Recipe for Straffe Hendrik Quad or similar?

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Brewitt

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Anyone have a recipe for a Straffe Hendrik Quad from Brouwerij de Halve Maan in Bruges? Unfortunately (or fortunately) it was the only quad I tasted while in Belgium and I loved it. I know Westleveren 12 is supposed to be the pinnacle of this style but I haven't tasted it. Sounds similar from the recipes I have seen for that. Are these similar beasts? Any feedback is welcome. Thanks.
 
Subscribe in hopes that someone answers.

Well, the only one to answer is me, the first poster. I have not found a recipe for this beer. I have limited experience with Belgians but have brewed what I consider to be a fairly nice Golden Strong Ale using yeast from North Coast Brewing's Pranqster. So, having no suggested recipe, I decided to take a shot at a modification of a Westvleteren 12 clone that I found here <http://homebrewingadventures.blogspot.com/2007/04/westvleteren-abt-12-clone-recipe.html>.

I pretty much stuck to the recipe but I made my own Dark Candi Syrup and did the mash using BIAB. I also made some small modifications to the hops. I used WLP530 as suggested. It spent a month in the fermenter, I hit the numbers almost perfectly and then was bottled at 11.3% ABV. It tasted malty, roasty, but seemed fairly dry and alcoholic. A big beer that I was very optimistic about. At bottling I went for 3 volumes of CO2 using sugar and added fresh Pranqster yeast to carb. Now, two months later, the flavors have started to blend very nicely, it is quite carbonated but it is way too sweet for my taste.

One of the things I like about Straffe Hendrik is that it is very dry. I'm disappointed and I haven't seen much change between one month and two in the bottle. Not sure if it is just the maltiness or the candi sugar I don't like or if I have unfermented sugar in the bottle making it sweet.
 
Brewitt said:
Well, the only one to answer is me, the first poster. I have not found a recipe for this beer. I have limited experience with Belgians but have brewed what I consider to be a fairly nice Golden Strong Ale using yeast from North Coast Brewing's Pranqster. So, having no suggested recipe, I decided to take a shot at a modification of a Westvleteren 12 clone that I found here <http://homebrewingadventures.blogspot.com/2007/04/westvleteren-abt-12-clone-recipe.html>.

I pretty much stuck to the recipe but I made my own Dark Candi Syrup and did the mash using BIAB. I also made some small modifications to the hops. I used WLP530 as suggested. It spent a month in the fermenter, I hit the numbers almost perfectly and then was bottled at 11.3% ABV. It tasted malty, roasty, but seemed fairly dry and alcoholic. A big beer that I was very optimistic about. At bottling I went for 3 volumes of CO2 using sugar and added fresh Pranqster yeast to carb. Now, two months later, the flavors have started to blend very nicely, it is quite carbonated but it is way too sweet for my taste.

One of the things I like about Straffe Hendrik is that it is very dry. I'm disappointed and I haven't seen much change between one month and two in the bottle. Not sure if it is just the maltiness or the candi sugar I don't like or if I have unfermented sugar in the bottle making it sweet.

I would think that some plain table sugar adittions would have helped dry it up. According to jamil z, the sugar really helps to dry it out. He recommends adding the sugar a few days into fermentation. He also says that various candi sugars and homemade stuff doesn't 't really add much compared to plain sugar, unless you get the real belgian candi syrup (made with beets and sometimes dates). I definitely noticed a difference when using the candi syrup vs sugar, but it was more of a taste difference. I'm kinda off topic with the candi syrup thing, but some plain cane sugar during primary, will help dry your beer.
 
I would think that some plain table sugar adittions would have helped dry it up. According to jamil z, the sugar really helps to dry it out. He recommends adding the sugar a few days into fermentation. He also says that various candi sugars and homemade stuff doesn't 't really add much compared to plain sugar, unless you get the real belgian candi syrup (made with beets and sometimes dates). I definitely noticed a difference when using the candi syrup vs sugar, but it was more of a taste difference. I'm kinda off topic with the candi syrup thing, but some plain cane sugar during primary, will help dry your beer.

I made the candi sugar according to directions from this link:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/20-lb-sugar-jar-yeast-nutrient-114837/

Using nitrogenous compounds during the inversion process leads to the maillard reaction and very nice flavors typical of belgian candi sugar. The addition of that sugar lead to a very vigorous ferment typical of adding pure sugar. However, I don't know if it left a lot of residual complex sugars that were sweet. The only reason I suspect not is the the sample I took at bottling seemed quite dry. That said, the sugar added at bottling should have been fully consumed, especially after adding fresh yeast. However, the degree of carbonation does not seem like 3 volumes CO2 so maybe not.
 
I sent an email inquiry to Brouwerij Straffe Hendrik De Halve Maan to see if the brewery or the brewer would give some hints about grist, yeast, fermentation schedule etc. No response yet, but I'm hopeful.

Tomorrow I will have a chalice of the Straffe Hedrik Quad at a local restaurant that specializes in Belgian beer. I'll try to pick out some malt characters - this is not a La Trappe or Westy 12 type Quad, there are specialty malts in it. It leans more to the Rochefort style.

I'll see if I can get small pours of the other Belgians to see if I can identify the yeast strain too. I don't think it's WLP 530 (Westmalle strain). Seems more like Chouffe or Piraat to me by memory.

Anyway, I do love this Quad. Hope I can pick up enough by tasting and sensorating to come close.

Cheers!
 
If you can deduce what seems to be a reasonable recipe, I would be pleased to hear it. It clearly is not Westy 12-like. My clone is a good strong dark ale that pleases some who love those heavy malty belgians but it is just not my style. I don't know Piraat but I can see the Chouffe. I'm very curious to know what your impressions are.
 
I'm going to work up a recipe. I had four pales to get a hint of the yeast esters. Leffe Blonde, La Chouffe, Piraat, and Kwak. As I suspected, the La Chouffe was closest in yeast ester characters, especially the tangerine like fruitiness. There was a similarity to a Wee Heavy in the base malt profile. Lots of signs of Dark and Amber Candi Syrup. Richness of figs and stewed prunes like Special B. Couldn't really place a hop character, but I'll find a noble with sweet orange peel and chamomile characters - just enough for balance.

So, I'll go with a Pilsner and Pale base, some Special B, Dark and Amber Candi Syrup, La Chouffe yeast, mild orange and floral noble hops, and maybe a touch of one or two other dark specialty grains. Mash at about 156F for mouthfeel to balance out 13% Candi Syrup and 6% beet sugar. Ferment 69F to 76F to finish. Crash and bulk cold condition. After 6 months, add priming sugar and fresh bottling yeast and go to the bottle. Bottle condition several months. That's the current plan. I'm still working the details.
 
I'm going to work up a recipe. I had four pales to get a hint of the yeast esters. Leffe Blonde, La Chouffe, Piraat, and Kwak. As I suspected, the La Chouffe was closest in yeast ester characters, especially the tangerine like fruitiness. There was a similarity to a Wee Heavy in the base malt profile. Lots of signs of Dark and Amber Candi Syrup. Richness of figs and stewed prunes like Special B. Couldn't really place a hop character, but I'll find a noble with sweet orange peel and chamomile characters - just enough for balance.

So, I'll go with a Pilsner and Pale base, some Special B, Dark and Amber Candi Syrup, La Chouffe yeast, mild orange and floral noble hops, and maybe a touch of one or two other dark specialty grains. Mash at about 156F for mouthfeel to balance out 13% Candi Syrup and 6% beet sugar. Ferment 69F to 76F to finish. Crash and bulk cold condition. After 6 months, add priming sugar and fresh bottling yeast and go to the bottle. Bottle condition several months. That's the current plan. I'm still working the details.

Bump - any progress to share?
 
I found specialty grains is not the way to go for this recipe. It was more like a BDS than a Quad. Try something like this instead:
Mash:
Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) 75.0 %
Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) 2.3 %
Mash at 150F for 75 min.

Boil:
Candi Syrup D-80 (80.0 SRM) 11.5 %
Candi Syrup D-180 (180.0 SRM) 5.8 %
Cane (Beet) Sugar (0.0 SRM) 2.9 %
Saaz Boil 60.0 min for 8 IBUs
Styrian Goldings Boil 60.0 mi for 10 IBUs

White Labs WLP550 Belgian Ale Yeast or Wyeast 34522 Belgian Ardennes. Make a huge starter.

Begin fermentation at 63F and ramp up to 78F over a week.
Keep at 78F 24 hours, drop back to 68F over a week.
Leave on yeast for a week.
Rack to secondary and bulk cold condition 6 to 8 months.
Move to bottles with Danstar CBC-1 or Fermentis F-2 and prime for 3 volumes.
 
Hey All,

I absolutely love this Quad, in my opinion it beats West 12, St Berdadus 10 and rochfort 10.

Everything about this beer is on point, there isnt too much of the Candi sugar in comparison to other quads, some quads have an overpowering Candi Sugar taste.

There is a very nice dryness from Straffe Henrik, There is a notable hop character in the beer, something spicy like a Styrian Goldings or similar,

Finally the carbonation is perfect, alot of belgian beers are high to very highly carbonated, this one is perfect for the style, a real sipper to enjoy.

I have been roaming around for a recipe myself. I might get in contact with the brewery, i did ask when i toured the brewery in 2013 but the guide wasnt giving much away to me and the others on the tour.

If anyone does have good results please let me know and post a recipe.

Cheers
 
Reviving this threat from the dead in hopes that someone has curated a close clone recipe. I am sipping on this exemplary style of a Belgian Quad right now. I would love to reproduce this in the near future once I get back to the US. I've been able to enjoy it a half-dozen times since it's €2 a bottle here and probably $15 to impossible to get in the US. In terms of complexity, it hangs with the Westvleteren 12, but has a slightly more syrupy mouthfeel--possibly because it's not so highly carbonated to overshadow it.

I agree solidly with shamfein in the above post. The carbonation is perfect and much more subtle than the swath of tripels and quadrupels available here. Just like in the Pacific Northwest with brewers going overboard with hops in their IPAs, there are so many Belgian brewers carbonating the @#$% out of anything they brew that it becomes overkill and a little suspect to hiding off flavors and other imperfections.

Anyone have a Straffe Hendrik 11 clone?
 
My attempts have been unsuccessful. This is my seasonal treat to myself every fall. Will keep this updated if / when I find something.
 
Subscribed, equally hopeful.

I suspect there is chocolate malt or brown malt in the grain bill.

The brewery's website notes a 'slightly roasted' aroma and 'roasted chestnut' flavor. I got a chocolate note from the beer the last time I had it, which I don't get from Rochefort or Westy 12. The website also lists the color as 100 EBC (= 50 or so SRM) and that color has to come from somewhere.
 
found this - but lacks detail. I've got some WLP530 to use up and having recently tried this beer it just blew me away. Complex/smooth and balanced. How would one go about the fermentation steps and priming into bottles. I'm a fairly novice brewer but will have a go.
https://brewtoadarchive.com/recipes/belgian-quad-straffe-hendrick-clone/
thoughts?

I had a look at the recipe. My guess would be some sort of step mash, since that's what most Belgian brewers do, followed by a boil of at least 90 minutes rather than the 60 minutes listed. But I have some doubts: the FG looks a bit high, pils is more likely for the base grain (instead of 2 row plus Munich), and my guess would be a darker sugar syrup than the amber stuff. For fermentation, I'd probably pitch cool around 64, let it rise naturally to 68 for a bit, then ramp it to 75 to finish. With a beer this big, I'd add fresh yeast at bottling to make sure it actually carbonates. Definitely let us know how it turns out! I'd be very interested in knowing how close this recipe gets to the real thing.
 
no chocolate notes , but a lot of coriander in there. Very dark, so a lot of Dark candi syrup. lovely beer, keen if we can get a recipe
 
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