Custom Belgian Ale just brewed

[mbruneaux]

I don't brew an awful lot but I'm trying to improve on my bad habits. I keep coming back to the Belgian ales with a few changes my local brew shop owner recommends. The 3 extra lbs of DME are his idea but I decided to also add just over a pound of rock candy. It's a True Brew base. I usually do the secondary but am considering skipping it this time for the first time. I am really looking forward to this. I recently figured out I need to add more sugar to bring up the carbonation Belgians are supposed to have but I like the lower carbonation. I used 5oz sugar in the IPA I just opened and it has WAY too much carbonation, I should have used 3.6 OZ not 5.

I like Chair ales.

Unhopped Light Malt Extract – 1 can
Extra Light Dried Malt Extract – 1 lb
Light Dried Malt Extract – 1 lb
Wheat Dried Malt Extract – 1 lb
Belgian Candy Sugar – 1 lb
Pale Grain Malt – .375 lb
Grain Steeping Bag
Northern Brewer Hop Pellets – 1 oz
Styrian Goldings Hop Pellets – 1 oz
Czech Saaz Hop Pellets – 1 oz
Fermentis T-58 Ale Yeast - 1 pack


PLUS
3 lb DME
16 Oz of Rock Candy


http://www.brewhorizons.net/true_brew_belgian.htm