First "Big Beer" -- what should I know?

[TripleC223]

I have a little over a year of homebrewing under my belt and would like to make my first big beer, a BIAB Belgian tripel. I will use mostly Belgian pilsner malt and Wyeast 1214 (rinsed and refrigerated from a prior Belgian single) for a 3-gallon batch.

What do I need to be aware of when brewing a beer with a higher OG?

I have a mason jar that contains basically a full Wyeast 1214 yeast cake from a 2.5-gallon 1.054 Belgian single. It has been in my fridge for about a week, so I will make a starter (also a first).

My target OG for the tripel is 1.076. However, this will only be my second BIAB so I will have some DME on hand in case I miss that. I also may get lucky and get more than 60% efficiency, so OG will be a large variable.

What about fusel alcohols? I have read that the higher ABV, the more risk you have for creating fusel alcohols. What is the truth to that, and what should I aim for during fermentation? I have an Inkbird and a FermWrap, and room temp fluctuates between 58-68 degrees depending on the outside temp.

Thanks for the advice. Just trying not to screw it up.

Style: Belgian Tripel
Method: BIAB
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 3 gallons (fermentor volume)
Efficiency: 60% (hopefully)

Original Gravity: 1.076
Final Gravity: 1.013
ABV (standard): 8.35%
IBU (tinseth): 30.75
SRM (morey): 7.27

Fermentables
7 lb Belgian - Pilsner (78.9%)
0.5 lb Belgian - Aromatic (5.6%)
22 oz Cane Sugar (15.5%)

Hops
Amount Variety Type AA Use Time IBU
0.5 oz Hallertau Pellet 6 Boil 60 min 17.82
1 oz Hallertau Pellet 6 Boil 10 min 12.92

Mash
Mash at 150F for 90 minutes

Yeast
Wyeast - Belgian Ale 1214

 

[stieg000]

I think you'll be fine with that recipe and yeast. I've used the white labs equivalent wlp500 many times for beers up to 1.115 O.G. with no issues. For fermentation I start it at 66° for 2 days before letting it rise. I use a brewpi so it's a tightly controlled rise, something like 3° per day up to 78°. In any case I'd recommend a low 66-68° start.

 

[Velnerj]

To be honest a 1.076 gravity beer isn't that big of a beer. I understand it's all relative but the first beer I ever brewed was a 1.070 ipa. No fusel alcohol issues at all even though I'm sure I didn't have great practices.

Fusel alcohols are usually detected not necessarily from high ABV but rather from too high fermentation temperature and/or unstable ferm temps.

Another factor will be malt to sugar ratio as sugar is an important ingredient in Belgian tripels. Too much sugar might leave a heavy alcohol flavor as they are 100% fermentable.

 

[SirSpectre]

Mash low! Pitch well. Ferment hot!

Belgians tend be a bit drier. You'll want the mash temp to be 148 ish. More fermentable. Get ABV by attentuation, not more gravity. 1.013 might be a bit sweet for a tripel, but the simple sugar may offset it. IMO 1.010 is perfect for at tripel. Id cut the aromatic in half personally. It has a very strong malt aroma. In 5 gallon batches I use 6 oz and thats enough.

Cane sugar tends to add a "tang" to beer if its put in too late. Cane sugar is sucrose, Belgian sugar is "invert" sugar - Fructose and Glucose. Sucrose can invert in the presence of acid (wort) and Heat (boil). It takes about 15-20 minutes for that to happen, so don't let cane sugar scare you

WYeast 1214 is a good strain. Chimay's.

 

[TripleC223]

Mash low! Pitch well. Ferment hot!

Belgians tend be a bit drier. You'll want the mash temp to be 148 ish. More fermentable. Get ABV by attentuation, not more gravity. 1.013 might be a bit sweet for a tripel, but the simple sugar may offset it. IMO 1.010 is perfect for at tripel. Id cut the aromatic in half personally. It has a very strong malt aroma. In 5 gallon batches I use 6 oz and thats enough.

Cane sugar tends to add a "tang" to beer if its put in too late. Cane sugar is sucrose, Belgian sugar is "invert" sugar - Fructose and Glucose. Sucrose can invert in the presence of acid (wort) and Heat (boil). It takes about 15-20 minutes for that to happen, so don't let cane sugar scare you

WYeast 1214 is a good strain. Chimay's.

I typically add table sugar to the last 15 minutes of the boil, though admittedly I have never used this much. I'll probably just go for 20 just to be safe. Thanks for the advice.

Have never used Belgian aromatic either, so less is probably more...