Belgian blond recipe critique

[Lit]

After some "not so nice" beers doing my own recipes, I've decided to ask for critique this time.
Would you change anything? I don't know how interchangeable are flaked barley/dextrine malt/wheat malt for beer body, so I'm a bit lost on what I'm doing.


12.5lbs (5.7kg) Pilsner malt (5 EBC) 87%
1.1lbs (0.5kg) Dextrine malt (3.5 EBC) 7%
0.77lbs (0.35kg) Flaked Barley (3.3 EBC) 5%
20 IBU Fuggles 90min
5 IBU Fuggles 5min
0.5oz Orange peel 5min
1tsp coriander seeds crushed 5 min
1 pkg Safbrew abbaye (82% att)

OG 1062
FG 1009
ABv 6.9%
Color 9.8 EBC (5 SRM)
Boil: 90min

Thanks!

 

[porterpounder]

Personally I'd leave out the flaked barley and the spices and add a white sugar addition to dry it out. You can always add spices later, or on a next batch, but you want to see what the yeast contributes before spicing it up and those particular spices are distinctive. Use your mash temp to fix your body. If you want a silkier mouthfeel add some oats.

 

[giraffe]

Yeah, usually the problem with homebrew belgian blondes is not getting the beer dry enough. Use a quality continental pils, and 10-20% sugar. You shouldnt need the carapils, pils malt will give a rocky head, if your fermentation is controlled and you pitch ample yeast. Also make sure you get it carbonated enough. This is a beer where the process is more important than the recipe.

 

[Lit]

Ok, removing carapills and spicies from the bill and adding 10% sugar.
I'm still more inclined to use flaked barley instead of oats after reading a lot of diferent opinions on the forum (I haven't tried any of them yet).

Thanks!

 

[m00ps]

I agree with adding some sugar for basically any belgian beer. You could also use some wheat if you want. I routinely add upwards of 20% to most of my belgians for that creamy head. It mimics the step mashes they traditionally do without the hassle

what are you mashing at and what is your planned fermentation profile? Belgian beers are largely characterized by the yeast so yeast strian choice and fermentation temps are important to getting that signature character

 

[Lit]

I agree with adding some sugar for basically any belgian beer. You could also use some wheat if you want. I routinely add upwards of 20% to most of my belgians for that creamy head. It mimics the step mashes they traditionally do without the hassle

what are you mashing at and what is your planned fermentation profile? Belgian beers are largely characterized by the yeast so yeast strian choice and fermentation temps are important to getting that signature character

I don't have good equipment yet, so my mashes are done in a ice box (without stepping) at 65ºC (149ºF). The fermentation profile is a fairly stable 16ºC (61ºF) at the basement.
The yeast is safbrew abbaye (fermentis), which I never used before and all I know from it comes from the internet.

Don't wheat and flaked barley do the same thing? Now I don't know which one use.

 

[m00ps]

I would pitch the yeast at that temp, but let it free rise at normal room temps. The warmer it gets, the more fruity belgian yeast character youll usually get.

wheat vs flaked barley is a bit different IME. Wheat has more of a noticeable flavor contribution where flaked barley seems to be really only for head retention and body.