belgian stout recipe creation advice/suggestions

[mrmarcdee]

Looking for a little advice on my own recipe creation here. Wanted to use the White labs 575 belgian blend after tasting another beer that was made with it. A brewing friend suggested doing something crazy-ish and making a stout with it. Here is the recipe I'm thinking of for a 10 gallon batch.

16# belgian pils (53.3%)
6# dark munich (20%)
2# c-120 (6.7%)
1.5# special b (5%)
1.5# roasted barley (5%)
1.5# chocolate (5%)
1.5# carafa II (5%)


2 oz summmit 60 min

wlp 575 belgian ale blend

brewersfriend.com calculator says: OG: 1.073 , FG: 1.017 , ABV: 7.4 , IBU: 62.22 , SRM: 40.00


Not really sure if I should adjust the relative percentages of the specialty grains any (special b, barley, chocolate), a few other recipes seems to have special b slightly lower than the others.

Not sure what exactly carafa adds. Description says enhances aroma and color, any advice there.

I sort of want to lower the OG a bit and a get a slightly weaker and easier to drink stout. Do you think the 62 IBUs would be too bitter if I did that, or is it even too bitter with 1.073?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Tryger73]

Strange I have recently been creating something along these line but more of a hybrid. I like strong Belgian beers and my friend likes stouts so we are meeting in the middle we have a lot of ingredients in common so I thnk you are on the right track. It's a 3 gallon batch becuase current system dictates higher gravity beers only come 3 gallons at a time.

7lbs Pilsner
1lb crystal 60
1lb crystal 120
.5 caraAroma
.5 special B

Then use cluster and fuggles for hops I can't remember what what IBU's it was but I think it landed in the 50's range. Possibly use wlp351 cause it's what I have in the fridge. Good luck and have fun!

Carafa II is used to add color ( I think it's is in the 3-500 lovibond range) as well as flavors and aromas often associated with heavier toasted malts.

 

[mrmarcdee]

Strange I have recently been creating something along these line but more of a hybrid. I like strong Belgian beers and my friend likes stouts so we are meeting in the middle we have a lot of ingredients in common so I thnk you are on the right track. It's a 3 gallon batch becuase current system dictates higher gravity beers only come 3 gallons at a time.

7lbs Pilsner
1lb crystal 60
1lb crystal 120
.5 caraAroma
.5 special B

Then use cluster and fuggles for hops I can't remember what what IBU's it was but I think it landed in the 50's range. Possibly use wlp351 cause it's what I have in the fridge. Good luck and have fun!

Why do you use both types of crystal?

 

[Tryger73]

It was mostly to meet an srm target I was shooting for. Still kinda new at making all grain recipes. It's about four brews out in my schedule so nothing is set in stone.?