Belgian Golden Strong Ale Pink Elephant (Delirium Tremens clone)

[bmason1623]

I'm drinking a clone that I brewed back on 5/13/11, bottled on 6/01/11 as I type this. The solvent taste has long disappeared. The beer is drinkable but I'm not too crazy about it. I was hoping it would have more o the belgian flavor profile and less of the malty profile which is from the S-04. Other than that the beer is fine. it only took 3.5 months!

 

[jkarp]

Ferment a little warmer next go-around.

 

[bmason1623]

Ferment a little warmer next go-around.

My fermentation temps were low 80s. I think the belgian yeast was just under pitched.

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[opteek]

Brewed this up last month and have had it in primary for 4 weeks. I just put it in the fridge @32F where it will rest for another 2 weeks before kegging. Its at 1.007 now and tastes great! This is going to be my best brew so far

 

[enricocoron]

I pitched the S-04 w/ Belgian Ale yeast and the dregs of two DT bottles, got no big malty flavor at all, just that smooth belgian candy spice. I fermented at 68-70, 80 may be too high.

 

[opteek]

I just kegged this beer tonight. First time kegging, also kegged a honey chamomile wheat. All I can say is WOW. I poured myself about two glasses while I was racking over to the keg and it tastes absolutely phenomenal uncarbed, I daresay just like the real thing! I am force carbing this and I just can't wait to taste it when it's ready. Thank you for this recipe!!

 

[lumpher]

he lists it

Yeast: WLP570
Yeast Starter: 1L

 

[enricocoron]

but you also want s-04 in there

 

[Akavango]

Bottled this recently and it was so close to the real thing, I was floored.
Can wait to test it once it is ready in the bootle.
Thanks for the great recipe.

 

[opteek]

I have tapped the keg, after 58 hours of burst carbing, it is unbeleivably excellent. I mean really. Haven't done a side by side yet but it is very very close. The belgian spicy yeast profile is right there and delicious, a little bit more prominent than what I remember a DT being giving it a little bit of a Leffe quality to it but I imagine this will diminish. Such an excellent beer I might just start brewing belgians exclusively.

 

[xjmox14x]

So how has everyone accomplished the mash schedule as shown in the OP? Did you just say screw it and mash at one temp?

Would decoction work?

 

[dmkern]

So how has everyone accomplished the mash schedule as shown in the OP? Did you just say screw it and mash at one temp?

Would decoction work?

I mashed at 158. One temp for 90 minutes. Worked great. One of my best brews yet.

 

[jkarp]

So how has everyone accomplished the mash schedule as shown in the OP? Did you just say screw it and mash at one temp?

I don't anymore. I just do the 10 minute protein rest and a 156 mash.

 

[Akavango]

I took the average temp 151 for 90' and it worked great.

 

[bmason1623]

So I had an actual DT last night, my second one ever since the bars I've been to charge $10 a bottle. The first one I had a few months ago was so so. Last night it was amazing. I just wanted to comment that my clone attempt tastes nothing like DT. I think my fermentation temps got too hot and it left a weird after taste. It's also too malty presumably from the S-04. I'm going to attempt this again but I'll use S-05 and step up the belgian yeast dramatically. Maybe even add the dry yeast a day or two after pitching the starter. Need to figure it out yet. $0.02

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[enricocoron]

The originial mash schedule works, I used Beersmith and it gave me some BS error message that I couldn't achieve this temp with this volume but it tries to calculate your volumes for you...so I decreased the initial volumes for a thicker mash...came out fantastic. Bmason, my second batch definitely has a weird aftertaste, I had higher ferment temps the second time, and I believe the weird tastes I perceive are Fusel alchohols and some byproducts of the spices like seeds of paradise that occur at higher temps, I can't substantiate it but I get a solvent flavor mixed with like a chili burn flavor. But my first clone was a dead on ringer for DT if not a little cleaner. I used the S-04 with WL - Belgian(number forgotten)...and I used the adjusted grain bill with munich, aromatic, special B, and pils with light belgian candi sugar and ginger, seeds of paradise, corriander seed with a styrian golding then saaz as hops, ferment 2 weeks at 70, lager 2-3 weeks minimum, hot bottle condition with a whole cup of corn sugar 3 weeks at 80 degrees in champagne bottles only. I think that the S-04 lags compared to the white labs yeast so it's more a finishing yeast and the initial flavors are from the WL. I can send you my exact beersmith recipe as I have and indicate where adjustments were made....I plan to rebrew this very soon in time for the holidays but am waiting for temps to drop to 70 max, it proved less forgiving than an IPA in terms of ferment temps.

 

[wadeo]

If you could post your Beersmith recipe, your first attempt sounds like a good clone of DT.

 

[rmm305]

Yesss please post your extract recipe I really wanna try to make DT

 

[enricocoron]

Here you go....sorry but I don't have an extract. This is for 5 gallon, all grain. Primary at aorund 68-70.....until it was done, racked to a secondary 5 gallon glass carboy and lagered in fridge, 35-40 degrees for 2-3 weeks, and then hot bottle condition at 80 degrees for 3 weeks...then let most bottles age another month or so. Will be brewing a 3rd batch as soon as primary temps dont threaten to go over 70. Ignore the boil volume, its a 90 minute so it has to be higher like almost 7 gallons. Also the volumes of water and temps...I just did a rest, two temp mash, and then batch sparged once with a small volume of water to get up to seven gallons...I also slightly dropped the volumes for steps 1-3 but kept the same ratios, got plenty of sugar out and I have a low effic. system. Let me know if it works out...by the way, splurge for the candy sugar, if you're gonna spend all that time and effort is it worth using corn sugar to save five bucks just cause Chimay supposedly does now to cut costs?


Belgian Strong Ale
Brew Type: All Grain Date: 3/8/2011
Style: Belgian Golden Strong Ale Brewer: Eric O'Connor
Batch Size: 5.00 gal Assistant Brewer:
Boil Volume: 6.02 gal Boil Time: 90 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %

Brewing Steps Check Time Step
3/8/2011 Clean and prepare equipment.
-- Measure ingredients, crush grains.
-- Prepare 7.55 gal water for brewing
-- Prepare Ingredients for Mash
Amount Item Type
11.70 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain
0.44 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain
0.31 lb Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain
0.31 lb Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain

-- WARNING: Estimated mash size: 9.29 gal greater than mash tun volume of 5.00 gal
2 min Mash Ingredients
Mash in: Add 12.77 qt of water at 134.7 F
10 min - Hold mash at 125.0 F for 10 min
2 min Step2: Add 5.11 qt of water at 200.1 F
45 min - Hold mash at 144.0 F for 45 min
2 min Step3: Add 7.66 qt of water at 194.9 F
30 min - Hold mash at 158.0 F for 30 min
2 min Mash out: Error: Infusion temperature above boiling. Add more water!
5 min - Hold mash at 170.0 F for 5 min
-- Sparge with 0.00 gal of 168.0 F water.
-- Add water to achieve boil volume of 6.02 gal
-- Estimated Pre-boil Gravity is: 1.067 SG with all grains/extracts added
Boil for 90 min Boil Ingredients
Boil Amount Item Type
90 min 1.50 lb Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) Sugar
60 min 1.23 oz Styrian Goldings [5.40 %] (60 min) Hops
15 min 0.82 oz Saaz [4.00 %] (15 min) Hops
12 min 0.14 oz Ginger Root (Boil 12.0 min) Misc
5 min 0.42 oz Coriander Seed (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
5 min 4.00 gm Seeds of Paradise (Boil 5.0 min) Misc

-- Cool wort to fermentation temperature
-- Add water (as needed) to achieve volume of 5.00 gal
-- Siphon wort to primary fermenter and aerate wort.
-- Add Ingredients to Fermenter
Amount Item Type
1 Pkgs Belgian Ale (White Labs #WLP550) Yeast-Ale
1 pkg s-04 dry english.

3/8/2011 Measure Original Gravity: ________ (Estimate: 1.080 SG)
3/8/2011 Measure Batch Volume: ________ (Estimate: 5.00 gal)
14 days Ferment in primary for 14 days at 68.0 F
3/22/2011 Transfer to Secondary Fermenter
7 days Ferment in secondary for 7 days at 38.0 F
3/29/2011 Measure Final Gravity: ________ (Estimate: 1.019 SG)
-- Bottle beer at 60.0 F with 3.8 oz of corn sugar.
3.0 Weeks Age for 3.0 Weeks at 78.0 F
4/19/2011 Sample and enjoy!

 

[ChillWill]

Could I use black pepper instead of grains of paradise? How important are they to the flavour?

 

[enricocoron]

I just brewed my 3rd batch on friday night. This time I've left out the S-04 yeast and am trying it pure Belgian yeast. The ferments been steady 66-68 so if I don't like it as much it'll probably be because the true DT yeast is a hybrid between English and Belgian strains.

The LHBS was out of grains of paradise, so I only used freshly sliced Ginger and whole Corriander seed. I may see if they re-stock and put the paradise seeds in the lagering vessel but I wouldn't use black pepper at all. If you can't get seeds of paradise but want something spicy to kick a bit over the holidays I would add some chili peppers or maybe just the seeds from them...Habanero or Birds eyes pack a punch.

 

[sivdrinks]

Why the 90 minute boil? Wont this make it darker? Not looking for great hop utilization either.

 

[jkarp]

Why the 90 minute boil? Wont this make it darker? Not looking for great hop utilization either.

Pilsener malt. 90 minute boil is normal to drive off DMS.

 

[sivdrinks]

I'm doing a PM, does that matter? Six pounds Belgian Pils three pounds extra light DME.

 

[jkarp]

I'm doing a PM, does that matter? Six pounds Belgian Pils three pounds extra light DME.

Sure does matter. DMS should have been driven off during the manufacturing process of the DME. You can certainly drop the boil time to 60m.

 

[sivdrinks]

Only plan on the single mash temp, still go or 90 min on that with the 6 pounds? May add another pound of DME, planned on great attenuation with cultured DT yeast but that didn't take. Going with the S-04 and Wyeast BS combo.

 

[jkarp]

Yeah, I'd still do the 90m mash. You want a highly fermentable wort to get the desired attenuation.

 

[sivdrinks]

Great thread, thanks to all. More questions though. Gonna split a 5 gallon batch between keg and bottle. Anyone think using carb tabs is a bad idea? Probably use bomber bottles. As for kegging, should I just skip the secondary since it's gonna be in a cold keg and fridge? If I brew this week will it be drinkable for Christmas and New Years?

 

[enricocoron]

I did a 70 minute boil this time...we'll see if it matters. Last Lager I did I just did a 60 and after the lagering it came out uber clean. Maybe some Pilsner malt producers make malts less prone to DMSO production?

sivdrinks, If it were me I'd still rack to a lagering vessel before kegging, but just for clarity. My two batches were a little different from each other. The first one took about 7 weeks to be totally done, and the second one needed longer in the bottle....I went for about 3.0 volumes with corn sugar and used only champagne bottles.

 

[sivdrinks]

Still looking for an opinion on carb tabs. Planned on two per bomber bottle. I probably won't touch these till spring/summer since I'll be drinking out of the keg for now. Are you guys having blowouts with bottles other than champagne bottles because of the high co2 volume? If so I'm hoping the carb tabs will negate this.