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I love belgians!

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benbradford

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How about we put a bunch of our belgian ale recipes on this thread, so we can share our appreciation of these beautiful beers :)
 
I love your thinking! Duvel is my BA of choice. I have a clone recipe that I will post later tonight.
 
I don't have a recipe to share, but thought I'd chime in to say that I love Piraat and Chimay Blue. Unbelievable beers.
 
My simple extract Belgian Wit that always comes out awesome, I personally love it:

5 Gallon batch
1.75lbs Pilsen DME
5lb Wheat LME (or 4.2lbs DME) - half for 60 min and half added at the last 15
.5lb Carapils steeped for 30 minutes at 160 or so
1oz East Kent Goldings 4.5%AA - 60 minutes
1oz Crushed Coriander - last 5 minutes
1oz Bitter Orange Peel - last 5 minutes
.25oz Sweet Orange Peel - last 5 minutes
Wyeast 3463 Forbidden Fruit (or Wyeast 3944 Belgian Witbier for more of a lemony citrus taste)



Rev.

Belgian Wit.jpg
 
I don't understand, HBT has a whole forum (2 actually) filled with belgian recipes, I do wish there was a rating type system available on the recipe section so you could find the great ones easier ;). Wait there is a rating system, but it seems only 1 person is using it or it is broken as it is telling me I have already rated the "All-grain - Pink Elephant" thread!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f71/
&
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f73/
 
mattd2 said:
I don't understand, HBT has a whole forum (2 actually) filled with belgian recipes, I do wish there was a rating type system available on the recipe section so you could find the great ones easier ;). Wait there is a rating system, but it seems only 1 person is using it or it is broken as it is telling me I have already rated the "All-grain - Pink Elephant" thread!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f71/
&
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f73/

Searching for past threads isn't as much fun as striking up a new conversation!
 
Yah, I always struggle with the recipe threads, as I just don't trust the quality for some reason. I wanted you to jump in a say here is the recipe for the best xyz belgian I have made.

Here are two of mine:

Northern Trippel GREAT AT 3 MONTHS, AMAZING AT A YEAR
Belgian Tripel


Type: All Grain
Date: 1/6/2011
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewer: Ben Bradford
Boil Size: 5.93 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: My Equipment
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
12 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 87.72 %
12.0 oz Carapils (Briess) (1.5 SRM) Grain 5.26 %
1.00 oz Tradition [6.00 %] (60 min) Hops 17.3 IBU
1.00 oz Saaz [4.00 %] (15 min) Hops 5.7 IBU
1 lbs Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) Sugar 7.02 %
1 Pkgs Trappist High Gravity (Wyeast Labs #3787) Yeast-Wheat



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.079 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.079 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.017 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.015 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 8.16 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 8.38 %
Bitterness: 23.0 IBU Calories: 360 cal/pint
Est Color: 4.7 SRM Color: Color


Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body Total Grain Weight: 13.25 lb
Sparge Water: 1.26 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE Mash PH: 5.4 PH

Single Infusion, Light Body Step Time Name Description Step Temp
75 min Mash In Add 4.11 gal of water at 163.4 F 151.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 2.65 gal of water at 198.6 F 168.0 F



Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).
Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Kegged (Forced CO2) Volumes of CO2: 2.4
Pressure/Weight: 21.6 PSI Carbonation Used: -
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 60.0 F Age for: 0.7 days
Storage Temperature: 52.0
 
And a belgian pale ale that i make for a quicker turn around:

Belgian Pale Ale GREAT AT 6 WEEKS-? PAST THAT IT DOESN'T LAST THAT LONG
Belgian Pale Ale


Type: All Grain
Date: 9/24/2011
Batch Size: 10.00 gal
Brewer: Ben Bradford
Boil Size: 11.59 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: 12 Gallon Equipment
Taste Rating(out of 50): 45.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 73.00
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
1 lbs Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM) Adjunct 4.69 %
15 lbs 11.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 73.63 %
2 lbs 1.0 oz Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 9.69 %
1 lbs 0.5 oz Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 4.84 %
1 lbs 0.5 oz Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 4.84 %
7.8 oz Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain 2.30 %
1.49 oz Saaz [5.80 %] (60 min) Hops 15.2 IBU
0.99 oz Saaz [5.80 %] (15 min) Hops 5.0 IBU
0.50 items Campden Tablet (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
2.00 tbsp PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
2.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Flanders Golden Ale- Private Selection (Wyeast Labs #3739) Yeast-Ale



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.054 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.054 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.015 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.96 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 6.39 %
Bitterness: 20.2 IBU Calories: 235 cal/pint
Est Color: 7.9 SRM Color: Color


Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Medium Body Total Grain Weight: 21.30 lb
Sparge Water: 1.79 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE Mash PH: 5.4 PH

Single Infusion, Medium Body Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 6.60 gal of water at 169.0 F 154.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 5.76 gal of water at 187.3 F 168.0 F



Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).
Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Kegged (Forced CO2) Volumes of CO2: 2.4
Pressure/Weight: 21.6 PSI Carbonation Used: -
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 60.0 F Age for: 7.0 days
Storage Temperature: 52.0 F
 
Cregar posted this extract recipe for Piraat Belgian IPA from another site. Might as well include this since I brought up that it's one of my favorite Belgians of all time. I haven't tried this recipe yet but It's probably going to be the next beer I brew.

Piraat Clone

11 lbs. Plain Extra-Light DME
1½ lbs. Belgian Clear Candi Sugar
8 oz. Crystal Malt 20°L
4 oz. Belgian Cara-Vienne Malt
4 oz. Belgian Aromatic Malt
1 oz. Brewers Gold 60 minutes
1 oz. Styrian Goldings 15 minutes
½ oz. Styrian Goldings 5 minutes
½ tsp. ground coriander 15 minutes
½ tsp. ground coriander 5 minutes
1 tsp. Sweet orange peel 5 minutes
1 tsp. Irish moss 15 minutes
1 pkg. Wyeast 3787 Trappist high gravity yeast

Steep specialty grains for 30 minutes @ 150°F.
Keep fermentation around 68-70°F.
Prime with 1½ cup wheat DME.
The finished volume is: 6 gallons
Technical file for Piraat 9%:
9 % alcohol by volume, 18.5° Plato
Amber colored beer with secondary fermentation in the bottle or in the keg.
Shelf life: at least 2 years after bottling date.

OG: 1.096
FG: 1.024
SRM: ~11
IBU: 9
ABV: 9.3%
 
Ben I've seen ya postin and thought you were a cool guy but now, with this thread, I know you are truly a badass dude. All I brew and drink are Belgians for the overwhelming majority (almost exclusively)

Just check the recipes under my sig for a few.
 
I just brewed this dubbel on Monday, looking forward to when it's ready to drink

10lbs Belgian Pilsner
10oz Special B
8oz CaraVienne
1lb D2 Syrup
4oz Table Sugar

.75oz Mt. Hood hops @90 minutes
.25oz Mt. Hood hops @20 minutes

Wyeast 1214 Chimay strain.
 
I have a proposition: for Belgians especially, wouldn't it make sense for us to make note of how long the beer fermented, and at what age the flavor peaked? My most recent dubbel was near undrinkable after three months, and now at four months it's pretty good. In general, my problem with recipe postings is that they tend to be on the order of, "here's my recipe, it smelled great going into the fermenter, can't wait to taste it!" For all we know, the beer never ended up tasting any good. And if I knew that it comes into its own after four months, I wouldn't waste beer testing it earlier. Just my two cents.
 
Yah, I always struggle with the recipe threads, as I just don't trust the quality for some reason.

You don't trust the recipe database so your going to start your own, with a bunch of recipes from people you don't know. Makes sense.


-
 
Sessionable Belgians are some of my favorite beers. Here's what started out as a clone of Russian River's 'Redemption', but sort of evolved based on what was at my LHBS. Overall, this beer is good after about two weeks in the bottle, but it's best after at least four. It tastes sort of like a funky/malty brut champagne. Cheers!
-Frankie D.

Belgian Pale Ale
Batch size: 5.5 gallons
OG: 1.052
FG: 1.012 (maybe lower)
ABV%: 5.2
SRM: 3.5
IBU: 23

4.8 lbs Extra Light DME
2 lbs. 5 oz. Pilsner 2-row
.25 lbs Acidulated Malt
.25 lbs. Vienna Malt
.25 lbs Pale Wheat Malt

Mash @ 150F for 60 minutes
Mashout @ 168F for 10 minutes

60 minute boil
1 oz. Willamette @ 60 min.
2 oz. Hallertau Hersbrucker @ 5 min

Ferment with Wyeast 1762 (Belgian Abby II) @ 75F
Prime to 3 volumes at bottling
 
Revvy has a very good Lefe clone recipe under his profile. I have brewed it a couple of times now and it is absolutely spot on.

:mug:
 
You don't trust the recipe database so your going to start your own, with a bunch of recipes from people you don't know. Makes sense.


-

When I started this thread, I knew it didn't make sense, but I guess as someone else put it, I just wanted to talk about belgian ales, and maybe I would be pushed in a positive direction... For instance, I didn't knwo Revvy had a Lefe clone until now, and DannPM has some recipes in his sig that sound good too.

If I get one or even two recipes (and I like the idea of talking about the age or peak of these recipes), then I will think it a good thread :)
 
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