Belgian Dark Strong Ale Westvleteren 12 Clone - Multiple Award Winner

[nick113]

Hi,
I'm a little bit confused about the kind of grains in this recipe. How could we have the best results? Using pale and pilsner grains 50:50 or using only pale and candi syrup?

 

[ChuckS1]

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.

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.

 

[Kee]

Hi,
I'm a little bit confused about the kind of grains in this recipe. How could we have the best results? Using pale and pilsner grains 50:50 or using only pale and candi syrup?

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]

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.

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.

 

[nick113]

Can i bottle it after the secondary fermentation and let all the bottles aging at 55-60F for 40 days?

 

[catdaddy66]

Can i bottle it after the secondary fermentation and let all the bottles aging at 55-60F for 40 days?

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.

 

[nick113]

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]

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.

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]

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.

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]

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]

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]

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.

"Some like it hot, and some sweat when the heat is on!"

Robert Palmer, The Power Station
Circa 1985

 

[havu]

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.

 

[havu]

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.

 

[troglodytes]

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]

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.

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]

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).

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]

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]

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.

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]

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.

 

[brew_darrymore]

Want to transfer to harvest a little yeast as well for re-pitching at bottling time as well.

Probably not a good idea to harvest yeast that just finished fermenting a quad. I've had quads that refused to carbonate and bottles were flat even after 6 months.

Play it safe and get some dry yeast to bottle condition with, like EC-1118.

 

[troglodytes]

I would never trust it to ferment out another beer, but I figured that it could be repitched at bottling. I will actually have starter of WLP 007 going at the time of bottling this quad so I'll draw off some of the starter at high krausen and repitch.

When you bottle this do you store at 65-68 for a several weeks to carb up, then take it to long term storage at 50-55F, or do you just store it at the cellar temps straight from bottling day?

 

[brew_darrymore]

When you bottle this do you store at 65-68 for a several weeks to carb up, then take it to long term storage at 50-55F, or do you just store it at the cellar temps straight from bottling day?

I store the bottles at 68F as I don't have the space to store them at lower temperature. Colder temperature will slow down the carbonation and the aging process, so keep the bottles warm until fully carbonated.

 

[cuda6pak]

In a bit of a dilemma right now. Brew day is planned on Sunday and I'm doing the recipe per the original post except using The Yeast Bay's Dry Belgian Ale. Unfortunately I only bought 2 vials and the 3rd vial I don't think will be making it in time to do a 3L starter with all 3 vials (11.0gal batch).

Here are my options I believe -
1) Get a vial of WLP530 and co-pitch alongside the 2 vials of DBA in a 3L starter
2) Do a 4L starter with the 2 vials of DBA and underpitch
3) Save all or maybe some of the D-180 and pitch it into primary after 24-36hrs of fermentation. How would it alter the wort flavor profile by not boiling the candi sugar?

What do you guys think?

 

[bmaupin]

Get a vial of WLP530 - I've read TYB dry belgian is kinda boring and better for a pale.

 

[Toca]

Brewed this recently and since i top cropped a nice amount of yeast from it, decided to brew an Achel 8 extra clone a week after, so my whole room smells of plums lol. i have two questions..on a first batch, 2 inch krausen still lingers on top, after 10 days, sitting at 25 C. Should I rouse it with a sanitized spoon?
Other thing.. i've been trying to find an answer on why such a short primary? shouldn't yeast be left at least 2/3 weeks to clean up after themselves? especially on such a big beer. Im sure i saw an idea behind it, cant seem to trace it now.

 

[troglodytes]

In the batch I just did, I'd just let the krausen fall naturally when you go into the temp ramp down. I did the CSI steady ramp from 63-81F and held there for 3 days. The gravity was exactly spot the target of 1.014. with some slight activity. I then ramped back down over 7 days to 55F and held there until I bottled last night.

The krausen fell after the first day of ramp down and after a week and a half at 55F, the FG was 1.012 and I bottled a pretty clear looking beer. Can't wait to see how it tastes late this year.

 

[Mer-man]

I just wanted to come back and say brew this. Mine, despite being a dark gold, is fantastic. It is close to 11% and is very "digestible ". It's also the first beer that everyone has liked.

 

[troglodytes]

Is the perceived sweetness of this beer overexageratted when young?

Its currently carbing (so there is some residual priming syrup left), and I wanted to crack one just to make sure I bottled at FG and I wasn't making bottle bombs. I drank some of it, but it was the sweetest tasting 1.012 beer I've ever had, almost cloying. Is this something that fades in aging?

 

[Jwin]

Was there some carbonation present?
The priming can add quite a bit of sweetness. If it's mostly in tact, it will make it very sweet.