NorthernBrewers "Golden Dragon"

[avibayer]

Forgive me if there is already a thread on this, but i couldn't find it. Northernbrewers.com offered a golden dragon all grain kit, which included belgian pilsner (12lbs), belgian special b (.25) and belgian aromatic (.75).
1 oz sterling, and 1 oz saaz. Then it had special ingredients, soft brown candi sugar, priming sugar and dark candi syrup. The first two, the instructions said, were to be added at the end of the boil, and the latter during high krausen.

yeast was flanders golden ale.

so, on to my questions. O.G was supposed to be 1092, and i got 1075, not having added the dark candi syrup (will be pitching in a couple hours). Will the O.G go up to 1092, or did i not have great efficieny? (was rushed during the brewing because of an incoming thunder storm).

then, when is high krausen? when the krausen first leaves a ring at the top of the fermenter, or after?

stoked to have a batch sit for three/four months and be ready for the winter. Also, finally got a vortex going on my stirplate, which was cause for celebration (two or three tasty brews).

cheers

 

[knightbeer39]

Sounds like you didn't get good efficiency. The candi syrup will raise it some too but I wouldn't think it will get it up to 1.092 if you are only at 1.075.

High Krausen is when the yeast is most active and you should see a nice foamy layer on top.

 

[EvilGnome6]

Playing around with BeerSmith, it looks like a pound of candi sugar will add about .007 which would bring you up to 1.082. Looks like your efficiency was a little low. I brewed this one a few weeks ago and ended up with an OG of 1.095 (I just added all the sugar in the boil). Was down to 1.048 after 7 days and it's still bubbling away.

I mashed at 149 for 90 minutes in 5 gallons of water and sparged with 3 gallons to get about 6.5 gallons in the kettle. I let it boil off down to 6 gallons before starting my 60 minute countdown to end up with 5 gallons in the fermenter.

Next time I brew something similar I'm going to try putting all the sugar additions in the primary after a week. Last two times I did sugar in the boil the fermentation was kind of sluggish.

 

[Troubs]

I did the extract version of the recipe from NortherBrewer and my OG was a disappointing 1.072. I too hadn't added the Belgium candy sugar yet but I was bummed that it wasn't higher.

All well, I'm still very excited to taste this one in a few months

 

[spin02]

I am actually doing this kit over the weekend, or maybe next. Looks like it will require a pretty big yeast starter. I am pitching 2 smack packs into a 2.5L starter. My plan is to ferment at 67*, one month in the primary, then two months in a secondary. I imagine that with this high gravity it will have to be in the bottle for several months.

Is this similar to what you guys have done?

 

[EvilGnome6]

I actually pitched at 59F and let it rise to 80F where I'll keep it. I'll bottle it after 4 weeks or when I hit my target FG, whichever comes last.

 

[Troubs]

Is this similar to what you guys have done?

Yup. I pitched a huge starter and it has been in the primary for just under a month. It finished at 1.007. I'm going to rack it into the secondary soon and leave it there for 2-3 months. From there its going into bottles until it tastes good

Edit: Its been sitting at 68 degrees the whole time

 

[avibayer]

I only used one smack pack, and a one liter starter. Hope its enough. I use the buckets, so i don't have a clear view of the fermentation. Pitched eight hours ago, and the airlock is bubbling away.

I had a foamy layer from aerating. Still not clear on what i am looking for for high krausen. Its not a big deal. I'm leaving for vacation in two days, and was going to add the syrup the night before i leave, hoping it all turns out. The "RDWHAHB" style of brewing.

 

[Troubs]

Still not clear on what i am looking for for high krausen. Its not a big deal. I'm leaving for vacation in two days, and was going to add the syrup the night before i leave, hoping it all turns out. The "RDWHAHB" style of brewing.

That sounds perfect to me!

 

[avibayer]

Troubs -

seems like your a few weeks ahead of me in your schedule. let me know how yours turns out.
cheers

 

[Troubs]

No prob, i tasted it after 3 weeks and it is obviously extremely boozy but I am looking forward to this one a lot! If it tastes anything like the original by the end then its going to be awesome!

 

[spin02]

Well, I guess I am doing this one on Saturday. I just got the starter made.

I am going to try to get some good pics along the way. I got a couple of the starter. Anyone else take any pics?

 

[avibayer]

no pics, but because it was the first time i got my stir plate i made to have a vortex, i have some video of the starter. not a paying member yet, so i can't post it here. Is there a way to upload video from a free account?

 

[Troubs]

I didn't take any pics either, but I racked off the cake last night after 4 weeks. It looks delicious!

 

[spin02]

I finally got to brew mine this past weekend.

I posted a boat load of pics in this thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/how-i-slayed-golden-dragon-lot-pics-134923/

 

[avibayer]

I transferred mine to the conditioner yesterday, and measured the FG at 0.998. OG was 1.072 before candi syrup addition. can not wait to see how this turns out.

 

[Eigenmusic]

Then it had special ingredients, soft brown candi sugar, priming sugar and dark candi syrup. The first two, the instructions said, were to be added at the end of the boil, and the latter during high krausen.

I'm a little confused as to why you were to add the "priming sugar" at the end of the boil (along with the soft brown candi sugar). Shouldn't "priming sugar" have been used to prime the beer for carbonation after fermenting? Or is this just a case of NorthernBrewer using priming sugar as a gravity booster in the recipe, simply because it was cheap and on-hand?

 

[avibayer]

pretty sure it was the latter.

 

[avibayer]

This one came out great. My friends and family say its my best beer yet. I was surprised that it has an abbey ale kind of taste. i was expecting it to be much fruitier, but its great.

 

[bootney]

To Eigenmusic,

The late addition corn sugar had two purposes and that was to boost ABV and to dry it out.

I just tasted mine after being in primary for 3 weeks, and I am quite surprised how good it tastes this early. I was unable to use Flander's because it wasn't available and went with WY Belgian Strong Ale. I had a starting OG of 1.092 and finished up at 1.015. I'm also surprised by how little effect the Dark Belgian Candi Sugar had on the SRM. Overall even though it was designed for a different yeast it was a good combination. Cheers.