My First Foray into Belgian Strongs

[SpanishCastleAle]

If that happens, place the probe into an oven and heat to 375 degrees. Once the thermometer hits the 350 mark, the probe will reset itself.

Thanks...I thought about doing that but it was like 3 days old so I returned it (and then bought another). They are extremely convenient...great for kegerator/keezer temp display...fermentation temp display...etc. I think I need more than two (I'd settle for a few more probes).

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Dubbel yer blowoff? I let it blowoff for two days but it finally subsided...put an airlock on it...it's fine like that for hours...eeked up the temp a couple of degrees...airlock half-full of foam a bit later. Luckily I was monitoring the temp closely and caught it in the act. This krausen foam is like merengue it's so fine/thick.

 

[BierMuncher]

Took a reading last night...6 days in.
Krausen is completely gone.
Beer is stratifying as things settle out.
I ran the temp up to 74 degrees for 3 days (following 64x2 and 70x1).

Gravity was 1.018, (down from an OG of 1.076) 76% attenuation and inside the parameters for a dubbel.

Tasted great. Aromatic and Special B are really fruity. Nice raisin tone. Some nice esters…bordering on banana but not too distinguishable. Even at 7.6% and only 6 days in, absolutely no alcohol harshness. Very smooth and fruity. No hops coming through.

Can’t wait to get this thing to glass.

 

[flyangler18]

Can’t wait to get this thing to glass.

Bottle, then glass.

I know you just adore having to bottle.....

 

[Bob]

I know you love having to bottle.....

Fixed that for you.

 

[BierMuncher]

I'm already drafting my "my beers not carbonated" thread.

 

[Nomad]

On a similar note, I just bottled a Belgian Golden strong, 14 lbs grain + 1 lb cane sugar. Mashed at 149, fermented around 75 degrees (ambient temp in kitchen.) Bottled last week, and tasted like... nail polish. Super hot alcohols. Final Gravity was around 1.008, starting was 1.076. Any hopes this will mellow out? I'm not even testing one again until two weeks from now, which will be three weeks bottle conditioned.

 

[flyangler18]

I'm already drafting my "my beers not carbonated" thread.

On a side-note, you should totally cork and cage in 750s. I want to do this with all my Belgians.

 

[BierMuncher]

On a similar note, I just bottled a Belgian Golden strong, 14 lbs grain + 1 lb cane sugar. Mashed at 149, fermented around 75 degrees (ambient temp in kitchen.) Bottled last week, and tasted like... nail polish. Super hot alcohols. Final Gravity was around 1.008, starting was 1.076. Any hopes this will mellow out? I'm not even testing one again until two weeks from now, which will be three weeks bottle conditioned.

That should mellow out with time.

That's why I was very careful with that first 48 hours of temperature control.

Next time, try to use one of these along with a fan to suppress your initial fermentation temps.

 

[Nomad]

Dude. This is something from an auto-supply parts store? Looks like a simple solution.

 

[BierMuncher]

On a side-note, you should totally cork and cage in 750s. I want to do this with all my Belgians.

That would be sweet. I have some Ommegang and some La Fin in the fridge...I'll save the hardware. I'll probably need to shave the corks though. Those things look like morning wood after you pop the top.

Dude. This is something from an auto-supply parts store? Looks like a simple solution.

Sears hardware. $11.00. Just fill with water and soak the t-shirt...turn on the fan and good to go. The shirt will wick the water up. I don't use it in the winter because the brewshop is a constant 62-64 degrees.

 

[flyangler18]

That would be sweet. I have some Ommegang and some La Fin in the fridge...I'll save the hardware. I'll probably need to shave the corks though. Those things look like morning wood after you pop the top.

I haven't done it yet, but I know Pseudochef has been able to rent a corker from his LHBS. Might be a possibility.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

That gives me high hopes. My ferment temp profile was similar except I started @ ~66o F...at ~74o F now (I'll measure the actual fermenting wort next time).

That pan from the auto parts store should work well. A swamp with a fan def knocks the temp down. In Florida swamps are a necessity even in winter. I'm lucky in that I can 'get away' with using the tub (that tub has fermented beer and washed dogs...that's it).

Fingerbang kicks ass.

 

[Nomad]

Nice set up. In my apt, I have to make space sacrifices. My best cool temp area is the floor in the kitchen, and then I have to deal with the oven and kids complaining about "Why is the window open in the winter?" :~)

 

[DeathBrewer]

Hey, I was editing that! Fine, I'll remove my fingerbang reference.

Here was what I wanted to say: That looks like it will get the job done. I've often experience pressure pulling the blowoff water back into the fermenter, however, especially when the container is above the fermenter. Just something to think about. After the majority of fermentation has finished, you can just switch over to an airlock.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

I stole a sample of my Dubbel at 7 days and it's already at 1.011 from 1.070. It smells 'hot' for lack of a better word but doesn't taste 'hot'...weird. It actually tastes pretty good.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Smells like @ss.

My Dubbel was done with Wyeast Belgian Abbey II (1762) and it didn't have that smell but I'm doing a pre-Triple right now using the Wyeast Trappist High Gravity (3787) and it def smells like @ss (I boiled the wort for a long time so I'm assuming it's not DMS from the Pils malt...the Dubbel used the same Pils as a base).

 

[BierMuncher]

I bottled mine last weekend. Bleh.....

First time I've bottled a batch in over two years.

Tis a fitting packaging though for a bottle fermented beer.

Samples were smooth and had no harshness. These may be ready to sample pretty soon.

Now...how long should I let those bottles carb again?????

 

[flyangler18]

Now...how long should I let those bottles carb again?????

Be sure to squirrel at least a 12 pack away. Trust me.

3 weeks @ 70°!

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Mine is still sitting in the tub even though it's technically 'done'. I was gonna let it go 3 weeks in primary minimum.

I'm really thinking of wussin' out on the bottling though...I dread the thought. And it's been so long since I bottled I'd hate to compromise the quality with poor bottling.

 

[olllllo]

Bottling temps. Perhaps warmer than you think.
Unibroue conditions at 68-77 F. If I am not mistaken the Unibroue brew master was formerly of Chimay.
http://www.byo.com/stories/techniqu...212-on-the-yeast-guide-to-bottle-conditioning

Even warmer here.
http://www.thirstypilgrim.com/2009/01/first-new-warm-room-next-world.html

 

[DeathBrewer]

That was a really quick move from primary to bottle. I let my last guy sit in the carboys for months. Of course, it got infected in secondary and the acetobacter ate all the alcohol.



Lesson learned...I had far too much headspace and just kind of forgot about it for too long.

How long are you planning on leaving these guys to age in the bottle? I'm sure you could drink them soon, but strong belgians really benefit from 6+ months in the bottle.

 

[BierMuncher]

...How long are you planning on leaving these guys to age in the bottle? I'm sure you could drink them soon, but strong belgians really benefit from 6+ months in the bottle.

They're sitting in an upstairs closet at around 72 degrees.

I bottled off three mini-sized coke bottled to keep down stairs and play with so I'm not dicking around with with the batch.

I'll probably crack one of those in about 3 weeks and then one again a week later. I have plenty of brew flowing now and three Ommegang's in the fridge so I can keep my hands off these guys.

I enjoy about one dubbel bomber a week so this batch should last me well into next winter.

 

[user 22118]

I am just about to take my belgian out of primary after roughly a month. I will keg 5 gallons and then bottle five gallons. I totally want to use the 750's with corks, though not with corks. I might just use American sparkling bottles so that I can crown cap it. Not sure yet though.

And Biermuncher, that mini bottle will age much quicker than the others so keep an eye on it.

 

[BierMuncher]

Early sampling of my test bottles was very promising.

Great flavor and a good carbonation bite...but still too young to have a long lasting head.

A few more weeks.