Hows this Recipe look? Belgian Pale Ale

[BlainD]

Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.25
Boil Time: 60 min
Est Original Gravity: 1.047

Est Final Gravity: 1.012
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.6 %
Bitterness: 32.9 IBUs
Est Color: 8.4 SRM


8 lbs Golden Promise
1 lbs Wheat, Flaked
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt

0.50 oz Chinook - Boil 60.0 min
0.50 oz Willamette - Boil 15.0 min
0.50 oz Chinook - Boil 5.0 min
0.50 oz Willamette - Boil 5.0 min

WLP565 or WLP566

I just did a Saison with WLP565 and I wanted to use it because of the fermentation temperature keeping my mini fridge fermentation chamber free. I think I might try WLP566 as well. This seems somewhere between a Belgian pale ale and a saison. I just wanted some feed back and would like to say Thank you in advance to all that look this over.



I also want to give credit to DannPM. I based this off his recipe seen here https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f71/simple-belgian-pale-267080/

 

[Natethebrewer]

1.047 seems a little low for a saison SG, but I'm brewing my first tonight so I could be wrong.
I know most Belgians use some sugar to lighten the body a little-I personally prefer orange blossom honey for that purpose.

 

[Quaker]

The chinook is what stands out to me, but I'm guessing it's personal preference. All else looks tasty. I'd just be using a different hop with the Willamette. For a pale, no sugar needed.

 

[BlainD]

The chinook is what stands out to me, but I'm guessing it's personal preference. All else looks tasty. I'd just be using a different hop with the Willamette. For a pale, no sugar needed.

Why not willamette and chinook?

 

[Quaker]

I'm just not a chinook fan except in an IPA or APA. I guess it's described as spicy along with the pine, but I'm not a fan of the pine. It's just personal preference. I would go with Saaz or a derivative like Sterling or Motueka. Or play with Brewer's Gold, Brambling Cross or Pacific Jade. But again, if you like the pine, stay the course.

 

[Natethebrewer]

Willamette and Northdown is my personal choice for something like this. I found Sterling plays well with others too.

 

[Natethebrewer]

I am interested to know why Quaker says no sugar needed? All of my Belgians have come out fine with a little added to move the s.g. up a point or two.

 

[BlainD]

I am interested to know why Quaker says no sugar needed? All of my Belgians have come out fine with a little added to move the s.g. up a point or two.

That's more typical of trappist ales monks brew I believe. In lighter Belgians its less common. Besides I'm shooting for a nice drinkable summer beer.

 

[BlainD]

Willamette and Northdown is my personal choice for something like this. I found Sterling plays well with others too.

I've never used northdown. That's more of a "neutral" bittering hop right? That may be more what I'm looking for.


Anyone have any thoguhts on maybe adding.some spices to this? Part of me wants to but a large part of me feels like it won't work with this recipe.

*edited for "Damn you auto correct!"

 

[Quaker]

Perhaps I should consult the BJCP guidelines again, but in my opinion the sugar helps separate a pale ale from a Saison. I expect a Saison to be bone dry and higher alcohol. Due to a Belgian yeast a Belgian pale ale can be relatively dry compared to other pale ales. Maybe I'm wrong, but rather than just get drier, I'd fear the sugar could make the mouthfeel thin and watery, especially in a simple grain bill without much crystal malts. it would depend how much is subbed for base grain. Simply adding it to the above I think starts turning it more into a Saison as the OG starts getting higher. Just my thoughts behind my comment.

 

[BlainD]

Perhaps I should consult the BJCP guidelines again, but in my opinion the sugar helps separate a pale ale from a Saison. I expect a Saison to be bone dry and higher alcohol. Due to a Belgian yeast a Belgian pale ale can be relatively dry compared to other pale ales. Maybe I'm wrong, but rather than just get drier, I'd fear the sugar could make the mouthfeel thin and watery, especially in a simple grain bill without much crystal malts. it would depend how much is subbed for base grain. Simply adding it to the above I think starts turning it more into a Saison as the OG starts getting higher. Just my thoughts behind my comment.

I have an understanding(and maybe off) that saisons varied greatly in style from being very simple with most flavor coming from fermentation and having low abv; To very heavy with lots of spices and adjunct. Is that not complwtly accurate?

 

[Natethebrewer]

I too could be mistaken but I thought of saison as farmhouse ale, a "homebrew" of sorts that varies widely.
I digress, couldn't you alter the mash temp to improve mouthfeel, or perhaps adding/increasing flaked oats or wheat in the recipe?
As far as spices go I'm told corriander and orange zest are standard for a lot but not all belgians.
I like chamomile too. Also black pepper, sage, ginger and grapefruit zest. The last goes well with American hops in my opinion.

 

[BlainD]

I digress, couldn't you alter the mash temp to improve mouthfeel, or perhaps adding/increasing flaked oats or wheat in the recipe?

Yeah I could change the recipe and then add some adjunct... but then it would be a different recipe. That's not really what I'm going for here. I'm just trying to keep it nice and simple but still have some nice flavors.

 

[Natethebrewer]

It looks to me like your recipe is pretty straightforward as it is. I personally wouldn't consider a change in mash temp by a few degrees, or the addition of small amounts of flaked oats/wheat a big departure from any recipe, but that's just opinion.
I'd keep the spices limited then if you're going for simple and let a lot of the flavors come from the yeast.