Belgian Strong Dark

[LowOG]

Hey, I was hoping for a second set of eyes on this recipe, one of my first that's more complex:

Belgian Strong Dark Ale
OG: 1.104
FG: 1.021
Attenuation: 80%
ABV: 11.1%
Efficiency: 60%
IBU: 28.4
Yeast: Belgian Ardennes (yeast cake)

Fermentables

7 lbs Light DME
4 lbs 2-Row
1.5 lbs Vienna
1.5 lbs Special B
1.5 lbs Amber Candi Sugar
1 lbs Oats

Hops

1.5oz Saaz 60min
.5oz Saaz 5min


I know that's a high attenuation target, I'll hit it with a higher attenuating yeast if need be. Should be pretty straight forward, I'm concerned about the balance for the grains.

Thanks!

 

[Trillium]

Your target og is high, but that is just a personal preference as I don't like the alcohol to be too high. I would target 1.090. Recipe looks good. I had the same idea of using a lot of special b and a lighter sugar just to see how it would compare to using dark candi sugar. Use more sugar to increase attenuation or you will end up with a high FG and a sweeter ale due to high percentage of malt. (more unfermentables)

 

[LowOG]

Sorry to bump my own thread, but after 2 weeks I'm stuck with a gravity of 1.028. I'm going to rack it to secondary this weekend and hope that heating it to around 70 will start things back up. Any other suggestions for making it to my target 80% attenuation?

Thanks!

 

[madcowbrewing]

I wouldn't worry About it. My Belgian stout finished at 1.020 from near 1.090. It should be fine for a few more points in secondary.

 

[tennesseean_87]

3711 is a beast. I'm not sure how it'll do pitched late, but it's a beast.

 

[Trillium]

It may take 4-5 weeks to finally finish the last few points. Just be patient. You will need warmer than 70, monks have been know to warm their beer closer to 80 deg f to finish fermentation. Don't rack it yet, and give the yeast a stir.

 

[LowOG]

Thanks all. I just bottled another beer that had 3522, so I threw this batch onto a second yeast cake with about half a pound of demerera sugar, hoping to restart fermentation. If I can't get below 1.028 then next step will be 3711, but I will post if this second yeast cake thing works!

 

[KeystoneHomebrew]

That's a good plan, but going forward, always be careful "waking" up yeast with sugar. Brewer's yeast has a tendency to get lazy if only given simple sugars, and then won't ferment the maltose from the barley. Just an FYI from someone who learned that the hard way.

And 3711 is a beast, but you're approaching most yeast's alcohol threshold. If you don't get any action, I would add some K1V wine yeast to give it a kick in the pants.

 

[tennesseean_87]

But doesn't wine yeast only ferment simple sugars, or am I getting mixed up?

 

[LowOG]

I wanted to give an update on this since I couldn't find the answer anywhere else. The beer tasted sweet at 1.028, so I added 3711 on the 13th. On the 16th the beer was at 1.024, which was my high target. I activated the smack pack and added 1/2 a teaspoon of yeast nutrient, not starter or shake plate nonsense. Hope to be bottling the beer I aimed to make in a week or two. I can confirm that 3711 will start a stuck fermentation!

 

[KeystoneHomebrew]

But doesn't wine yeast only ferment simple sugars, or am I getting mixed up?

It can handle maltose as well. Wine yeast typically though only handles simple sugars as its workload, so that's a common misconception. I always keep a pack of champagne and/or K1V in my fridge for sticking problems.

 

[KeystoneHomebrew]

Thanks for the update. Don't be surprised if the bottles take a little longer to prime up given the high alcohol.