Belgian Dark Strong Ale Westvleteren 12 Clone - Multiple Award Winner

[jlangfo5]

What's your fermentation schedule look like?

It's good after a few weeks or so, but certainly improves with bulk aging.

Sorry the delayed response, but here is how the fermentation went:

Pitching Day-----67F--1.081
Day Two---------76F--1.03X
Day Three - Six--82F--1.0XX
Day Seven-------32F--1.0XX
Day Nine---------32F--1.006

Thats right, I went from 1.081 down to 1.006! I didn't taste anything fussel, and it was more bitter than what I expected it to be, but I imagine that it should age out with time. Also, there is a significant, but not overpowering banana component on the nose. Taste is slightly spicy, but I wouldn't call it face plant clove like you find in a hefe. Figure this should age nicely.


Here is a picture of the beer after running the air pump for a bit.

 

[tim_c7]

I brewed the single malt variation of this clone, but scaled down to 3 gallons in the last week of December 2015. I had an OG of 1.092 and got it down to 1.012 after a couple weeks of fermentation staying within the process outlined by CSI. I sampled the beer while transferring for bulk aging. What I liked most is that the beer had that warming from the inside feeling. I will bottle in early spring and try my first bottle during the holidays of 2016. I can`t wait.

CSI - Thanks so much for sharing. I really appreciate your effort. I look forward to using more Candi Syrup products in the future. In fact, I just started fermenting my DIPA with 10oz of Simplicity that I purchased for priming the Westvleteren 12.

Cheers

 

[CSI - CandiSyrup]

Sorry the delayed response, but here is how the fermentation went:

Pitching Day-----67F--1.081
Day Two---------76F--1.03X
Day Three - Six--82F--1.0XX
Day Seven-------32F--1.0XX
Day Nine---------32F--1.006

Thats right, I went from 1.081 down to 1.006! I didn't taste anything fussel, and it was more bitter than what I expected it to be, but I imagine that it should age out with time. Also, there is a significant, but not overpowering banana component on the nose. Taste is slightly spicy, but I wouldn't call it face plant clove like you find in a hefe. Figure this should age nicely.


Here is a picture of the beer after running the air pump for a bit.

That's beautiful!

 

[endisnigh]

The champagne yeast are better at simple sugars than maltose, so that probably won't work. Whether or not to try again is a judgment call. I kegged a batch that was almost 1.020, way too sweet for me, but my wife loved it.

Others have said that the gravity may gradually creep down after appearing stuck but that has not been my experience. If the beer is clear it is probably done.

Thanks - I might let it ride a little longer, as a reading yesterday showed it has dropped to 1.019, giving me hope

 

[mmacdon3]

Got mine transferred to secondary over the weekend. Was wondering if you all think this is too much headspace for a prolonged secondary? Due to the excessive blow off there is about .5 gallons to 1 gallon of head space in the 5 gallon fermenter. Worried about oxidation

View attachment 1452567415097.jpg

 

[cyanmonkey]

Got mine transferred to secondary over the weekend. Was wondering if you all think this is too much headspace for a prolonged secondary? Due to the excessive blow off there is about .5 gallons to 1 gallon of head space in the 5 gallon fermenter. Worried about oxidation

Were you able to purge with CO2?

I've also read about sanitizing marbles and dropping them in to minimize headspace.

 

[cyanmonkey]

Got mine transferred to secondary over the weekend. Was wondering if you all think this is too much headspace for a prolonged secondary? Due to the excessive blow off there is about .5 gallons to 1 gallon of head space in the 5 gallon fermenter. Worried about oxidation

Were you able to purge with CO2?

I've also read about sanitizing marbles and dropping them in to minimize headspace.

 

[GregKelley]

Got mine transferred to secondary over the weekend. Was wondering if you all think this is too much headspace for a prolonged secondary? Due to the excessive blow off there is about .5 gallons to 1 gallon of head space in the 5 gallon fermenter. Worried about oxidation

That's why you need a 6 gallon or larger fermenter for 5 gallon batches.

 

[jlangfo5]

I actually fermented around 6.5 gallons inside of my kettle, left about a gallon of trub behind and filled a 6 gallon carboy with the beer and topped off with marbles. I bought a WHOLE BUNCH of clear glass marbles at a hobby store just for this purpose, in matter of fact, I bought every clear glass marble the store had lol.

I don't think you can get much better than topping off with clear glass marbles, they have a smooth surface and are inert without any paint on the outside to chip off. Boiling them would probably work even better than using starsan to sanitize the surface of them.

 

[CSI - CandiSyrup]

Got mine transferred to secondary over the weekend. Was wondering if you all think this is too much headspace for a prolonged secondary? Due to the excessive blow off there is about .5 gallons to 1 gallon of head space in the 5 gallon fermenter. Worried about oxidation

The surface should be covered with a very thin layer of natural CO2 due to latent fermentation in secondary. CO2 being heavier than air will displace any surface oxygen contact. As long as the carboy isn't disturbed it should be fine. The oxidation concern can be the transfer itself sometimes. The recommendation to purge when transferring is a good one. We ferment in single containers through the entire cycle dumping yeast via large diameter discharge at the bottom of our conicals.

 

[FredZ]

4 days passed and I'm still stuck at 1.020 down from 1.094 OG. If I cold condition now the yeast will go dormant, so I racked to a new vessel hoping it would promote a little yeast action. Due to a vigorous blow-off, I have less beer than ideal. My apparent attenuation calculates to 77%. Should I leave this beer at 67 a while longer?

 

[jabba11]

Sorry the delayed response, but here is how the fermentation went:

Pitching Day-----67F--1.081
Day Two---------76F--1.03X
Day Three - Six--82F--1.0XX
Day Seven-------32F--1.0XX
Day Nine---------32F--1.006

Thats right, I went from 1.081 down to 1.006! I didn't taste anything fussel, and it was more bitter than what I expected it to be, but I imagine that it should age out with time. Also, there is a significant, but not overpowering banana component on the nose. Taste is slightly spicy, but I wouldn't call it face plant clove like you find in a hefe. Figure this should age nicely.


Here is a picture of the beer after running the air pump for a bit.

I had a very similar experience. Shocked me how quick it dropped, but it did ferment like a monster. I also had a similar taste experience..just a little "background heat" but still raisiny plum like I didn't notice any banana in the nose that I recall. I went straight to tertiary and it has about 30 days left before bottling.

 

[gotbags-10]

So I know we're shooting for the Chimay or Beerse water profile here. Any specific mash ph?

 

[brew_darrymore]

So I know we're shooting for the Chimay or Beerse water profile here. Any specific mash ph?

I'll go for pH 5.3 - 5.4, as the grain bill is pretty light, Pilsner and pale malt. I'll also add some lactic acid to bring the pH within that range.

 

[gotbags-10]

Kind of what I was thinking. Yeah I'll need some lactic as well. Thanks

 

[jtp137]

Kind of what I was thinking. Yeah I'll need some lactic as well. Thanks

Just be careful the amount of acid needed depends on your mash water profile

 

[brew_darrymore]

Just be careful the amount of acid needed depends on your mash water profile

I started using Brunwater in December, right after purchasing a pH meter. It's a lot of fun playing with the spreadsheet and seeing what effect different minerals and acids will have on the mash.

 

[mbbransc]

I brewed a version of this back in MAR 2015, aged in a keg for some time and bottled about a month ago. I've cracked (2) so far and both have a head issue. They pour like soda. By that, the CO2 is releasing violently while poured creating a head and then quickly dissipates and appears flat (it's not). It has a peculiar mouthfeel I think can be attributed to this issue as well. Any ideas?

9# Belgian Pilsner
8# Belgian Pale
2# Dark Candi Sugar
1# Cane Sugar
0.50oz Warrior 60m
1.00oz Hallertauer 30m
1.00oz Styrian 15m
1.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient 5m
WY1762

Mashed 90m at 148°. Fermented at 68° ambient for (3) days, then increased temps to 73°/76°/80°/84°. Rested a week at 84° then returned to 68° ambient for duration of aging. Racked to secondary after (4) weeks. Carbed to ~3.0 volumes.

 

[Bottoms_Up]

I brewed a version of this back in MAR 2015, aged in a keg for some time and bottled about a month ago. I've cracked (2) so far and both have a head issue. They pour like soda. By that, the CO2 is releasing violently while poured creating a head and then quickly dissipates and appears flat (it's not). It has a peculiar mouthfeel I think can be attributed to this issue as well. Any ideas?

Carbed to ~3.0 volumes.

How long did you pressurize the keg before you poured it in your bottles? You get optimal carbonation if you've pressurized the keg at the correct pressure for the temperature at which the keg was kept, for three weeks. Also, did you get a lot of foam when you poured it in your bottles?

 

[mbbransc]

How long did you pressurize the keg before you poured it in your bottles? You get optimal carbonation if you've pressurized the keg at the correct pressure for the temperature at which the keg was kept, for three weeks. Also, did you get a lot of foam when you poured it in your bottles?

Beer was under pressure for 5 or 6 months before being bottled (with a BeerGun). No, hardly any foaming at all.

 

[cyanmonkey]

What did you for pH correction?

 

[Bottoms_Up]

Beer was under pressure for 5 or 6 months before being bottled (with a BeerGun). No, hardly any foaming at all.

So, proper carbonation was not an issue. I'm not sure what else could explain it.

 

[mbbransc]

For 5gal batches of light colored beers, I usually need to use 4oz acidulated malt to get me to 5.3. I don't have a note of it here so I may have been a touch high.

 

[jtp137]

Infection?

 

[mbbransc]

Infection?

I won't rule it out but it tastes fine. Good, in fact. No foaming, off-aroma's or flavors. Maybe they'll develop as it ages if that's the case. I'll open another soon and see if it's changing at all.

 

[cyanmonkey]

I won't rule it out but it tastes fine. Good, in fact. No foaming, off-aroma's or flavors. Maybe they'll develop as it ages if that's the case. I'll open another soon and see if it's changing at all.

Foam looks ok. Was it just one bottle you had issues with?

Foam stability can be a function of low pH (specificaly low).

 

[mbbransc]

This is the bottle. I snapped a quick pic. Like I mentioned, it was very much like pouring a soda. CO2 escaping creates a brief head but after it has sat, it appears flat, even though it's not.

 

[brew_darrymore]

This is the bottle. I snapped a quick pic. Like I mentioned, it was very much like pouring a soda. CO2 escaping creates a brief head but after it has sat, it appears flat, even though it's not.

Did you follow the recipe? I had a stout that was well carbonated but had no head. I used 2lb of oats in it, and their oils killed the head formation.

You didn't use oats, I suppose?

 

[mbbransc]

I brewed a version of this back in MAR 2015, aged in a keg for some time and bottled about a month ago. I've cracked (2) so far and both have a head issue. They pour like soda. By that, the CO2 is releasing violently while poured creating a head and then quickly dissipates and appears flat (it's not). It has a peculiar mouthfeel I think can be attributed to this issue as well. Any ideas?

9# Belgian Pilsner
8# Belgian Pale
2# Dark Candi Sugar
1# Cane Sugar
0.50oz Warrior 60m
1.00oz Hallertauer 30m
1.00oz Styrian 15m
1.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient 5m
WY1762

Mashed 90m at 148°. Fermented at 68° ambient for (3) days, then increased temps to 73°/76°/80°/84°. Rested a week at 84° then returned to 68° ambient for duration of aging. Racked to secondary after (4) weeks. Carbed to ~3.0 volumes.

Did you follow the recipe? I had a stout that was well carbonated but had no head. I used 2lb of oats in it, and their oils killed the head formation.



You didn't use oats, I suppose?

No oats either. Thx

 

[Bottoms_Up]

It appears as though you did everything correctly. The only other option that seems to be left is the glass ware itself. I have read that household soaps such as common dish soap and dishwashing soap have a significant detrimental effect on head retention in beer. Is it possible that your glass still had some residual soap left inside?