don't worry about re adding yeast.

My guess is, you didn't have a good enough aerate. And thats why it didn't take off.

That should do it, keep us updated!

Also, what was your OG?

 

[gecko45]

For you, try this. Open the Lid, let fresh air get in there. Now put cap back on and tip it back and forth to aerate it. My guess is a weak aerate. If it doesn't take off in a day, then add nutrient and energizer. Don't worry about re adding yeast.

My guess is, you didn't have a good enough aerate. And thats why it didn't take off.

That should do it, keep us updated!

Also, what was your OG?

It's done. My original OG was 1.093 (I added a bit of dextrose to boost the ABV). Also had yeast energizer in by the end of the boil, so that shouldn't be the problem. I'll see how it progresses then post an update.

PS. Also it smells (and tastes) delicious.

 

[HuRRiC4Ne]

Yeah, thats a high OG... need a heavy aerate to start of the fermentation with that... But really you need a starter. Yeast starts are the way to go, they are almost error proof.

 

[gecko45]

It's done. My original OG was 1.093 (I added a bit of dextrose to boost the ABV). Also had yeast energizer in by the end of the boil, so that shouldn't be the problem. I'll see how it progresses then post an update.

PS. Also it smells (and tastes) delicious.

I checked up on it 3 days later, and it hasn't fermented any further, but now there is a huge soy sauce flavor and aroma. Could it be oxidized beyond repair? Would I be better off dumping and starting from scratch?

 

[HuRRiC4Ne]

Don't give up on it, go and buy one more vial of WLP 500, get a yeast starter going. Add 2 cups of sugar and 4 cups of water, add the recommended amount of (for your batch size) nutrient and energizer (use both!!!!!). Let it ferment for two to three days then pour off the top and pitch the slury.

My guess is, with that high OG your running into problems without the proper yeast count. Your yeast might have been slightly expired. It happens.

PS, the soy sauce flavor is more then likely from mixing it up. I wouldn't worry about oxidation at this point! Don't give up man, get that to ferment down, then let sit for a few months then bottle or keg! You can never judge a beer in the fermentation process. I have had some crappy beers become mints after sitting on Co2 for 1month+.

 

[gecko45]

Don't give up on it, go and buy one more vial of WLP 500, get a yeast starter going. Add 2 cups of sugar and 4 cups of water, add the recommended amount of (for your batch size) nutrient and energizer (use both!!!!!). Let it ferment for two to three days then pour off the top and pitch the slury.

My guess is, with that high OG your running into problems without the proper yeast count. Your yeast might have been slightly expired. It happens.

PS, the soy sauce flavor is more then likely from mixing it up. I wouldn't worry about oxidation at this point! Don't give up man, get that to ferment down, then let sit for a few months then bottle or keg! You can never judge a beer in the fermentation process. I have had some crappy beers become mints after sitting on Co2 for 1month+.

For the starter, do you mean 2 cups sugar in addition to whatever amount of wort extract, or is the sugar + water + nutrients + yeast the entire starter?

And thanks for the help! I figure I'll give it another $10 recovery effort before starting over.

 

[HuRRiC4Ne]

Sugar or Dry malt extract, doesn't matter, figured sugar would be easier. If you can, do 2 cups of Dry Malt Extract, then 4 cups of water. Should put you around a 1.040 OG, which is perfect for a starter. Boil the 2 cups of DME with the 4 cups of water for 15minutes, put the nutrient and energizer in at the end of the boil, then cool it down and put in a growler with a airlock if you have it. Then simply put in a cool dark place and let sit for 2 to 3 days. Pour off water on top and pitch slurry.

 

[Mermaid]

This is going to be my next project... I'm planning on making a yeast starter just to be sure - Should I make a starter with 1 or 2 vials? (since the OP used 2 WLP500 but no starter)

 

[HuRRiC4Ne]

This is going to be my next project... I'm planning on making a yeast starter just to be sure - Should I make a starter with 1 or 2 vials? (since the OP used 2 WLP500 but no starter)

One vial is all you need for a starter.

 

[CaliBrewin]

forgive my ignorance, but when is the cadi sugar added? boil? primary? secondary?

thanks.

 

[HuRRiC4Ne]

Add it to the last 10minutes of the boil

 

[Germelli1]

I'm a little late on this thread, but the recipe looks fantastic and I am INCREDIBLY eager to try it!

 

[Lodovico]

Just cracked another bottle of this after it sat for a couple of months. This beer is just awesome. Nice job again with the recipe.

 

[HuRRiC4Ne]

Thanks Lodovico! I have 5 gallon's on the keg right now, can't wait for it to get carb'd up. I also recommend making a quad version of this, just up the grain bill to hit around 10 to 11.5+%.

 

[neovox]

Anyone have a copy of the AG version I previously posted a link to? I never saved a hard copy of it and it seems the link is now dead.

 

[HuRRiC4Ne]

Anyone have a copy of the AG version I previously posted a link to? I never saved a hard copy of it and it seems the link is now dead.

Yes I do...

It's 12.8lbs Pilsner
1.6lbs Munich Malt (2row)
1.6lbsCandy sugar

1.8oz hallertauer mittelfruh
.4oz styrian goldings
.8 chzech saaz

same yeast

adjust the grain bill to your efficiency and such...