Playin' around - Belgian Golden Strong

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flyangler18

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I've got a taste for a golden strong and Vinnie's recipe in BLAM jumped out at me when I was flipping through it looking for some inspiration. I'm tweaking the ratios to make this my own.

I'm still undecided on the yeast - I have both 3787 (Trappist High Gravity) and 570 (Belgian Golden Ale)

Pretty straight forward recipe, but I'll take any pointers. This is a new style for me to brew.

[SIZE=+2]Devil May Cry[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]18-D Belgian Golden Strong Ale[/SIZE]
Author: Jason Konopinski
Date: 3/30/09



Size: 5.0 gal
Efficiency: 80%
Attenuation: 85%
Calories: 265.48 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.080 (1.070 - 1.095)
|==============#=================|
Terminal Gravity: 1.012 (1.005 - 1.016)
|==================#=============|
Color: 4.8 (3.0 - 6.0)
|=================#==============|
Alcohol: 9.03% (7.5% - 10.5%)
|================#===============|
Bitterness: 32.2 (22.0 - 35.0)
|====================#===========|

[SIZE=+1]Ingredients:[/SIZE]
10 lb Pilsner Malt
8.0 oz White Wheat Malt
8.0 oz Munich Malt
2.0 lb White Table Sugar (Sucrose)
1 oz Goldings (5.0%) - added during boil, boiled 90 min
1 oz Goldings (5.0%) - added during boil, boiled 30 min
1 oz Goldings (5.0%) - added during boil, boiled 0.0 min
1.0 ea White Labs WLP570 Belgian Golden Ale

[SIZE=+1]Schedule:[/SIZE]
00:03:00 Dough In - Liquor: 3.5 gal; Strike: 160.91 °F; Target: 149 °F
01:33:00 Saccharification Rest - Rest: 90 min; Final: 147.0 °F
02:03:00 Lautering - First Runnings: 0.0 gal sparge @ 145 °F, 10 min; Sparge #1: 2.66 gal sparge @ 168.0 °F, 10.0 min; Sparge #2: 2.66 gal sparge @ 168.0 °F, 10.0 min; Total Runoff: 7.69 gal

[SIZE=-1]Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.5.2[/SIZE]
 
I'd recommend using the WLP570. I've used it for this style and prefer it for BGSA's, Belgian Pale Ale and even BDSA's.

Mash temp? I like to mash for 75-90 minutes at about 149 or 150. This gets me a dry finish and a light body that you fill out with 3+ volumes of co2 later.

2# of sucrose is about right. I like sucrose for the style vs. turbinado to keep the SRM in line as well.

I'm not sure if my recipe is in my dropdown or not. If not I will post it if you are interested to give you another point of reference. **edit - just checked, it's there in my dropdown.
 
I'd recommend using the WLP570. I've used it for this style and prefer it for BGSA's, Belgian Pale Ale and even BDSA's.

Cool - that's what my gut was telling me but that smackpack of 3787 was staring me in the face. :)

Mash temp? I like to mash for 75-90 minutes at about 149 or 150. This gets me a dry finish and a light body that you fill out with 3+ volumes of co2 later.

Yeah, I was thinking 90 minutes @ 149°. Glad we're on the same page, Kyle. :mug:
 
I would think that the 3787 would finish lower than 1.015 (depending on what you mash at). It took a dark strong from 1.105 to 1.022 for me. But I really like the flavors it puts out. I fermented around 65 degrees
 
I would think that the 3787 would finish lower than 1.015 (depending on what you mash at). It took a dark strong from 1.105 to 1.022 for me. But I really like the flavors it puts out. I fermented around 65 degrees

I agree it'll finish lower. BTP seems to think otherwise.
 
I'm new to the style too...just brewed my first a week and a half ago using WY3787. I pre-brewed a full 5 gal 1.047 'Enkle' and pitched the whole washed cake. I put 5.25 gal in a 6 gal carboy and it still blew off a little. I was trying to avoid that because there is so much yeast in the krausen with these Belgian strains...didn't want to lose any.

I just used Belgian Pils malt and a tiny bit of Carapils...and cane sugar. But I did a decoction mash so hopefully that will add a little depth of color and malty flavor. Can't remember where I read it but I heard the 'KISS' rule applies regarding the grain bill and Belgians in general. Aside from the sugar and yeast...almost SMaSH-ian.
 
With the higher gravity belgians I pitch two strains. The first is always the one with the ester profile I am looking for and the second is going to be the high gravity trappist, just to dry it out.
 
Just moved a Delirium Tremens clone to the lagering fridge. It went from 1.074 to 1.008 in 5 days using a dual-pitch of WLP570 and S-04.
 
I was trying to avoid that because there is so much yeast in the krausen with these Belgian strains...didn't want to lose any.

Have you tried top-cropping yet?

Just put the 570 on the stirplate, I'm thinking Friday will be the day.
 
Have you tried top-cropping yet?
Haha...I never really thought about it until I used these Belgian strains...it's like yeast mousse blowing off.

Just measured mine and it went from 1.088 to 1.013 in 10 days. It's some nasty, cloudy funk right now.
 
raise the temp and keep it high until it clears- thats how i finally started getting decent attenuation

i let mine do its thing at 67ish, then added a hot water bath and kept the temp in the low 80's for a while- it was wyeast 1762- the blonde i made is CLEAR
 
This is screaming for a split batch. That way you will have a tripel and a Golden Strong. I love brewing 6 gallons a splitting it between two carboys.

Here is my experience with both of these yeasts.

3787( Tripel): OG-1.080 FG- 1.002
570 (BGS): OG- 1.076 FG- 1.004

I personally think that 570 is a more attenuative yeast but the 3787 was fed the sugar in increments so that really helped dry it out. Both were mashed at 149 F.

If you use the 570 I would hold it at 64 F for three days and then ramp it up to 78-80. With 3787 I would ferment it the whole way at 66 F.
 
I'm usually quite good at creating witty names for my beers - but the brain is a bit slow today. Time to jot down some ideas.
 
Sample drawn tastes awesome. Notes of vanilla and cinnamon comes through from the phenols....sweet up front with a dry finish, even at less than a week since pitching. This one has lots of time on the cake yet - several weeks yet, then 2-3 months aging. Didn't take a gravity reading (really interested in tasting!), but I can tell this one is close to target.

I'm still torn whether I want to bottle this or not when it's time. Got lots of time to decide that.

Think we'll call this one 'Devil May Cry', a homage to Duvel.
 
That's a cool name. I'm terrible at naming my brews (use my HBT handle as exhibit A).

This is screaming for a split batch. That way you will have a tripel and a Golden Strong.
I really thought they were the same thing but I just looked on BJCP and they are indeed seperate categories. The 1.088 Tripel in my sig was purely Pils/Carapils/sugar. Since I'm subbing 1# of Lt. Munich for 1# of Pils in the next attempt (this weekend) I think I'm gonna call the first one a BGSA and call this one the Tripel (since it'll be a tiny bit darker). Other than the color it looks like each one has an ever-so-slightly different aroma/flavor profile. Tripel apparently more spicy and a little less fruity and the BGSA just the opposite. Also the Tripel a little sweeter and the BGSA a little drier. That sound about right Mr. BJCP or...bust?:D

EDIT: Maybe I'll name one 'She Talks to Devils' a la the Black Crows song. lol...always a friggin song.
 
Missed this thread until now...

I made the 6-6-6 Tripel in my dropdown with the 570, and Pils/Munich/Sugar to 1.090. Very nice beer but it's still coming around since I put it on oak to give it an Allagash Curieux twist. It underattenuated a bit, finished at 1.014 rather than the 1.008 I was aiming for. I have since figured out the mash thermometer I was using at the time (which since died) was a few degrees low on the reading.

Only thing I would change, I bottle conditioned with the 570 but the next time I use this yeast I will filter it out and use a different strain like S-04 in the bottle. No matter how gently I handle the bottles I end up with a bit of sediment in the glass.
 
If the aromas I got from racking the respective Enkles were any indication, the WLP570/WY1388 (Duvel) is noticably fruitier than the WLP530/WY3787 (Westmalle). I just racked the WLP570 Enkle and the aroma was awesome, very fruity and kind of floral. I seem to recall the WLP530 kind of stinking.
 
Damn, I rule.

Just pulled a sample for the hydro - 1.012 on the nose. I suspect it may drop another point or two but I'm not rushing it at this point.

Bottling this one for sure - I have plenty of 22s that will do nicely.
 
Hey that is cool man - I moved recently and haven't really been active on here. You should try to make it to a L C B meeting - April 28th is the next one. I made a bacon beer and a few saisons.
 
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