Oldskewl
Well-Known Member
Brewing this tonight. I'm hoping my stepped 2L starter stays contained until I get home from work.
Belgian Dark Strong Ale Westvleteren 12 Clone - Multiple Award Winner
- Thread starter CSI - CandiSyrup
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troglodytes
Well-Known Member
Haha, If its in a 2L flask good luck. Man that stuff blowout all over my kitchen counters with 1.2L starter in a 2L flask.
Oldskewl
Well-Known Member
My daughter just text me "Your beer thingy overflowed" 
troglodytes
Well-Known Member
On the bright side, that's a much more pleasant text than the one my wife sent me.
Oldskewl
Well-Known Member
Well my brew night went well. Missed OG a few points. I ended up at 1.087. I feel the boil off was the culprit as I had a bit more than 5.5 gal left at 90 minutes. Adding the 2 1/2 lbs of D-180 slowed the boil down also. The yeast is my concern at the moment. First my starter over flowed and then at about 40 hours the krausen filled up my krausen catcher and even overflowed my blow-off container. Things are calming down some today. At what point should I reintroduce the yeast in the krausen catcher back to the fermenter? I need a larger mason jar the next time. A quart was no where near large enough. LOL!
Going to do a batch of this soon. How critical is it to get Belgian strains of grain? My local shop doesn't carry Belgian pilsner or pale grains. They have German Pils and English Pale. Is it OK to substitute? Are German / European strains preferable? Are there general rules to follow when sourcing grain for this? Thanks.
I doubt it would matter much. Servo hasn't been on the market for more than a couple years. Good beer was made for centuries without it.
Note, I have used it and while I think there may be minimal benefit, I probably won't use it any more as I don't think the benefit out ways the cost. If you do use it, break the capsules because they didn't dissolve as designed for me.
Ok. Thanks for your answer. If i find it ok i'll use it. But if i don't never mind. I'll use something similar and available.
In my opinion you can without any problem use german pilsner malt instead of belgian. The english pale malt, however, might be more different from the belgian. The british pale malt maris otter, for example, has a pronounced biscuity flavor.
Oldskewl
Well-Known Member
I accidently bought wine yeast nutrient a few months back. I have been using in each batch I brew and used it in this one as well. It seems to squeeze out an extra couple thousandths of SG, so I figured it would help it finish as a lot of people have had difficulties. BTW, I reintroduce the yeast from my kraussen catcher last night. This morning I had a little bit more in the kraussen catcher. So maybe I should have waited another 12 hours. Seems to be pugging away fine though.
troglodytes
Well-Known Member
I've repitched three times from the krausen catcher so far and I'm at day 5.5 since pitching. I used fermcap-S (2 drops per gallon), by 36 hours the krausen was just getting to the base of my blowoff tube, so I removed it from the star san and put it into my catcher. I was nervous that I apparently hit high krausen so fast before I even got the temp up to the mid 70s, but it has remained at high krausen for 3 days now going through peaks and valleys as far as krausen levels go. Now, 5 days in I am up to 78F and the krausen is still lingering in the base of my blowoff tube. This stuff is pretty crazy (granted I gave jsut a little bit of sugar to eat).
For those that have brewed in the past. I notice that this is the stickiest krausen I have ever encountered. Does it end up reintroducing itself into the beer or should I be scraping that great top cropping yeast back into suspension with a sanitized spoon?
For those that have brewed in the past. I notice that this is the stickiest krausen I have ever encountered. Does it end up reintroducing itself into the beer or should I be scraping that great top cropping yeast back into suspension with a sanitized spoon?
brew_darrymore
Well-Known Member
Yes, the krausen will eventually drop on its own but it takes a while. The last time I brewed this recipe I gave the carboy a gentle swirl and that dropped the krausen pretty quickly. But you don't have to do that.
Clinterious
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What size is the finished batch?
troglodytes
Well-Known Member
I followed the recipe to a tee. Starting with 10 gallons water exactly (knowing my brewhouse volume loses along the way). I'm 6.1 gallons into the fermentor and should be bottling 5.25-5.5 gallons after fermentation / aging. I hit 1.095OG with my hybrid mash tun BIAB setup.
Oldskewl
Well-Known Member
I'm worried. At day 5 the bubbling has pretty much stopped. I am still ramping up the temp. Been increasing 2-3 degrees F per day since day 2. I am sitting at 75 now. I will take a gravity reading on day 8 or 9.
troglodytes
Well-Known Member
I'm exactly where you are. I'm at day 7 and feel like fermentation slowed way too soon for this size beer. There is still so much gunk I'm just going to trust CSI's fermentation schedule and hold 80F for the next 3-4 days, then ramp back down to 60F. Then I'll take a gravity reading and hope it's dry enough. Based on the violence of the initial fermentation, I suspect the worst case scenario is that I will be sitting at 1.020 (just a hunch) which, if that's the case is fixable.
Oldskewl
Well-Known Member
Yeah sounds like you are a day or 2 ahead of me. I am afraid I lost too much yeast. First with the starter over flow then the kraussen catcher overflowed into my blowoff container. Close to an inch of yeast in a quart Mason jar. What is your plan of attack if you're FG is high? Pitch a huge starter of 530?
troglodytes
Well-Known Member
I've got a giant jar of WY3711 set for my saisons this summer. That stuff ferments everything, so I figured I'd get a starter to high krausen and pitch into my secondary if I had too. If I finish at 1.020 let it eke our a couple points and get it down to 18 or even better 16 points I'll be happy with this being my first real high gravity brew. I don't think the 3711 will give any flavor profile eating 4 points out of the 1.095 I started with.
If I'm really high (like 1.030 or higher) I don't have a plan of attack yet, lets just hope that's not the case.
If I'm really high (like 1.030 or higher) I don't have a plan of attack yet, lets just hope that's not the case.
catdaddy66
Well-Known Member
Getting ready to bottle my 2nd iteration of this beer (1st one came out awesomely) but as I look at the priming calculator I don't see the proper style listed. They have a Belgian blonde at 2.9 vol of CO2, then a dubbel and trippel at 3.3 vol each. No belgian quad or dark strong ale...
So I am gonna go 3.0 vol on this today. Anyone have the proper target amount to prime this beer? You know, for future reference? Thanks.
So I am gonna go 3.0 vol on this today. Anyone have the proper target amount to prime this beer? You know, for future reference? Thanks.
ChuckS1
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The Candy Syrup recipe web page for this recipe calls for 2.8 volumes. You have to cross reference the CSI priming recommendation for priming with Simplicity Candy Syrup (33 grams/gal) to the help doc on how to prime with Candy Syrup. There's a table that converts g/gal to volumes.
Alternatively, you could search this thread and see recommendations on carb levels, too.
It's a personal choice, but if you go with only one grain, go with the Pilsner:
http://www.candisyrup.com/uploads/6/0/3/5/6035776/westvleteren_12_clone_-_single_malt_040.pdf
catdaddy66
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the info Chuck... I already made the priming solution when I read your post. Next batch will be correct!
Bottled with the priming amt for 3.0 vol or 7oz DME. Got 47 12oz bottles and had an abv% of 11! OG was 1.095 and FG was 1.011.
Tasted pretty fine but I will age it appropriately and report back with some tasting notes.
catdaddy66
Well-Known Member
I would think that would be fine, but 40 days is the minimum! At 55-60°F you would want a bit longer imo, like 60 days.
Just know this beer is still VERY green at that stage and is best between 6-12 months or longer.
Actually,as you understood, i'm trying to leave repiching out. I want to bottle after secondary adding only necessery dextose for appropriate carbonation. Of course, after bottling all the bottles will age for a long time 9-12 months.
Oldskewl
Well-Known Member
Have you checked FG yet? Mine has been fermenting for 12 days but with no visible activity since day 5. It has been in the 78 - 80 degree range for 5 days. Thinking about checking gravity before I start lowered the temp.
troglodytes
Well-Known Member
I'm so happy I have someone brewing this at the same exact stage I'm at. I was just going to give an update this morning because I wanted to check the gravity prior to dropping the temp as well.
I'm a little bit of a dunce and I used my only hydrometer and thief to pull a sample of by brett Belgian I have going, so I wasn't going to risk putting the thief in this batch. I did feel comfortable dropping a very well cleaned and sanitized hydrometer right into my fermeter though (because glass). I can't get a look through the side of the Spiedel, but from above my gravity appears to read between 1.008 and 1.014. This made me more than comfortable enough to start the temp drop.
As soon as my new thief/hydrometer kit comes in the mail, I'll do a true reading and I'll update you. But so far everything seems to be right on track. CSI's advise of a steady temp ramp from 63F to 80F @ 2.5F/day seemed like a slow ramp but this yeast never puttered out and I'm at about 88-90% attenuation.
Oldskewl
Well-Known Member
Sounds like you had a good fermentation. I decided to give mine another day. I'll check gravity tonight and post the results. I'm using a SS brewbucket, so it's a matter of opening the valve. Fingers crossed!
Oldskewl
Well-Known Member
Good news. Gravity reading of 1.010. Time to start dropping the temp. Tasted the sample and it's a little hot but pretty good.
catdaddy66
Well-Known Member
"Some like it hot, and some sweat when the heat is on!"
Robert Palmer, The Power Station
Circa 1985
Hi,
Wanted to share my Westvleteren 12 clone fermentation schedule and measurements here as well. Brew day was 8th March 2017 with an OG 1.082 (yes, a bit low, but let's not stick to that yet at least...).
Started fermenting at 17,2 oC (63 F) with a ramp up to 25,0 oC (77 F) during 7 days (this is the current recommended schedule in CSI recipe).
Measurements of SG:
8th March OG 1.082 @ 17,2 oC
11th March SG 1.049 @ 20,6 oC
13th March SG 1.040 @ 22,8 oC
16th March SG 1.032 @ 25,0 oC
Seems to be going down, but pretty slow (in my opinion, comments?). Instead of ramping the temperature down I'm going to leave it at 25,0 oC (77 F) until it (hopefully) gets down to the proper FG range.
A 2,9 L (3-step) starter was used, which was decanted down to ~ 0,5 L before put into the fermenter.
Wanted to share my Westvleteren 12 clone fermentation schedule and measurements here as well. Brew day was 8th March 2017 with an OG 1.082 (yes, a bit low, but let's not stick to that yet at least...).
Started fermenting at 17,2 oC (63 F) with a ramp up to 25,0 oC (77 F) during 7 days (this is the current recommended schedule in CSI recipe).
Measurements of SG:
8th March OG 1.082 @ 17,2 oC
11th March SG 1.049 @ 20,6 oC
13th March SG 1.040 @ 22,8 oC
16th March SG 1.032 @ 25,0 oC
Seems to be going down, but pretty slow (in my opinion, comments?). Instead of ramping the temperature down I'm going to leave it at 25,0 oC (77 F) until it (hopefully) gets down to the proper FG range.
A 2,9 L (3-step) starter was used, which was decanted down to ~ 0,5 L before put into the fermenter.
I actually just realized that Oldskewl's experience has been pretty much the same. In my case around day 4 or 5 the fermentation activity "seemed" to end as pretty much no bubbles were forming in the air lock. Fortunately the SG measurements are showing that the fermentation is still on-going and not stalled.
Keeping fingers crossed.
Keeping fingers crossed.
troglodytes
Well-Known Member
In fear of stalling I removed the blow-off tube from the start san and left it in a flask covered by foil. I just wanted it so there would be no pressure buildup in the fermenter. When I put my hose back in liquid just last night, I would get a bubble once every 30 secs. So its still working slowly even as I ramp down to 60F. This WLP530 is an absolute beast (or I have an infection due to me not boiling my vitality starter).
Oldskewl
Well-Known Member
You may want to raise the temp to 26.8 C(80F) to help the yeast eek out the last few points. I did not take any gravity readings until yesterday, so I don't know what the gravity was at day 8. I would let it ride another 5 or 6 days at the higher temp. It appears to be a doing its thing even though you do not see any activity on the blow off. Best of luck!
Oldskewl
Well-Known Member
I'm surprised you are still seeing blow off activity. I have not witnessed anything for a week. I agree, that WLP 530 is "AN ABSOLUTE BEAST"
troglodytes
Well-Known Member
So I got my new thief and hydrometer today. The beer's been ramping down and currently sitting at 63F. The hydrometer reading is right at 1.012 so I am going to transfer to secondary and store for a while now. So excited I hit all my numbers and the taste test of the hydro sample has promise; it's thin and alcohol forward but none of it is hot at all. Aftertaste has prominent roast and prune. Man, in a year this is going to be incredible.
Oldskewl
Well-Known Member
Congrats! sounds like it turned out well. I am still ramping down. Went out of town for the week-end so I am now a couple extra days behind you. This morning I was at 73F so I turned the temp controller off for a natural drop to room temp of 69-70F. I am still deciding if I want to transfer to a secondary or let it ride at 50F in the primary. Doesn't seem to be much reason to transfer. I did contemplate putting a gal on bourbon and oak though.
troglodytes
Well-Known Member
I'm transferring because I need to open up my fermenter. Gonna let it sit a month or two and then bottle to age. Want to transfer to harvest a little yeast as well for re-pitching at bottling time as well.
