Belgian help

[Flywheel]

I am am working on a Belgian Tripel recipe. I want it to be simple. HEre it is, I'd love feedback.

I have gotten into the habit of adding wheat DME to most of my brews as I like head head it adds and the mouthfeel.

Questions: Which Hallertrau would work best? Mittelfrüh?

Here's the link to the recipe for details: http://hopville.com/recipe/888543/belgian-tripel-recipes/belgian-tripel-102011

Extract, full boil.

Steep 30min @ 155ºF:
.5# Dingemans Belgian Biscuit Malt

Base:
3x3.15# NB pilsen LME
1x1# Wheat DME
1x1# Belgian soft candi - blond

Hops:
60m 2oz Hallertrau 4%
30m 1oz Styrian Goldings 5%
5m 1oz Saaz 3.5%

Wyeast 1214


Thanks!

 

[hopsalot]

I usually go light on hops for Belgian ales, only a 60 min addition. low to moderate spicy hop character is usually found.

malt bill look good

yeast looks good

 

[Nateo]

Questions: Which Hallertrau would work best? Mittelfrüh?

Hops:
60m 2oz Hallertrau 4%
30m 1oz Styrian Goldings 5%
5m 1oz Saaz 3.5%

Wyeast 1214

For bittering, any kind of Hallertau would work, or even some hallertau mimics like vanguard or crystal.

 

[Flywheel]

So, cut the 30 & 5? Or just lighten them up? Say 1oz @ 60 and keep the 30 & 5?

 

[hopsalot]

Personally I would shoot more arount 18 IBU's, but I have been looking at some recipes that range in the 30's, as your recipe does.

BJCP
Vital Statistics: OG: 1.075 – 1.085
IBUs: 20 – 40 FG: 1.008 – 1.014
SRM: 4.5 – 7 ABV: 7.5 – 9.5%


So based on this, I am low and your beer is a proper Belgian Tripel, I would cut the 30 min addition to get right in the middle

 

[Flywheel]

I'll look at cutting the 30, or making the 60 only 1oz. I'd like to keep the 3 hop complexity if I can.

 

[hopsalot]

I'll look at cutting the 30, or making the 60 only 1oz. I'd like to keep the 3 hop complexity if I can.

Cool, sounds great, post your results!

Cheers

 

[beergolf]

In Brew Like a Monk he talks about adding a 60 minute addition for 2/3 the bittering and a 30 minute for the other third.

I have been doing that for my Belgians lately and it seems to work well.

I recently did a Tripel with Tettnang and Saaz that was very tasty. I aslo combined two yeasts. 1214 and 3787. Nice twist.

 

[Flywheel]

In Brew Like a Monk he talks about adding a 60 minute addition for 2/3 the bittering and a 30 minute for the other third.

I have been doing that for my Belgians lately and it seems to work well.

I recently did a Tripel with Tettnang and Saaz that was very tasty. I aslo combined two yeasts. 1214 and 3787. Nice twist.

How did you combine them? Just pour both in? Starter? I'd be afraid that one would take over.

 

[beergolf]

How did you combine them? Just pour both in? Starter? I'd be afraid that one would take over.

Just two smack packs pitched directly. No starter. It was a 4 gallon batch with an OG of 1.072.

If I had to say the 3787 was slightly more prominent but could taste the 1214 flavor as well. It is very tasty and I would do it again.

I got the idea from North Coast Pranqster. They talk about mixing two strains.

Next I plan on harvesting the yeast from some Pranqster for my next Tripel.

I love Belgians and brew them often.

 

[Flywheel]

I might try that.

 

[beergolf]

mmmm.. Have not had one of those in a while. Just put a couple in the fridge so I can taste it to see how it has aged. Been several months since I had one.

 

[Flywheel]

Might still stick with my original...

 

[Bob]

I may be a lone voice crying in the wilderness here, but I don't think there's much room in Tripel for hops flavor, and no room at all for hops aroma.

I think Tripel should be simple: 80/20% Pils malt/sugar, hops bitterness no more than 30 IBU from noble varieties, water, flavorful yeast like 3787.

Thus it will come as no surprise that I recommend deleting the 5-minute addition.

I think your grist looks okay, with the exception of the Biscuit. I fear it will take the color over the top into "too dark". You're already going to end up on the dark end of Tripel because you're using extract.

Speaking of which, I strongly urge you to do a late addition.

That's about it, really. Good luck!

Bob

 

[Nateo]

Bob - Agreed.