Belgian Dark Strong Ale Leffe Radieuse Clone

[speedster00]

The only thing I changed was the base grains. I turned your 11lbs into 7.8 lbs of LME. The rest is the same accept my LBS didn't have wlp530 so I used wyeast 3787 which is the same strand. So I'll boil the malt grains about 40 minutes to make sure the sugar has broke then add LME in and boil for another 40 following your hop schedule. I'll keep you posted on my gravity readings.

 

[beergolf]

The only thing I changed was the base grains. I turned your 11lbs into 7.8 lbs of LME. The rest is the same accept my LBS didn't have wlp530 so I used wyeast 3787 which is the same strand. So I'll boil the malt grains about 40 minutes to make sure the sugar has broke then add LME in and boil for another 40 following your hop schedule. I'll keep you posted on my gravity readings.

I sure hope you meant steep the grains and not boil them. Boiling the grains for 40 minuties would not be good.

 

[speedster00]

It wasn't a full boil but the flame stayed on. I nailed the starting gravity of 1.051. The morning after I pitched the yeast were so active it pushed my airlock off and made a mess

 

[Akavango]

I always had very active gravity with this beer. I'm a bit confuse about your low gravity. I get 1078 OG why is yours so low? Is it because of the method you are using?

Anyway I'm sure you will like it. It is a great beer. Have you had the original?

 

[speedster00]

I believe I've had the beer but it's been a while. I made a leffe blonde clone earlier this year which was fantastic. Wen I saw yours I had to try it. I'm not sure why my gravity was that low unless I took an inaccurate sample. I miss read your recipe and thought your OG was 1.051 thus my comment in my last post. My mistake. The beer looks and smells fantastic. I can't wait to try it.

 

[Akavango]

I d'love to read what you think of it.

 

[jsegnier]

I couldn't wait anymore after 2 weeks in bottle, I cracked open one. Oh my it was delicious not fully carbonated yet but it was really good. Now I will open a bottle a week until it is ready just to see how it is coming along.
Thanks for the great recipe.

 

[clinton69]

Speedster any updates on your extract version turned out? I'm really curious about that.

 

[jsegnier]

This beer gets better with age. 5 Weeks in the bottle and it is still improving. Already on my list of beer to brew again. Admittdely a short list but a list anyhow. If you come to Dublin let me know and we will drink together.
Thanks for this great recipe. For a first try it was a really good try.

 

[Akavango]

You're very welcome, glad you like it. If you come to Cork I'll have you taste some of mine.

 

[clinton69]

Just got my all grain set up and will brew it this week end. Looking forward to it.

 

[Akavango]

Good luck with it, let me know how it turns out.

 

[clinton69]

The brew is fermenting. Pretty smooth brew day. My Og was a little lower than yours at 1.074. Now the wait begin.

 

[Akavango]

Awesome! don't worry about the OG. I'm sure it will turn up fine.

 

[paraordnance]

I just brewed a Jamil's dubbel 2 days ago and his recipe looks almost exactly the same. Same malts and quantity just for 6 gal batch so it came out at SG 1.070. I used 3522 though is what I had on hand and Styrian Goldings instead. Can't wait to sample it.

 

[Akavango]

Can't wait to sample it.

I bet, I guess it would be pretty nice with styrian goldings too. Which is the main hops in the Leffe Blonde. May the patience be with you.

 

[SteelRinger]

This one is next on my "To Brew" list.

Gonna pick up the ingredients on Friday and brew on Sunday.

 

[jsegnier]

it is a great brew, mine is almost 2 months in the bottle and it still getting better. I'm going to have to brew it again soon as i'm running out of it.

 

[clinton69]

Mine has been fermenting very strongly. The lid of the bucket opened a few time and it threw up like a drunken teenager. It seems to be coming down right now. I hope the beer is ok with the lid having been opened.

 

[Akavango]

I have had the same problem each time i brewed it and except for once the beer turn up great. You should use a blow off tube where one end i in the bucket and the other end in a sanitizer solution. That should prevent the mess. A blow off tube cannot cope with rigourous fermentation.

 

[Akavango]

This one is next on my "To Brew" list.

Gonna pick up the ingredients on Friday and brew on Sunday.

Good luck with it!

 

[clinton69]

I have had the same problem each time i brewed it and except for once the beer turn up great. You should use a blow off tube where one end i in the bucket and the other end in a sanitizer solution. That should prevent the mess. A blow off tube cannot cope with rigourous fermentation.

Yeah I did some research since the first expulsion of yeast. I will do it next time. Let's hope for the best.

 

[speedster00]

Here's mine. I was very surprised at how strong the beer is. My initial gravity readings had to have been WAY off. No doubt mine turned out over 10% as you can taste the phenols. It reminds me of Belgium Tripple. Great strong flavor but mild on the hops. I guess the good thing is Im not drinking that much of it at a time....a pint or so and I know I've been drinking for sure. Fermintation stopped around the 10 day mark. After sitting in the keg for another 10 days it cleared quite well but that may not be evident in the picture. I converted this recipe to partial mash.

 

[Akavango]

Very nice colour, Congrats! Glad it turned out great.
Your pic make me want one. Too bad I'm at work.

 

[SteelRinger]

Didn't get a chance to brew last weekend so I will brewing on Friday.

I do have a question though. Should I add the sugar at the beginning of the boil or wait until about 10 minutes left so I don't have to worry about getting burnt sugar on the bottom of my brew pot.

Also the Haulertaus hops that my LHBS had are only 4.3% AA. So, my plan is to add .5 oz. of Williamette @ 15 minutes as I have some left from my last brew. According to brewers-assistant that should get me into the correct IBU range. Thoughts?

 

[Akavango]

I have done brew where sugars is to be added at various time during the boil and never had a problem with burnt sugar. The Common wisdom seems to be to add the sugar in the last 10 minutes of the boil.

I think that williamette is a harsher hops that hallertaus and that it could change the flavour of the final result. Maybe a little more hallertaus to raise the ibu to the desire level. Maybe someone has a different opinion.

 

[SteelRinger]

Well, I finally got to brew this beer today. I missed the OG by a few points. Mine was at 1.068. I did use the Williamette, but added at 10 minutes instead of 15. It did increase the "hoppiness" of the nose, but didn't impart any real bitterness to the wort.

It smelled and tasted wonderful. My starter was very active so I am thinking I will be seeing activity in the primary before I go to bed tonight.

I have to confess, I have never had an actual Leffe Radieuse. I brewed this because I have liked every other Leffe beer I have had and the recipe sounded like it would give a great beer. If the beer picks up some of the "classic Belgian" tastes from the yeast and combines with the malty/nutty flavor of the wort, this beer is going to be amazing.

 

[Akavango]

The radieuse is my second favorite leffe. The first one is the Vieille Cuvee. They are both great beer. I'm sure you'll like yours.
I hope you have put in place a blow off tube because I always has very active fermentation with those.
Cheers.

 

[SteelRinger]

The radieuse is my second favorite leffe. The first one is the Vieille Cuvee. They are both great beer. I'm sure you'll like yours.
I hope you have put in place a blow off tube because I always has very active fermentation with those.
Cheers.

You are not kidding!

I have 5 gallons of wort in a 6 gallon carboy with a blow-off tube and a one gallon bucket half full of sanitizer. I ended up with 2 inches of yeast sludge in the bucket and yeasty sanitizer all over the inside of my fermentation fridge.

I switched over to an airlock today as it looks like the violent fermentation stage is over.

 

[Akavango]

Sorry for the mess!