Paters Bier

[radwizard]

Just had what was my first Paters Bier. I really enjoyed it and found this style to have a lot of potential. It also represents a profile I am looking for in my line up. I am starting to research recipes for my first attempt at brewing one.
Right now thinking 85% pils and 15% malted wheat, with Saaz and strisslespalt for the hops around 20 ibus. Im seeing people have been using wyeast high gravity belgian yeasts. I have never used this, and was curious why it is recommended on this small table beer. Im aiming for 3.8-4% abv finished.

Thougts on recipe development, and yeast choices for a pale belgian single?

 

[day_trippr]

In my admittedly limited experience Belgians are all about the yeast, with everything else playing supporting roles.
I use wy3787 for the esters (it's chock full of 'em) for a refectory ale I keep on tap with a mere 48 point OG - certainly not a "high gravity" recipe.

I see Wyeast 1762 Abbey II or White Labs WLP530 Abbey Ale recommended for a few patersbier recipes. Haven't used either, yet...

Cheers!

 

[Lefou]

Here's a Trappist Belgian experiment I'm doing in the near future ...

5lb Dingeman Belgian Pilsner malt
1lb Victory malt ( color, body, and flavor)
1lb wheat malt (I like foam)
1lb Carapils (body, extra laying around, might as well use it)
5gal batch, 2qt water/lb grain, step mash to 150-155F.

WLP 500 Trappist yeast, Willamette hops, and Styrian Goldings for aroma
4-5% ABV, 20 IBU

I'm using Victory, but you can easily swap it out for Belgian aromatic, biscuit, or use Munich malt, too. A Belgian pale ale would be a little extra specialty malt for color and away you go, though your choice in yeasts and hops may differ. I settled on WLP500 instead of WLP530, but that's just me. I've been looking for a tasty, low ABV alternative home brew that gets along well with food without putting you to sleep in the process, something better than BMC or DuPont's light Avril offering.
There's been a bit of buzz on the Interwebz over lighter Belgians lately. More "patersbier" or "enkel" hits are showing up, so it would seem the traditional influence is filtering over to more brewers despite what some of the snickering beer snobs might say about "light beers".

Good luck.

 

[radwizard]

Great stuff. Thank You. Esters are really what I am after in this one.
I am not especially experienced in Trappist Style Belgian Sac. strains. I'm thinking I will give the 3787 a go, and ferment with a farmhouse style profile.
I agree that that this style is going to take off and go pretty mainstream, as Saisons have. It is a pretty exciting beer for its size, and a lot of possibilities here.

 

[kh54s10]

The only Patersbier I have done was from Northern Brewer's lineup. I did the extract kit as my third brew. I later did it as an all grain batch. I used the recipe they publish with the kit on their website.

MASH INGREDIENTS
- 9 lbs. Belgian Pilsner malt


BOIL ADDITIONS & TIMES
1 oz. Tradition (60 min)
0.5 oz. Saaz (60 min)
0.5 oz. Saaz (10 min)
YEAST
Wyeast #3787 Trappist High Gravity.

I think the choice of the yeast is critical to the beer. I used the 3787.

 

[Lefou]

Fermentation temperature can be important, too. Starting on the low side of the recommended range then warming slightly on certain strains may yield preferred ester outcomes and prevent stalling, least ways for the WLP500 Trappist and DuPont saison varieties.
I tend to seasonal brewing during cooler months, and have used Hefeweizen strains in a similar fashion with great results near 61F-70F. The clove was very noticeable, but no banana esters, but then again, I was using the strains known for clove ester production. Using higher attenuation Belgian strains should be as easy, and the gravity of an Enkel, saison, or Patersbier is very close.
Using this method and the stated mash temps as well should give a nice, dry ale with the desired attributes of low ABV, flavor, and aroma. Fruity hops would work well, too, and I wouldn't exclude Cascade, Citra, or a Mandarina Bavaria addition ... Shoot, even Huell Melon or Nelson Sauvin hops would be a novel hop approach given personal preferences.

 

[radwizard]

Fermentation temperature can be important, too. Starting on the low side of the recommended range then warming slightly on certain strains may yield preferred ester outcomes and prevent stalling, least ways for the WLP500 Trappist and DuPont saison varieties.
I tend to seasonal brewing during cooler months, and have used Hefeweizen strains in a similar fashion with great results near 61F-70F. The clove was very noticeable, but no banana esters, but then again, I was using the strains known for clove ester production. Using higher attenuation Belgian strains should be as easy, and the gravity of an Enkel, saison, or Patersbier is very close.
Using this method and the stated mash temps as well should give a nice, dry ale with the desired attributes of low ABV, flavor, and aroma. Fruity hops would work well, too, and I wouldn't exclude Cascade, Citra, or a Mandarina Bavaria addition ... Shoot, even Huell Melon or Nelson Sauvin hops would be a novel hop approach given personal preferences.

The fermentation profile I'm considering sounds pretty close to What you suggest. Pitch at 66f and increase the temp. (about a degree a day) over the first 4 or 5 days, and then just turning it lose to free rise (it will stop around 74f without additional heating).
I'm thinking I should get a healthy fermentation with strong esters from this profile, If anyone has suggestions towards a better fermentation strategy, I am all ears.

It's funny you mention fruity hops. That is my ultimate goal in this beer. I think I could make something pretty fantastic using some fruitier American Hops in this style. Nothing to crazy, but I want to layer some Cascades, or Amarillo into the late hops. I'm gonna do my first trial runs without, to try and get a better handle on what kinda of esters I will be producing. Then the fun come in!!

 

[Lefou]

The most fun is in cracking the seal on that first trial beer, pouring, and getting a good whiff of what you created. My first saison experience was very disappointing. Too hoppy and metallic, it was a sample entered in a previous World Beer competition from the Dominican Republic held in Philadelphia.
As an amateur home brewer, I feel I can do much better... and needless to say, the saison mentioned above never placed. I know, I checked the results.

Some of my preferred craft ales along this style ... Yards Brewing Summer Wheat Saison and Fat Tire. I've already analyzed Fat Tire somewhat and feel an improved clone can be made without the 60L crystal malt they use.