First belgian and starter

[KraphtBier]

After much pontification I've come to the conclusion that its time to venture into the realm of brewing belgian styles. I decided on a tripel for my first belgian. I've done some reading on the style here and elsewhere. So far the recipe looks really tasty to me but I want to run it by others to get some feedback from those experienced with the style.

5.5 gal batch
OG: 1.084
IBUs: ~36
SRM: 6.3

10lbs Weyermann Pilsner
1lb Weyermann Munich
1lb Weyermann Wheat
0.5lb Caravienna
2.75lbs Table Sugar (added incrementally to the fermenter)

2oz Styrian Goldings (5.5%aa) @ 60 min
1oz Styrian Goldings @ 10 min

WLP 530 or WLP 570

I only have access to one vial of either yeast (I'm still not sure which to use, looking for opinions and input from previous experiences with either). This means I'm going to have to get a pretty massive starter going. I also don't have a stir plate so its going to be a simple starter with occasional shaking. I'm thinking of putting a 2-2.5 liter starter in a gallon water jug, will this work? Mr. Malty says I'm going to need 5 plus liters to achieve the correct pitch rate but I have no idea how I would accomplish that.

All I have to make my starter is wheat malt extract and I've never used that particular extract to make a starter. I'm pretty sure it will work if I decant and just pitch slurry but I would love some feedback on that as well.

 

[KraphtBier]

*bump*

Trying to brew this on thursday.

 

[smalliewader]

I've had success just doing normal sized starters.....2 cups water, 1/2 cup dme and a vial of yeast. Never had a big beer not ferment in proper time. Never tried 570 yet, but 530 works well for trippels.

I say make the starter and you'll be ready to pitch in about 24 hours. I don't bother decanting either.

 

[Cromwell]

I think you'll have better luck if you step the starter. Most of your yeast growth happens in 24 hours, so you can step it once, chill, decant and step it again by Saturday.

 

[KraphtBier]

I think the step up is going to be the way to go. I will prep a one quart starter, ferment it out, crash decant and pitch into a two quart starter after 24-36 hours. Wish I had a stir plate but I suppose the simple starter will work for the time being. Now if I could just decide on which yeast to use!

 

[PseudoChef]

You can always delay the brewing of the Tripel and brew something like a Table beer or Belgian Pale Ale now using a smaller starter and use that yeast for the Tripel in 2 weeks or so.

If not, definitely do a stepped starter to get the amount of yeast you need.

 

[KraphtBier]

I've decided to brew a belgian pale as a way to grow up my yeast for the tripel. Recipe for that is

OG: 1.054
IBUs: ~27
SRM: 7.5

10lbs Crisp Pale Ale Malt
0.5lb Weyermann Wheat Malt
0.5lb Weyermann Caramunich I

0.5oz Colombus (12.5%aa) @ 60 min
1.00oz Styrian Goldings (5.5%aa) @ 10 min

WLP 570

Im a little light on color for the style but everything else is just right imo. Hopefully this comes out tasty and gets me the yeast count I need to batch the tripel. Thoughts?

 

[frankstoneline]

I've decided to brew a belgian pale as a way to grow up my yeast for the tripel. Recipe for that is

OG: 1.054
IBUs: ~27
SRM: 7.5

10lbs Crisp Pale Ale Malt
0.5lb Weyermann Wheat Malt
0.5lb Weyermann Caramunich I

0.5oz Colombus (12.5%aa) @ 60 min
1.00oz Styrian Goldings (5.5%aa) @ 10 min

WLP 570

Im a little light on color for the style but everything else is just right imo. Hopefully this comes out tasty and gets me the yeast count I need to batch the tripel. Thoughts?

I'd still think about a starter for this, maybe toss in a touch of aromatic for color/character

 

[KraphtBier]

I'll definitely still build a starter. Aromatic or biscuit was something I had considered. If I do add anything it will probably be a touch of aromatic for color and malt presence.

edit: 4oz of aromatic looks like it would do the trick, I will most likely pick some up tomorrow.

 

[frankstoneline]

I'll definitely still build a starter. Aromatic or biscuit was something I had considered. If I do add anything it will probably be a touch of aromatic for color and malt presence.

edit: 4oz of aromatic looks like it would do the trick, I will most likely pick some up tomorrow.

I made a lavender chamomile blonde last summer and think I used about that much aromatic and thought it blended nicely and added a really nice color (I might have used 5oz, I dont recall)

 

[PseudoChef]

Looks like you're headed in the right direction. Solid recipe.

 

[KraphtBier]

This morning I whipped up a two quart starter using 6oz of DME. The only container I had was a one gallon pitcher (which is sadly not transparent, no way to watch the yeast work ) I sprayed some aluminum foil with starsan and covered the pitcher. I'm swirling the contents every so often as I walk by. I'm thinking friday night I can pop this in the fridge to crash and still brew on saturday at some point or sunday at the latest.

 

[solbes]

Sounds like a plan. You can pitch plenty of yeast from your first batch into the Tripel this way.

I made a 1.072 Tripel with a 3.5 qt starter (have same jug as you). And I made a 1.081 Tripel with washed yeast from a Patersbier. The second is already tasty (in bottle for 1.5 months) where as the first took 3-4 months to really smooth out. Pitching the washed yeast slurry gave me a lag time of less than 2 hours.

BTW, 2.75 lbs of table sugar might be a little too much. I would consider dropping it to either 2 or at least 2.25. Its the sugar that requires longer secondary and aging with Belgians before it tastes right. If you do reduce the sugar, just add another pound of grain. Otherwise your recipe looks great.

Oh and one more thing. Blow off tube. Especially if you are going to pitch a yeast slurry from the first beer to a Tripel using 530 (I've never used 570 before). She would blow the top about 8-12 hours later if you used an airlock, even with Fermcap S.

 

[PseudoChef]

BTW, 2.75 lbs of table sugar might be a little too much. I would consider dropping it to either 2 or at least 2.25. Its the sugar that requires longer secondary and aging with Belgians before it tastes right. If you do reduce the sugar, just add another pound of grain. Otherwise your recipe looks great.

It's not sugar that requires longer secondary and aging with Belgians before it tastes right. It's less than optimal fermentation that does that. Healthy yeast + low temps (ramp up toward the end of fermentation) and you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[KraphtBier]

I've actually decided to reduce the amount of sugar in the tripel to 2.5lbs.

As for the Belgian Pale; LHBS was out of aromatic so I snagged some biscuit instead. I'm not too upset about not having the aromatic in there as I feel like a little bread crust flavor will compliment the sweetness of the caramunich nicely. The starter smells awesome!!! definitely spicy/earthy/funky with just a touch of bubblegum. Can't wait to use this stuff.

 

[meadowstream]

A starter for your Belgian is no different than one for any other. I have found a single WL vial cultured using the instructions for a starter published on WL's website works very well - just make sure you aerate your wort and control ferm temp and your Belgians will be great.

 

[Cromwell]

Out of curiosity, was it a conscious decision to use sugar and not candi sugar? Personally, I look for the additional flavor from candi sugar.

 

[KraphtBier]

Candi sugar is expensive and I feel like homade invert will get me the flavors I'm after. If I had planned on using amber candi then I might've sprung for it, but I'm using clear so I think the homade stuff should be fine.

 

[KraphtBier]

Mashing the Belgian Pale right now.

10lbs Crisp Pale
1/2lb Weyermann Caramunich
1/2lb Weyermann Wheat Malt
1/4lb Dingeman Biscuit
1.5oz Styrian Goldings @ 60
0.5oz Styrian Goldings @ 20

Warming the cold crashed 2 quart starter of WLP 570 on the counter.

 

[KraphtBier]

Well, today was interesting. I came out with just shy of 5.5 gal into the fermenter. I didn't take into account the volume of the starter and pitched the liquid after only partially decanting. I now have 6 gallons in the 6.5 gallon carboy :cross:. I rigged a blow off and am hoping I don't lose too much yeast/beer.