Tripel finished high, well it started high as well

[camus]

I brewed a Tripel based on Jamil's Strict Observance.

I was targeting an OG of 1.082 - hit 1.092 instead. Some bad maths, 90 min boil and a bit higher mash efficiency than expected.

It fermented really strong at 63F for about a week, I then brought it up to 70 for 2 weeks.

It finished at 1.020 and a little sweet.

I bottled with 4 oz sugar and 6 quarts of water to try and dilute it a bit, ended up with 5.5 in the bucket.

Now I am wondering if I bottled prematurely. I think that was decent attenuation.

Thoughts?

Edit:

Fermentables

10 lb Pilsen
4 oz Aromatic

1 lb Pilsner DME

2.5 lb Cane Sugar

Used WL530

 

[sptaylor70]

You might have, but not necessarily. I ran it through Brewer's Friend and got the result that you got 77% attenuation and reached 9.5% ABV. That's pretty good performance from most yeasts.

Did you check your SG and only bottle after it reached a constant value? What yeast, and how much, did you use? For a Tripel, to power through the high gravity and survive the alcohol, I would probably have used Wyeast 3787 Trappist High Gravity or 1388 Belgian Strong Ale, or WLP575 Belgian Blend. Did you make a big enough starter?

 

[camus]

It was WLP 530 Abbey Ale, I think we cross post when I was editing.

I did a 1L starter it was 2L, I remember debating whether or not to step it up, probably a bit small. Although this was the first time I needed a blow off tube, it was flowing out for about 3 days at 63F.

It had been at 1.020 for 3 days, after 3 weeks fermentation. I did mash higher than the recipe suggested 151F rather than 149F, that may have contributed a bit.

 

[sptaylor70]

The Mrmalty pitching calculator says that you should use 2 pkgs of yeast to make a 2.25 L starter for an ale as big as yours. WLP 530 is the same yeast as Wyeast 3787, so it probably dropped it as far as could be expected. Brewer's Friend predicts a FG of 1021, so you got what I would have expected. BF predicts a FG of 1018 for your expected OG of 1082, which isn't all that different. It seems that you did fine and that you were bound to get a sweet-ish beer. Using that much sugar dried it out as much as you could reasonably expect, and the only other thing that occurs to me would be to increase the hops or use a yeast that gives more flavor, like a WLP568 Saison blend or WLP665 Flemish.

 

[atom]

530 is a slow yeast. i just brewed a tripel with it and it took 4 weeks and 70+ degrees to take it from 1.084 to 1.012. around 2 weeks in it was still around 1.020.

 

[beergolf]

530 is a slow yeast. i just brewed a tripel with it and it took 4 weeks and 70+ degrees to take it from 1.084 to 1.012. around 2 weeks in it was still around 1.020.

I agree.

I don't use 530 but I do use 3787 (which is supposed to be the same) a lot and I agree. It always takes off fast and then takes a long time to get the last few points down.

Bottling at 3 weeks and at 1.020 may be a problem. Watch those bottle carefully.

 

[camus]

With the dilution water and priming sugar I ended up right back 1.020.

I opened one bottle this morning to let it go flat and it is reading 1.018.

I figure once I get a couple in the 1.015-16 range I will just stick them in the basement where they can sit for awhile at 55 or refrigerate them. I might keep a recap a few as well.