Belgian Ale what do you think

[wshymas]

let me know what you think about this recipe thanks


TollGate Belgian Ale
A ProMash Recipe Report
Recipe Specifics
----------------
Batch Size (Gal): 5.00 Wort Size (Gal): 5.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 13.38
Anticipated OG: 1.072 Plato: 17.55
Anticipated SRM: 7.1
Anticipated IBU: 34.0
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

-------------
Grain/Extract/Sugar
% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
89.7 12.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
2.8 0.38 lbs. Munich Malt Germany 1.037 8
5.6 0.75 lbs. Biscuit Malt Belgium 1.035 24
1.9 0.25 lbs. Aromatic Malt Belgium 1.036 25
Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.

Hops
Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.75 oz. Bullion Whole 7.00 21.2 60 min.
0.50 oz. Hallertauer Whole 4.00 8.1 60 min.
0.25 oz. Goldings - E.K. Whole 4.75 4.8 60 min.

Yeast
-----
White Labs WLP550 Belgian Ale

 

[the_bird]

I'd use some continental Pilsner malt for authenticity and some simple sugar (either candi sugar or just a wee bit of table sugar) to dry it out.

Why different hops for bittering? There won't be much, if any, flavor contributed from those additions.

 

[wshymas]

just playing with the recipe and I had the hops from some other recipes.
and thanks for the sugar tip I will try it how much sugar would you recommend?

 

[the_bird]

Not much more than a pound. Enough to add some gravity, not enough for off-flavors. The syrups you can buy from Northern Brewer, et all, are best, but plain sugar will work, too.

 

[uglygoat]

there's a great recipe posted for making candi sugar. i think it's in the wiki. basically boil up some beet sugar with some citric acid(lemon/lime juice) and make yer own.

 

[Zzyzx]

I would say simplify it. Most of the complex character of Belgian ales comes from the yeast rather then the malt. So I would simplify it down to Two maybe three malts. And yes, Pilsner malt is the primary ale in pretty much every Monastery brewed Ale.

Aside from that, sugar is very common in Belgian ales. You can easily find sugar accounting for 10-20% of the fermentables. the most common being Caramelized sugar and Dextrose, but white table sugar will do in a pinch.

From personal experience Caramelized is the best rout to go.... as it actually imparts many of the flavors you see in the darker crystal malts.

For hops, Styrian Goldings, Hallertau and Saaz are easily the most common.

But hey... this is home brewing, who says you have to follow tradition?

 

[wshymas]

I just finished making some Candi sugar from the Brew Wiki recipe. For this batch I will not make to many changes but I will on the next one (change the pale and drop some of the other grains I have listed) Thanks for all the info and I will re post when I do this recipes again. I will be brewing tomorrow. Thanks for all the input.

 

[paulthenurse]

I'd stick with light or clear candi sugar instead of the carmelized. You used ingrediants that have givien you a light colored beer. Why darken it up with an amber sugar when you can keep it a blond by using the lighter colored candies? If you are looking for more of a double then you will want to adjust your malts and use the darker sugar then.

 

[wshymas]

Why different hops for bittering? There won't be much, if any, flavor contributed from those additions.

I did my brew day and now I under stand why you asked about the hops.
I did not do a very good job on the recipe but I think I have that part fixed

0.50 oz. Galena Pellet 13.00 30.4 90 min.
0.50 oz. Hallertauer Pellet 4.00 2.3 15 min.
0.50 oz. Hallertauer Pellet 4.00 1.4 5 min.

this should look a little better. I did have some problems with my mash but that was equipment/operator error but added some sugar to the boil (a lot of sugar is not all ways the best thing) but the yeast is doing its thing and I will see how it tastes.

 

[Catfish]

Keep the fermentation temps low for the first few days and then let the temp rise as the fermentation starts to slow down.