Has anyone tried the "Cooperstown Ale" from OMMEGANG? It's simply amazing! It's a Belgian blonde and I am going to try to replicate it but need some advice. On the bottle it says brewed with barley, wheat, and oats. Also says brewed with American and noble hops. I emailed Phil Leinhart and the only thing he told me was that they used Topaz hops in the whirlpool. I have yet to brew a blonde and am looking for help formulating a recipe with this info alone. Hopefully someone else has tasted this beer and can give some input. It has a fairly restrained Belgian character and slight malty sweetness, medium bitterness and dry finish. The thing I like about it is that it doesn't have the extreme Belgian funkiness as most examples I've tried. I don't really like Leffe, I think Grimbergen is decent. Any thoughts on a grain bill?
I'd like to think about 75% pils, 10% sugar (candi sugar?) 10% Vienna/aromatic/or Munich and split the last 5% between wheat and oats. I have no idea malted or flaked/torrified wheat...
Thinking wlp550 but I've never used wlp500 or any of the abbey strains.
What say you?
Oh, here's a pic...
I'd like to think about 75% pils, 10% sugar (candi sugar?) 10% Vienna/aromatic/or Munich and split the last 5% between wheat and oats. I have no idea malted or flaked/torrified wheat...
Thinking wlp550 but I've never used wlp500 or any of the abbey strains.
What say you?
Oh, here's a pic...