Belgian red amber recipe

[SPIslander]

Hey y'all,
In an attempt to be a bit more active on the boards, I thought I'd post a recipe I brewed a few weeks back. It's a red amber with Wyeast 3711 French saison yeast.

10 Lbs. Moravian
8 oz. Caravienne
8 oz. Caramunich
8 oz Carabelge
2 oz. Special B
4 oz. Carapils

Mash 4 Gal. 90 mins @ 154
#1 Sparge 2.5 gal 15 mins @ 168
#2 Sparge 2.5 gal 15 mins @ 168

Hop schedule:
1 oz. Brewers Gold @ 60 mins
1 oz. Tettnang @ 30 mins
1 oz. Hersbrucker @ 5 mins
1 oz. Hersbrucker @ 0 mins

Cool to 75*
Pitch Wyeast 3711 smack pack (no starter)
Ferment 2.5 weeks at ~80*-85*
Cold crash 3 days @ 35*

Pre boil gravity: 1.046
OG: 1.056
FG: 1.004
6.956 ABV

It's carbing up now - I'll post a pic when it's ready to roll. Let me know if I missed any pertinent information and I'll update the post.

Thanks,
Tony

 

[IslandLizard]

Aye aye on your recipe!

3711 is a beast. It will eat through about anything, including your cellar walls, giving it enough time.
1.004 is a very respectable FG for a brew that contains no simple sugar. I'd say you're in solid Saison territory with this.

What was your vision to create a "Belgian Red Amber?"

 

[SPIslander]

What was your vision to create a "Belgian Red Amber?"

Seemed like a good idea at the time...

Seriously though, I wanted something that would have a good body, lots of flavor and ferment well in a central Texas summer. I've always liked red beers and have grown to love the 3711 - it just seemed logical.

 

[IslandLizard]

Contradiction of terms. Unless you can control your ferm temps to 65 and below, Saison yeast is your only option. And using that leaves body to be wished for, even when mashing at 154. You still made good beer though!

I have an ESB here that tastes more like a Saison. FG at 1.006 and as cloudy from yeast as can be. Hello WY1968... what did you do?

 

[SPIslander]

Fair point on the body...
I've got a 104 qt. igloo keg cooler for ales that need a bit more steady temps and a fermentation fridge that I use for stuff that *really* needs more controlled temps (Thinking of a nice bohemian pilsner next time out) but I wanted this one fast and easy.

I've got a Hibiscus blonde on tap now that I fermented in the keg cooler - it's light and easy... and PINK.