Belgian Dark Strong Ale Westvleteren 12 clone

[Displaced MassHole]

Recipe Type

All Grain

Yeast

WLP 530

Yeast Starter

2-3L

Batch Size (Gallons)

5.5

Original Gravity

1.071

Final Gravity

1.015

Boiling Time (Minutes)

60

IBU

?

Color

?

Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)

14 days at 68

Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)

14 days at 68

Additional Fermentation

Bottle condition for 3 weeks

Tasting Notes

See below

Grain:

17.5 lb Dingemans Belgian Pilsner
1 lb Caramunich (belg)
.44 lb Biscuit
.31 lb Aromatic
.25 lb Special B
.19 lb Chocolate

Candi Sugar:
1 bottle of the Dark Candi Syrup(this is key, use the syrup)
.25 Amber Rock Candi
Added with 15 mins left in the boil

Hops:
1.25 oz. Styrian Golding (60 min)
.25 oz. Styrian Goldings (15 min)
.25 oz. Haullertauer (15 min)
.25 oz. Styrian Goldings (1 min)
.25 oz. Haullertauer (1 min)

Yeast: WLP 530 (probably gonna want to make a 1 gallon starter)

Single infusion mash at 149 for 90 min. Mash out at 170 for 10-15 min. Sparge at 170. Boil for 60 minutes.

I did this one last november and its awesome! Lots of sweet, molasses and raisins a little heavy on the tounge with a suprisingly crisp finish.

 

[explosivebeer]

Hey Displaced MassHole,

That sounds and looks like a great recipe. Where did you get it? Have you tried it again and did you change anything if you did?

 

[Displaced MassHole]

Forget exactly where I found it, but when I do it again I'd make a bigger yeast starter and cut back on priming sugar when bottling. Mine came out a little sweet and over carbed. Other than that it was great.

 

[explosivebeer]

Well it sounds delicious. Thanks for the prompt reply and good luck on future iterations of this recipe. I'll post another comment if I end up brewing it.

 

[saq]

What size is 'a bottle of dark candi syrup'

 

[Displaced MassHole]

1.5 lbs or 16 oz.

MoreBeer | Adjunct - Belgian Candi Syrup (Dark)

I got mine from B3 but its sold at most HBS

 

[saq]

Somethings wrong here, when I put this recipe into Beersmith it says my OG is somewhere around 1.107

 

[billtzk]

Beer Captured, by Tess and Mark Szamatulski, has a recipe for this too. It's similar to the one you posted, but there are some differences in the grain bill proportions. I plan to brew the version in Beer Captured sometime before the end of the year.

 

[Displaced MassHole]

Somethings wrong here, when I put this recipe into Beersmith it says my OG is somewhere around 1.107

I'm sure thats a possibility, when I brewed it and measured SG with a hydro it was about 1.073. I didnt use the amber candi sugar like I should have though. I've got no idea how many gravity points that should add but I dont think it would take the SG all the way up to 1.107 This recipe isn't perfect yet but it will give you a pretty decent belgian brew. If you think I should change something let me know I'm always open to suggestions.

 

[saq]

Candi Sugar has similar potential gravity as grain per lbs, which seems strange but that is what Beersmith says.
Maybe blitzk would like to share his recipe for Westvleteren 12 and we can compare?
I just got a Blichmann Boilermaker w/false bottom so I'm itching to break it in and this is the first recipe I want to do!

 

[saq]

Actually, I've done some readings and found some other clone recipes, they all have an OG around 1.1 so this sounds like a winner unless blitzk has a significant change. Now I just need to get a bottle of Dark Candi Sugar syrup!

 

[explosivebeer]

Candi Sugar has similar potential gravity as grain per lbs, which seems strange but that is what Beersmith says.
Maybe blitzk would like to share his recipe for Westvleteren 12 and we can compare?
I just got a Blichmann Boilermaker w/false bottom so I'm itching to break it in and this is the first recipe I want to do!

The Belgian Candi Syrups have a ppg of 1.032: dark candi, inc.. If it's different in BeerSmith I think you can adjust it manually or add a new item with the appropriate characteristics.

 

[saq]

Yeah, Beersmith said 1.032 which is around the same as most grains (1.030 -> 1.035)

 

[Displaced MassHole]

saq-
Ever get around to doing this one?

 

[saq]

Negative, just got around to ordering the dark candi syrup. Its on the schedule for probably 2 weeks time.

 

[mnadamn]

If someone out there has another clone recipe I would be willing to brew that in the next month. maybe even have a trade going on...

 

[parrotpoet]

I'm doing a Westvleteren clone and just racked to a secondary. I only have 6.5 gallon carboys so there's a bit of headspace at the top. is this going to present an oxidation problem or will enough new CO2 be created to force it out? I was in primary about 10 days. also, how long would you recommend keeping it at room temp in secondary before bottling and then how long for conditioning?

Thanks

Brandon

 

[mmb]

How does this compaire to the real deal? I've never found the 12 and I always look when I goto a new beer store?

It's on my list of "Try before Die" beers.

 

[avaserfi]

How does this compaire to the real deal? I've never found the 12 and I always look when I goto a new beer store?

It's on my list of "Try before Die" beers.

You will never see it at a regular beer store. You can buy it directly from the monks, on ebay and a couple places online. The only place that the monks condone sale is from them, they specifically ask for it not to be resold.

 

[mmb]

You will never see it at a regular beer store. You can buy it directly from the monks, on ebay and a couple places online. The only place that the monks condone sale is from them, they specifically ask for it not to be resold.

Yes, I know. There is a grey market for them and sometimes "my guy" can get interesting items. He's looking for 6, 8, and 12 but it's been a while.

 

[Displaced MassHole]

How does this compaire to the real deal? I've never found the 12 and I always look when I goto a new beer store?

It's on my list of "Try before Die" beers.

I actually tried them side by side, mine was 13 months in the bottle at the time. I think it may have sat for too long though, as it had a coppery after taste. It was pretty close though. The real one had more of a sweet raisin/prune taste to it.

You will never see it at a regular beer store. You can buy it directly from the monks, on ebay and a couple places online. The only place that the monks condone sale is from them, they specifically ask for it not to be resold.

Buy Belgian beers, chocolates, waffles, cheeses, speculoos... online/The Belgian Shop from Belgium

This is where I bought the real ones. It cost about 150 bones for a six pack though. Not cheap! Could have gotten them cheaper on eBay but I really didnt trust any of the sellers there.

 

[saq]

Anyone brewed this up lately? I'm going to do this as my 1 year anniversary brew and if it turns out well it will be a spin on it every year
Anyone tried the new amber candi syrup by the same guys as the dark candi syrup? I ordered both so we'll see.

 

[RCannin]

Any updates on this??? Very interested...

 

[Displaced MassHole]

There's another thread out there right now, where we are planning on doing a group brew and swap. Plus we're tweaking the recipe a little.

 

[RCannin]

Link to new thread?

 

[Displaced MassHole]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/westvleteren-12-group-brew-swap-121429/



Here ya go...........lazy

 

[RCannin]

hahaha really appreciate it! now this thread is redirected!

 

[brad451]

This sounds like a good beer. How did you create this recipe? Michael Jackson says that Westvleteren 12 is made from only 2-row pale, belgian candi, and northern brewer hops. Your recipe seems overly complex.

 

[saq]

brad451, check out this thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/westvleteren-12-group-brew-swap-121429/

We had a competition where we all did some slight variations on two base recipes and there was a judging against the real thing. My brewing of the New World recipe (basically this recipe) won the competition for closest to the real thing and the best score overall.

 

[brad451]

brad451, check out this thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/westvleteren-12-group-brew-swap-121429/

We had a competition where we all did some slight variations on two base recipes and there was a judging against the real thing. My brewing of the New World recipe (basically this recipe) won the competition for closest to the real thing and the best score overall.

The two base recipes seem a little over-done, imao.