Belgian Dark Strong Ale - Suggestions?

[darkbrew1972]

Got lucky and came into some WLP570 for free and am looking to brew my first Belgian Strong Dark Ale. Plugged this recipe into Brewtarget and am looking for any suggestions.

Belgian Strong Ale - Belgian Dark Strong Ale
================================================================================
Batch Size: 5.181 gal
Boil Size: 6.431 gal
Boil Time: 60.000 min
Efficiency: 70%
OG: 1.082
FG: 1.021
ABV: 8.0%
Bitterness: 25.2 IBUs (Tinseth)
Color: 17 SRM (Morey)

Fermentables
================================================================================
Name Type Amount Mashed Late Yield Color
Pilsner (2 Row) Ger Grain 11.000 lb Yes No 81% 2 L
Candi Sugar, Amber Sugar 1.000 lb No No 78% 75 L
Munich Malt - 20L Grain 5.000 lb Yes No 75% 20 L
Briess - Carapils Malt Grain 8.000 oz Yes No 74% 1 L
Total grain: 17.500 lb

Hops
================================================================================
Name Alpha Amount Use Time Form IBU
Hallertau 4.5% 1.000 oz Boil 60.000 min Pellet 11.5
Styrian Goldings 4.5% 1.000 oz Boil 30.000 min Pellet 8.8
Saaz (Czech Republic) 4.5% 1.000 oz Boil 12.000 min Pellet 4.8

Misc
================================================================================
Name Type Use Amount Time
Irish Moss Fining Boil 1.000 tsp 15.000 min

Yeast
================================================================================
Name Type Form Amount Stage
WLP570 - Belgian Golden Ale Yeast Ale Liquid 1.5qt Starter Primary

Mash
================================================================================
Name Type Amount Temp Target Time
Conversion Infusion 4.250 gal 160.000 F 150.000 F 60.000 min
Final Batch Sparge Infusion 4.250 gal 175.000 F 165.000 F 15.000 min

 

[Riot]

I don't think you will be thrilled with a 1.020 FG on a dark strong. I would do a multi step mash to try and get it as fermentable as possible. That yeast will attenuate like a champion if you let it.

 

[solbes]

You may want to check out the following thread for a VERY good recipe. Either is reportedly good, but my very similar recipe to the Traditional is fantastic about 10 months from brew date.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f73/pious-westvleteren-12-style-quad-multiple-147815/

I recommend subbing out the amber sugar for the CSI D-90 and D-180 candi syrups (1 lb of each would be great). After they age in the bottle a few months the stone fruit flavors really start to pop. Adding a little Special B really helps too (8 oz is fine).

5 lbs of Munich seems like a bit much, but I would guess would be tasty nonetheless.

 

[MrHadack]

I know a lot of people use munich malt in these styles, but I prefer not to. Most of the character and color in these beers should come from the specialty sugars. For example, I brewed one recently with 16 pounds of pilsner malt, 8oz of Special B, and a pound each of 180L Candi Syrup and 90L Candi syrup. (EDIT: looking back in my notes, it was actually 10# pilsner, 6# pale malt)

It's a matter of taste, I guess. but I would use darker candi sugar, more of it, and cut back on the munich malt.

 

[darkbrew1972]

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to re-work the recipe to reduce the Munich malt and amp up the sugar. Have only done single step mashes up till now, but no better time than the present to learn to do a multi-step.

 

[solbes]

If you are using Pils malt, you'd want to boil at least 75 minutes or up to 90 min to get rid of DMS precursors.

I've always found most yeasts get you where you need to go if you pitch enough of them. Either a large 3.5-4qt yeast starter for this one, or make a small beer batch first (Patersbier for example). Then harvest 2-3 cups of yeast after racking and pitch into your Dark Strong.

 

[helibrewer]

Got lucky and came into some WLP570 for free and am looking to brew my first Belgian Strong Dark Ale. Plugged this recipe into Brewtarget and am looking for any suggestions.

Belgian Strong Ale - Belgian Dark Strong Ale
================================================================================
Batch Size: 5.181 gal
Boil Size: 6.431 gal
Boil Time: 60.000 min
Efficiency: 70%
OG: 1.082
FG: 1.021
ABV: 8.0%
Bitterness: 25.2 IBUs (Tinseth)
Color: 17 SRM (Morey)

Fermentables
================================================================================
Name Type Amount Mashed Late Yield Color
Pilsner (2 Row) Ger Grain 11.000 lb Yes No 81% 2 L
Candi Sugar, Amber Sugar 1.000 lb No No 78% 75 L
Munich Malt - 20L Grain 5.000 lb Yes No 75% 20 L
Briess - Carapils Malt Grain 8.000 oz Yes No 74% 1 L
Total grain: 17.500 lb

Hops
================================================================================
Name Alpha Amount Use Time Form IBU
Hallertau 4.5% 1.000 oz Boil 60.000 min Pellet 11.5
Styrian Goldings 4.5% 1.000 oz Boil 30.000 min Pellet 8.8
Saaz (Czech Republic) 4.5% 1.000 oz Boil 12.000 min Pellet 4.8

Misc
================================================================================
Name Type Use Amount Time
Irish Moss Fining Boil 1.000 tsp 15.000 min

Yeast
================================================================================
Name Type Form Amount Stage
WLP570 - Belgian Golden Ale Yeast Ale Liquid 1.5qt Starter Primary

Mash
================================================================================
Name Type Amount Temp Target Time
Conversion Infusion 4.250 gal 160.000 F 150.000 F 60.000 min
Final Batch Sparge Infusion 4.250 gal 175.000 F 165.000 F 15.000 min

Take a look at the recipes on Candi Syrups website. I did the Chimay Blue and it is awesome. Recipes

 

[darkbrew1972]

Well, re-worked the recipe and brewed it last weekend.

13 lbs Pilsen Malt 2-Row (Briess) (1.0 SRM) Grain 1 73.2 %
3 lbs 8.0 oz Munich 10L (Briess) (10.0 SRM) Grain 2 19.7 %
4.0 oz Carapils (Briess) (1.5 SRM) Grain 3 1.4 %
1 lbs Candi Syrup, D-180 (180.0 SRM) Extract 4 5.6 %
1.00 oz Hallertau [4.10 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 5 11.7 IBUs
1.00 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.20 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 6 11.4 IBUs
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 7 -
1.00 oz Saaz [3.00 %] - Boil 12.0 min Hop 8 3.6 IBUs
1.0 pkg Belgian Golden Ale (White Labs #WLP570) [35.49 ml] Yeast 9 -

Mashed at 148F and Fly Sparged at 168F

Increased Boil time to 90 min

I was amazed at the amount of break material produced by the Pilsen malt using it for the first time.

Beersmith is estimating FG at 1.015 from OG of 1.084
Landed at 1.080 going into the fermentor. If this yeast does as well as my Saison yeast I'm hoping it will finish lower. My Saison finished at 1.005.

Fingers crossed