Belgian Tripel IPA

[bolus14]

Belgian Tripel IPA - 65% Efficiency

Original Gravity (OG): 1.077
Final Gravity (FG): 1.011
Alcohol (ABV): 8.62 %
Colour (SRM): 10.0
Bitterness (IBU): 75.0

59.57% 10.5lbs Belgian - Pale Ale
19.15% 3.375lbs American - Vienna
17.02% 3lbs German - Munich Light
4.26% .75lbs United Kingdom - Amber

1oz Magnum (15% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
1oz El Dorado (15.7% Alpha) @ 15 Minutes (Boil)
1oz Saaz (3.5% Alpha) @ 15 Minutes (Boil)
1oz El Dorado (15.7% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
1oz Saaz (3.5% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)


Single step Infusion at 151°F for 60 Minutes.

Fermented at 68°F with Belgian Strong Ale Yeast WLP545

Somewhat basing this off of Northern Brewer's HoublonMonstre and BYO's Saison Vapeur. More or less using the Saison Vapeur's grain bill increased to be a tripel and Houblonmonstre's hop schedule. I'm swapping out the Cascade wit El Dorado because I already have the El Dorado in the freezer, will be moving in a couple weeks, and want to use them so they don't go through a bunch of temp changes during the move.

WLP545 has been very attenuative for me, so this might finish lower than 1.011, but using the specialty grains instead of just base Pale or Pilsner malt make retain a little sweetness, not out of the norm for a tripel so I think it will work. I'm also, going with the 545 because I have it in the fridge and have liked it in a couple other brews I've made.

 

[jjeffers09]

75 IBU is too high IMO, the Belgian character would be too subtle with all that bitterness and cherry like el dorado. I would back off a touch, and add a dry hop or whirlpool of 1/2 of the late addition hops.

 

[bolus14]

That was my thought on the IBU's. I actually found a write up about Belgian beers that mentioned, CHOUFFE HOUBLON DOBBELEN IPA TRIPEL, which is the same "style," comes in at 53 IBU's so I'm going to play with the numbers a little to get closer to that. I'm thinking of keeping the Saaz additions as is, it might leave me with .5oz or so that I have in storage that I can dry hop with. The El Dorado I'll back off on to change up the IBU's, I have 5.5oz's that I'm trying to use up, so I have plenty to drop hop with, will just need to figure out the amount I want to go with.

 

[Aristotelian]

How about cutting the El Dorado in half while doubling the Saaz? I would really want to emphasize the Saaz flavor.

I posted a somewhat similar recipe, although I used some table sugar to go for a lighter and drier profile inspired by De Ranke XX Bitter.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=584569

 

[bolus14]

Normally I would, the Saaz would make it more Belgian like. At this point I'm trying to use up what I have in the freezer before I move later this summer. I also wanted to make something that would highlight El Dorado. I've made a coupe beers with them already, but I want something that I can pick them out more.
I may add a pound of sugar to dry it out, the two times I've used 545 I got 92% and 93% attenuation. I would prefer to have this finish around 1.010.

 

[bolus14]

Forgot I had Magnum for bittering, I'm just going to drop that to .5oz which puts the IBU's at 55. I'll see how it smells and tastes after fermentation, if I want more of the Saaz or El Dorado flavor/aroma I'll dry hop it.

 

[bolus14]

Brewed this weekend, OG 1.077 was spot on and had to swap melanoidin malt for the Amber since LHBS was out of the Amber.

Only other "hiccup" is that apparently I didn't right down the use of some of my hops and didn't have any left to dry hop with, so I flavor/aroma are lacking I'll have to pick some more up. Thankfully I had exactly enough of both the El Dorado and Saaz. Well see where it's at in a couple weeks and likely decide at that point if it needs dry hopping or not.

 

[bolus14]

Took a sample today and gravity is down to 1.008, about what I expected since I've been seeinng around 90% attenuation with 545. Sample was sweet, candy like, more than other tripels I have had, would never guess it's around 60IBU's. I would guess that some of the sweetness is from the El Dorado as it is known for contributing some sweetness. The sample I got I couldn't really pinpoint any particular tastes, was also rushing myself as I mainly wanted to see where the gravity was at.

I may dry hop it with some Saaz to give it some more spice, but leaning against dry hopping the El Dorado.

 

[bolus14]

Bottled this weekend, FG gt down to 1.006. This is only at 3 weeks from brewday to being bottled, earlier than I would like but since I'll be moving and a couple other weekend commitments this was the only time before moving I had to get it done. Taste has become more "Tripel" like since the last tasting, dryer and spicier now, almost black pepper like. Hoping that will subside with a little aging. Typically I would have let it go longer in the fermentor and then dry hopped if it needed more hop flavor but this will give me a good starting point for the future if I brew this again.

Any thoughts on the spiciness, anybody picked up on that with Belgians before in early fermentation and then see it fade? It also has some Saison like tastes going on, I'm hoping/thinking it's due to be young at this stage, I have seen others mention that this strain can be used for Saisons too.

Will post more results/pics in a few weeks when I crack the first bottle open.