Belgian Blond Ale Revvy's Belgian Blonde (Leffe Clone)

[ihavenonickname]

Low attenuation with WLP540:

OG 1.062 ( efficiency was down 8% from usual)

I mashed at 156-157
1L stirred starter to 220B cells. Pitched at 66 and aerated wort with a town of shaking. Free rise to 70. Gave it another good shake at 12 hours.

Day 3 SG 1.021 -- pretty pleased.

Day 5 SG 1.020 -- not so pleased -- temp up to 75, lots of shaking.

Day 7 SG 1.019 — dangit. held at 75

Day 12 SG 1.019 — Arrr muddle fuddle.

Now what? It’s def too sweet to keg now.

Add some dry safale us-05? Pitch a pack of wlp500?


I wanted to use this as my starter beer for a Westy 12 clone soon - but now I really dont trust this yeast.

 

[griffi]

Low attenuation with WLP540:

OG 1.062 ( efficiency was down 8% from usual)

I mashed at 156-157
1L stirred starter to 220B cells. Pitched at 66 and aerated wort with a town of shaking. Free rise to 70. Gave it another good shake at 12 hours.

Day 3 SG 1.021 -- pretty pleased.

Day 5 SG 1.020 -- not so pleased -- temp up to 75, lots of shaking.

Day 7 SG 1.019 — dangit. held at 75

Day 12 SG 1.019 — Arrr muddle fuddle.

Now what? It’s def too sweet to keg now.

Add some dry safale us-05? Pitch a pack of wlp500?


I wanted to use this as my starter beer for a Westy 12 clone soon - but now I really dont trust this yeast.

If you look back a page I had the identical issue with wlp530 and this recipe. Heating to the mid 70s didn’t seem to help. I finally added a tiny bit of amylase enzyme and it brought it down to 1.013. I also mashed at 156 so maybe that accounts for it too... let me also add I am not in the wort shaking camp. It’s not real practical for me and i don’t trust the level of dissolved O2 it imparts to the wort so I’ve been using an O2 kit for the last 18 months or so. I’ve been pleased with the consistent vigorous ferments. Regardless, if you followed good sanitation and this beer tastes good I would not hesitate to use it for your westy 12.

 

[ihavenonickname]

Nice! How much amylase did you use exactly? I’d like to give it a try but I’ve never used it before.

 

[griffi]

Nice! How much amylase did you use exactly? I’d like to give it a try but I’ve never used it before.

I waited it out for over 3 weeks and finally decided the amylase was necessary. I recall sprinkling a little less than a teaspoon on the top of the beer.

 

[Jtk78]

Brewed a beer with this as the inspiration. Very slight variations to the recipe, including aromatic malt in lieu of the melanoidin (my research found they were the same or very similar?), and rounding so percentages were just off, but very close.

All in all it was quite a disastrous brew day. Missed volumes, temperatures (mashed at 151F), PH was high due to volumes being off, and OG came in at 1.060 (Beer Smith predicted 1.069). Had boil overs even though I used FermCap. It was just OFF!

Glad to say despite me, the beer has turned out quite well. The hydro sample after two weeks gave me promise. It sat in the primary just under 3 weeks and finished at 1.006. This was kegged last Tuesday and set to 12psi at 38F. I have agitated the keg at least twice a day and hooked it up to the tap last night. I feared it would be too dry and almost bite back. I was surprised it had a decent body, not thick or heavy, but also not too thin. It has a pleasent aroma and a great taste. I will be trying to improve my process and see how well I can make this beer after this keg goes. Excited to have and share this on Christmas day. Thanks Revvy!

 

[Horseflesh]

I have a batch fermenting now, but I used WLP500 since I had it on hand. Week 3 and it ain't done yet, but the samples taste good!

 

[Horseflesh]

Looks like my WLP500 version has pooped out at 1.017. I bumped the temp up to 74F and stirred up the yeast, but after 48 hours gravity hasn't changed.

This is 69.5% attenuation but the specs say it should be 75-80%.

Though, I have never done a mash this hot, either.

Any ideas?

EDIT TO ADD: I should mention that I screwed up my recipe input and my OG was only 1.058, but still using the same 10 oz of sugar. Beersmith's predicted FG for the grain bill and 158F mash temp is 1.014, which isn't tooooo far off.

DOUBLE SECRET EDIT: I checked gravity with a hydrometer today, and found I did in fact drop a few points after turning up the heat, and am now at BeerSmith's estimated FG. I thought I was stuck, but I was checking gravity with a refractometer--I knew the number would be wrong, but I thought that if I lost a few gravity points, I'd see the refractometer value drop somewhat. Well, that wasn't true; on my refractometer, with this beer, 1.017 and 1.014 both look like 1.030. I'll give it a couple more days but I'm finally in the home stretch.

 

[seilenos]

Just had to dump a full keg of this.
First dumper in 43 batches.

I brewed it in the fall last year. Not sure what I did wrong:

• Maybe I picked up the tbsp instead of tsp when adding lactic acid to the mash? There definitely was a sour (an not pleasant sour) to the taste.
• Maybe got infected when the bucket fermentor top blew off and sat for 12 hours open in a basement where I saw fruit flies while cleaning up (though not in the immediate area of the bucket)? If that were the case I would have expected a change in the taste over time, which I didn't see.

It was a real shame because the color and clarity were brilliant.
I put the recipe back into my "To-Brew" folder to try again later this year.

 

[timcadieux]

Lactic Acid??

Just had to dump a full keg of this.
First dumper in 43 batches.

I brewed it in the fall last year. Not sure what I did wrong:

• Maybe I picked up the tbsp instead of tsp when adding lactic acid to the mash? There definitely was a sour (an not pleasant sour) to the taste.
• Maybe got infected when the bucket fermentor top blew off and sat for 12 hours open in a basement where I saw fruit flies while cleaning up (though not in the immediate area of the bucket)? If that were the case I would have expected a change in the taste over time, which I didn't see.

It was a real shame because the color and clarity were brilliant.
I put the recipe back into my "To-Brew" folder to try again later this year.

 

[seilenos]

Lactic Acid??

Mash pH would be 5.7-5.8 without it.
Bru’n’water calced that I need about a tsp.

 

[z-bob]

Mash pH would be 5.7-5.8 without it.
Bru’n’water calced that I need about a tsp.

I typically use 6 ml of lactic acid in a 4 gallon batch, and my pH is still a little high -- but my water is pretty bad to start with. A teaspoon sounds about right.

 

[timcadieux]

Mash pH would be 5.7-5.8 without it.
Bru’n’water calced that I need about a tsp.

Gotcha

 

[seilenos]

I typically use 6 ml of lactic acid in a 4 gallon batch, and my pH is still a little high -- but my water is pretty bad to start with. A teaspoon sounds about right.

A usually put in about a tsp+ in a 5.5g batch.
Given how acidic this batch tasted, I'm wondering if I put in three times the amount (tbsp instead of tsp).

 

[Rob2010SS]

Anyone brewed this recently and got a picture of it? It's on the slate for brewing this weekend. The only thing I tweaked is the grain bill to add acidulated malt to get the mash pH down to 5.3.

 

[Horseflesh]

Here's a quick picture of my current batch. It doesn't look quite as dark to the eye. Haven't compared to a Leffe side by side but it is certainly close.

 

[Rob2010SS]

That's awesome! Thank you for the picture.

So did you follow the recipe to a "T"? I had to go with WY3787 instead of the WLP530 so we'll see how it comes out. Brewing it tomorrow.

 

[rmeskill]

Anyone brewed this recently and got a picture of it? It's on the slate for brewing this weekend. The only thing I tweaked is the grain bill to add acidulated malt to get the mash pH down to 5.3.

Funny you should ask-just discovered a few more bottles in the basement and brought them upstairs for drinking. Nearly 3 years old and still doing fine!

 

[Rob2010SS]

So I read through all of the pages of this thread and I heard some different opinions. Some pretty quickly so I may have missed the answer I'm looking for below.

How strong do the esters/phenols come through in this and what temp did you ferment it at? I know what the recipe says to ferment at. I'm more interested in personal experiences with this. This is my first Belgian style anything.

 

[Horseflesh]

That's awesome! Thank you for the picture.

So did you follow the recipe to a "T"? I had to go with WY3787 instead of the WLP530 so we'll see how it comes out. Brewing it tomorrow.

My version of the recipe was very close but I had to mix Saaz hops to use up some old stock.

For the yeast, I used Imperial B48 which is supposed to be the same as 530. It worked well for me, but next time I make this I want to try to kick its ass to make more potent Belgian flavors. I did 68F for 2 weeks, then kept it at 72F until it was finished. I would love to hear what others have done with this strain.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Brewed this on Saturday. OG ended up at 1.070 as opposed to 1.068. The WY3787 is a monster of a yeast. My blow off tube has been getting a workout for 2 days straight. Looks like it's finally starting to settle down!

 

[jturman35]

A friend of mine brought me a six pack of Leffe this summer and I was blown away! I usually only like dark beers and quads but this beer is so good! I’m definitely going to brew this soon!



Anyone build their water up from distilled have a good water profile they use?

 

[Rob2010SS]

Heres the profile i used when i made this, started with distilled water. Is it a good profile? I don't know for sure. I will say that i finally got to try Leffe after i made this recipe. I think this recipe kills Leffe. I experienced a very pronounced, not so pleasant burn on the back end of Leffe. This recipe did not have that.

Leffe is good, this is better.

 

[jturman35]

Thanks! I plan on brewing this next and then pitching a Westvleteren 12 clone on the old yeast cake!

 

[jturman35]

For those who have perfected this Leffe what kind of fermentation schedule does WLP530 yeast like? I was thinking starting at 67 and letting it ramp to 72 over 5 days to help drive this beer down to 1.010.

 

[Tom M]

For those who have perfected this Leffe what kind of fermentation schedule does WLP530 yeast like? I was thinking starting at 67 and letting it ramp to 72 over 5 days to help drive this beer down to 1.010.

I just brewed this a few weeks ago. OG was at 1.064 and finished at 1.007. I mashed at 152F so maybe this is why it finished a little low. I found the WLP530 did not respond much at around 62 degrees. I raised it to around 68 and it took off nicely. I just kept it around 68 degrees for a few weeks and it seemed to work out well. It did have more alcohol bite than I would prefer. I think next time I'll cut the simple sugar addition by about 60%.

 

[Rob2010SS]

I just brewed this a few weeks ago. OG was at 1.064 and finished at 1.007. I mashed at 152F so maybe this is why it finished a little low. I found the WLP530 did not respond much at around 62 degrees. I raised it to around 68 and it took off nicely. I just kept it around 68 degrees for a few weeks and it seemed to work out well. It did have more alcohol bite than I would prefer. I think next time I'll cut the simple sugar addition by about 60%.

Just my 2 cents, I wouldn't cut the sugar addition. I would hit your mash at 158*F per the recipe. With mine, I hit 158 on the nose and there is really no alcohol bite at all. It's delicious, smooth, easy to drink but very full body. Finished out at 1.010 and my OG was 1.071 IIRC.

 

[jturman35]

I think it’s been asked several times in this thread but how is everyone getting this beer down to 1.010-1.012?

 

[Rob2010SS]

What do you mean by "how"? If you oxygenate sufficiently and pitch a healthy yeast starter, should be no problem to get it down to 1.010. I forget exactly how i handled temp during fermentation but i think i had it at 69 for the first couple days and then let it slowly rise to like 74 or 75.

 

[jturman35]

According to BS I was only supposed to get down to 1.016. Hydro samples taste great so all and all I’m not too concerned. I currently have this beer in a conical cold conditioning at 55deg.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Your sheet there says measured FG 1.010...? Is that not your reading?

What was your final gravity reading before chilling?

If you're happy with how it tastes, don't worry about it.