Session Belgian Golden Strong Ale

[HDIr0n]

So,
I know the name is pretty oxymoronic but I would love to do a sessionable golden strong i.e. not 9%. So if anybody has done this before I would love to hear about it.

This is the recipe I was thinking about

Mash @ 158 for 60-90min
Pilsner (Belgium) 8lb
Cara-Pils 1lb
Beet Sugar 0.75lb

Styrian Goldings ~2oz @ 90min based on alpha acid

WLP 500 Trappist

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
-G

 

[Bob]

I'd call it "enkel", and put it on the low end of the dubble-tripel-quadruppel chain.

I'd also reduce the gravity if you truly want a session beer. As it stands you're looking at a gravity well above 1.050, which is hardly session beer territory. I'd reduce the gravity to no more than 1.040, rid myself of the Carapils entirely, and keep the BU:GU ratio the same (between 0.5-0.6). Mashing hot is a good idea at a reduced gravity; at your proposed gravity it's not. I think the sugar is pointless.

In my opinion, when you're designing the ingredients enkelbier should be approached like you're brewing a German Pils. Only the yeast and its fermentation management need change. As far as that goes, I don't really care for 500. I prefer Wyeast Ardennes. If you like White Labs, consider 570, 575 or 550, which are in my opinion far more interesting than 500.

Cheers!

Bob

 

[TarheelBrew13]

I don't know what Bob's talking about with enkelbier but I do know the bottom on the double triple chain is a single.

Also, I really like wlp500 but I don't think I'd use it for a session Belgian strong ale. I'd probably use WLP570 which is Duvel's strain.

I'd mash for a light beer and add some sugar. Also, I use flaked barely instead of carapils but I don't think it matters. Carapils is just more expensive.

Your recipe looks pretty solid to me. I would just ferment on the high side and "lager" it like a Kolsch after. Kinda like what Duvel (well Moortgat) does.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out. I'd be interested in trying this myself.

 

[Bob]

"Enkel" = single. Think table beer for the monks.

Bob

 

[beergolf]

I like Belgians but sometimes I just want a beer that i can have a few. I got the idea from Brew Like a Monk. It mentioned that the monks made beers to sell but also made a lower gravity beer for the monks to drink on a regular basis.

I did one a while ago that turned out good.

Just some Pilsner and added some flaked wheat (1 1/2 lbs) to increase mouthfeel. OG was about 1.050. BU:GU ratio was .5. Used Wy3522.

Keep us posted.

 

[phenry]

I just bottled something like this over the weekend. 6 lbs Pilsner, 2 lbs white wheat malt, moderate hopping EKG and Saaz, and fermented with Wy 3522. It tasted good going into the bottles, we'll see how it turns out in a few weeks.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

Mortgaat releases Duvel single, which is still around 6% but an easier drinker than regular Duvel. It comes across thinner than most singles, which tend to have a thicker mouthfeel. (Of course for a true session beer you want a smaller beer than 6%.) I suspect it's usually because singles don't have the processed sugar additions of bigger beers.

 

[TarheelBrew13]

Mortgaat releases Duvel single, which is still around 6% but an easier drinker than regular Duvel. It comes across thinner than most singles, which tend to have a thicker mouthfeel. (Of course for a true session beer you want a smaller beer than 6%.) I suspect it's usually because singles don't have the processed sugar additions of bigger beers.

Do you think it's made like a traditional single as a small beer off the second runnings? Sounds interesting; where can you get it?

 

[HDIr0n]

Thanks for the responses,
I think I will drop the gravity down to 1.040 or so, I just replaced my cooler MLT to a keg with a bottom drain. So I have no idea what my efficiency is going to be like. I can always dilute down if need be. I think I will keep the cara-pils for some mouthfeel, and I like the flavor it gives. Changing the yeast is probably a good idea, I think I might try WLP 565.
I will let y'all know how it goes.

-G

 

[HDIr0n]

So I am going with the following recipe

7 lbs Belgium Pilsner
0.5 lbs Cara -Foam
0.5 lbs Cara-Pils

I am hoping for 85% out of my mash tun, if not I have some DME on hand to bump up to 1.040

The homebrew store was out of Styrian Goldings so I picked up and oz of Magnum and Hallertauer

0.25 oz of Magnum @ 60 min
1.00 oz of Hallertauer @ 20 min

Mash @ 158-160 F ~ 90 min

I picked up for yeast WLP 570 Belgian Golden Ale

It's fermentation range is 68-75 F
I think I am going to ferment on the low end 68 F

and hopefully it attenuates on the low end of it's scale 73-78%

I am brewing this recipe this weekend I will let y'all know how it turns out.

-G

 

[peardu]

im also making a belgian a saison and i was wondering if beet suger was unique or if my brew would be ok using a pound of corn sugar instead i forgot the belgian candy sugar Thanks

 

[mjohnson]

This style was my first all-grain. If you want the recipe (from norther brewer's twisted enkle) you can see me in all my newbness.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/first-all-grain-batch-process-sanity-check-please-175518/

It was really good. One of my favorites.

 

[HDIr0n]

im also making a belgian a saison and i was wondering if beet suger was unique or if my brew would be ok using a pound of corn sugar instead i forgot the belgian candy sugar Thanks

Beet sugar is actually more authentic to use than corn sugar or candy sugar in Belgians.