Tripel is Cidery

[bottlebomber]

I just did a Tripel, and it called for 3 lbs of candi sugar, two were added in the boil, and the third I put in at high krausen. I used WLP500 1.5 liter, followed a day later by Wyeast 3787 1 liter. I started fermentation at 62, and let it climb to 72 over a week. After a week I checked the gravity and it had come down from 1.105 to 1.012. Whammy.

What I noticed immediately about this was it had a super strong cider aroma, from the simple sugars I know. It was also really hot of course. What im wondering is this- does the cider go away? I've never made a belgian before, im trying to get out of my IPA pigeon hole, and so I made this. Im not expecting to drink it any time soon, BTW. Thanks in advance for your feedback.

 

[JoePro]

How old is the tripel? High OG beers need aging. Hard. I did a belgian Tripel over the weekend with an estimated OG of 1.089.

That sucker isn't going to see the light of day for another 5 months minimum.

My advice to you is, if you can, lager it for a month. So, a month in primary, another month lagering, and then 2.5-3 months bottle conditioning. The cidery taste will go away for sure.

Also, what's your grain bill? 3 lbs of sugar seems like a lot...

 

[LVBen]

Most beers will improve over time. Tripels are one of those beer styles that tend to need a long conditioning period, especially with 12% ABV. It sounds like your beer will definitely improve over time. It sounds like you do have a very dry beer, and at 12% ABV, you need to have a good recipe or else you might have something that doesn't taste good no matter how long you condition it for.

 

[RIT_Warrior]

Sugar does not give cider aromas or flavors...that is an old chestnut that refuses to die, much like "use a secondary to get your beer off the yeast" and "squeezing your grain bag releases tannins".

Running your numbers, it looks like your sugar was around 15% of fermentables, which is right where you want it for a tripel. If I had to guess I'd say your beer has acetaldehyde in it (a normal byproduct of fermentation that clears up later), and just give it a week or 3 in the fermenter until you were satisfied with the taste.

http://www.homebrewzone.com/acetaldehyde.htm

 

[jtakacs]

echo what joe said... my tripel was very hot, citrusy and thin at 11%... hadn't had one in months so i cracked one open last night and it was yummy! rich and golden... still citrusy but not hot at all and no off flavors...

seems it really wanted to hang out in the bottle for a few months... i will be hitting that one hard here now.

 

[bottlebomber]

Sugar does not give cider aromas or flavors...that is an old chestnut that refuses to die

Im ready to accept that, only this is what I've always heard. I've never used more than a pound of simple sugar, and never had this issue. Now that I have used the 3 lbs, im having it. Go figure...

Just checked that link... its really not a green apple flavor though, its really the cidery one, which according to the link is either 1. Too young (yes. I brewed it 10 days ago.) Or 2. Too much sugar, which the site acknowledges is open for debate

 

[bottlebomber]

My advice to you is, if you can, lager it for a month. So, a month in primary, another month lagering, and then 2.5-3 months bottle conditioning. The cidery taste will go away for sure.

I can lager. I have a kolsch that will need to be done first, but the timing should be right. What is lagering going to do for the belgian, though?

 

[theonetrueruss]

I find WLP500 is very fruity tasting until it ages a few months.

 

[pdxal]

Brewed 10 days ago?
Patience, patience...

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Brewed 10 days ago?
Patience, patience...

Yeah... dude, seriously?

Last time I brewed a tripel it was 2 months in primary, rack to a cornie keg, let that sit at room temp for 4 months. Another week or two in the kegerator on gas and it was stellar.

Give it time. With big beer comes big waiting.

 

[bottlebomber]

Im not expecting to drink it any time soon, BTW. Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Guys, guys. Im not trying to drink the beer this weekend. I understand that big beers take big time. I've brewed 40 points bigger than this, and never had this aroma. I guess because IIPAs and burleywines are so much maltier and/or hoppier than this you don't catch this stuff as easy? Also, I've never used more than a pound of simple sugar. That's why I asked about it.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Guys, guys. Im not trying to drink the beer this weekend. I understand that big beers take big time. I've brewed 40 points bigger than this, and never had this aroma. I guess because IIPAs and burleywines are so much maltier and/or hoppier than this you don't catch this stuff as easy? Also, I've never used more than a pound of simple sugar. That's why I asked about it.

Meh as long as you're not exceeding 15% sugar you should be fine.

And yeah, those other beers cover up off-flavors. It can often be hard to cover up flaws in tripels.

 

[jtakacs]

i think we're in that weird middle ground... my barleywine was drinkable flat and gets better day by day - my tripel was drinkable flat but hit a definite "off" period. i think tripels in general just require more time apparently (i've only brewed one) - there's a lot more yeast influence and less malt and hop influence between the two styles - and it's a live critter so it's a temperamental, to say the least.

 

[bottlebomber]

Its now been a month from brewday, and I am drinking a half pint of this beer out of the fermentor after finishing off a test vial. I had to come back for more. it is probably the 3rd best beer I have ever drank. The yeast, malt, hops, and orange/coriander have blended perfectly. Time to bottle this bad boy and try to leave it alone for a few months

 

[onthekeg]

Patience was the best advice right? Now go spread the Good News that sugar doesn't make beer "cidery".

 

[bottlebomber]

Patience was the best advice right? Now go spread the Good News that sugar doesn't make beer "cidery".

I can't say for sure that it wasn't the large amount of sugar that made it "cidery", but I can say that if it did its a condition that passes with aging. And that's all that matters. I don't care if it smells like rotten eggs and vomit while its fermenting as long as it goes away