On Deck, Belgian Strong Blonde...any tips?

Here is my recipe.
Initial mash at 148 for 75min
two step batch sparge at 154.

Will probably ferment in the low 70s to bring out some esters.

(Still pretty new but trying to get inline with the lingo and the little details)

Looks pretty good. i might suggest adjusting your grains a bit... I don't think the Vienna will be noticeable at that percentage and that might be more carapils than I would use. It's all a matter of taste but I would probably up the Vienna and decrease the cara. Maybe shoot for having your honey and carapils add up to <10% of the grist. That will help you avoid a beer that is too sweet. As for yeast, I would start in the upper 60s for the first day or two... Some people report fusels with that strain, so you just want to control temps at the beginning and then ramp up for attenuation and flavor.

I'd ditch the carapils all together. Up the Vienna and I don't see any sugar. Belgians have a dryness and lighter body that comes from sugar. I'd lower the Pilsner and get about 10-15% simple sugar in there. But that's just me.

smalliewader said:

I'd ditch the carapils all together. Up the Vienna and I don't see any sugar. Belgians have a dryness and lighter body that comes from sugar. I'd lower the Pilsner and get about 10-15% simple sugar in there. But that's just me.

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Yes, use some sugar in there to help dry it out, or "make it more digestable". as the Belgians say. Most Belgian recipes use 10-20% sugar. You can use regular table sugar, or I often use turbinado.

Hijack: partygile the strong and get a smaller beer out of it?

smalliewader said:

I'd ditch the carapils all together. Up the Vienna and I don't see any sugar. Belgians have a dryness and lighter body that comes from sugar. I'd lower the Pilsner and get about 10-15% simple sugar in there. But that's just me.

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Thanks, just curious though. by the standard the style should have a "very pronounced mouth feel" I though carapils was the way to do that. What about caravienne? Or can I just achieve that through carbonation. I'm kegging

I'll also take your advice go with the simple sugars too.

drakeskakes said:

Here is my recipe.
Initial mash at 148 for 75min
two step batch sparge at 154.

Will probably ferment in the low 70s to bring out some esters.

(Still pretty new but trying to get inline with the lingo and the little details)

Click to expand...

drakeskakes said:

Thanks, just curious though. by the standard the style should have a "very pronounced mouth feel" I though carapils was the way to do that. What about caravienne? Or can I just achieve that through carbonation. I'm kegging

I'll also take your advice go with the simple sugars too.

Click to expand...

Ditto the sugar, dropping carapils, and more or no vienna. With all that honey malt, I don't think the vienna will give the beer anything. I like to use flaked product for mouthfeel. I would use flaked wheat in this beer.

Make sure you don't start the fermentation in the 70s, or you'll get fusels instead of esters. I haven't used Abbey II, but I'd guess you want to start around 66 and go up from there, finishing out in mid 70s.

drakeskakes said:

Thanks, just curious though. by the standard the style should have a "very pronounced mouth feel" I though carapils was the way to do that. What about caravienne? Or can I just achieve that through carbonation. I'm kegging

I'll also take your advice go with the simple sugars too.

Click to expand...

Winner winner, chicken dinner.

Better?
I've never worked with sugar, but it seems to up my ABV and not the OG, so my sliders are off. Also, do I add it flameout?

There's two ways to add your sugar.

In the final 15 or so of the boil.

Or, after primary fermentation has slowed, like after high krausen.

I usually do the latter. Boil it up in a little water, cool it down a bit and add to the primary.

smalliewader said:

There's two ways to add your sugar.

In the final 15 or so of the boil.

Or, after primary fermentation has slowed, like after high krausen.

I usually do the latter. Boil it up in a little water, cool it down a bit and add to the primary.

Click to expand...

Got it.
Other than that and last minute tips, how does the recipe look?