[jivetyrant]

The time has come.  I have 9 batches under my belt and have decided that it's high time I put together my first original recipe!  I am constructing this with the intent of using ingredients I already have on-hand.  I would be ordering an additional 3lb bag of amber DME and all the specialty grains.  (I also have a 3lb bag of dark DME and wheat DME on-hand, but they don't seem like they'd fit this recipe very well.)  Please take a look, critique, suggest and help my understand any mistakes I've made.  

Protoplast Dark Belgian Strong

Recipe constructed with the aid of various homebrew books and Beersmith.

Target OG 1.098
Target FG 1.025
estimated 28 IBU

6 gallon boil, 5 gallon batch

Preboil

1lb Cara-Pils, crushed
1lb Honey Malt, crushed (If I can get some)
1lb Cara-40, crushed

Steeped in grain bags until water reaches 170 degrees.

Boil

9 lbs Amber DME, boil 5 minutes then start timing the 60 minute boil.
1 oz Cluster hop pellets (60 min)
1 lb light candi sugar (30 min) stir until dissolved
1/2 oz Saaz pellets (30 min)
1 lb turbinado sugar (20 min) stir until dissolved
1/2 oz Styrian Goldings pellets (10 min)
1/2 tsp Wyeast yeast nutrient, dissolved in warm water (10 min)
1 tsp irish moss, reconstituted in warm water (10 min)
1 oz Challenger pellets (5 min)

Cool using a wort chiller, transfer and top off to 5 gallons if necessary.  Oxygenate with pure O2 for 1 minute using a 2 micron stainless aeration stone.  (Should I be using a .5 micron stone, and is a full minute overkill?)

Pitch 2 packs of Safbrew T-58, rehydrated.

Once primary fermentation is complete, transfer to secondary for an additional 2 weeks.

Bottle with 5oz priming sugar dissolved in 1 cup boiling water.  Ready to drink in 2-4 weeks, would probably improve with aging.

So there it is.  I have several other hop varieties available and would not be averse to picking up some others if my inventory is insufficient.  Alternate hops include First Gold, additional cluster, Perle, Columbus, Warrior, Amarillo, Galena.

Poke holes in it, mock my noobness and above all, help me understand any mistakes that I have made!

[bluesman]

Looks like it's within the style guidelines for a DBS.

Protoplast DBS
Belgian Dark Strong Ale

Type: Partial Mash
Date: 3/16/2011
Batch Size: 5.0 gal
Brewer: jivetyrant
Boil Size: 6.0 gal 
Boil Time: 90 min 
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00
 
Ingredients
 
Amount Item Type % or IBU
9.00 lb Amber Dry Extract (12.5 SRM) Dry Extract 64.29 %
1.00 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 7.14 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 7.14 %
1.00 lb Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 7.14 %
1.00 oz Cluster [7.00 %] (60 min) Hops 15.6 IBU
0.50 oz Saaz [4.00 %] (30 min) Hops 3.4 IBU
0.50 oz Styrian Goldings [5.40 %] (10 min) Hops 2.2 IBU
0.50 oz Challenger [7.50 %] (5 min) Hops 1.7 IBU
1.00 lb Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) Sugar 7.14 %
1.00 lb Turbinado (10.0 SRM) Sugar 7.14 %

Beer Profile
 
Est Original Gravity: 1.100 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.025 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 9.85 % 
Bitterness: 22.9 IBU
Est Color: 16.9 SRM

My only suggestions are to boil for 90 minutes and chill it down to 60F prior to pitching. Let it ferment in the primary until it reaches terminal gravity (beer is clear). Two to three consecutive days of the same gravity reading.

Good Luck! 
 
 

[denny]

I'd cut both the carapils and crystal.  They'll reduce the fermentability and you don't want that in a Belgian style.

[narvin]

Yes, I'd definitely cut the carapils, and at least half the other specialty grains.  

Other ideas:

- Use the extra light extract, since you don't want a thick malt body or a high FG for this style.  You'd be better off with an OG of 1.088 and a FG of 1.015 (or lower, but that will be hard to achieve with extract).
- use dark candi syrup for the best flavor.  Avoid the rocks since they're basically sucrose at a high price.
- cut the 5 minute hop addition, or use a noble hop

[jeffy]

Just wondering about the Cluster hops.  Have you ever had a beer that used Clusters?  I doubt they would add the appropriate flavor to a Belgian beer.  I'd switch to something closer to Sterling or even Goldings.
All the other advice is right on target - the dark candy syrup, the light extract, cutting the specialty grains.  This beer is mostly about pils malt flavor and esters from the syrup and Belgian yeast.  It should have every opportunity to finish at as low a gravity as possible.

[jivetyrant]

Thanks for all the advice so far!  I don't have time to post my edited recipe right now without being late for work, but I'll definitely get it up on the boards this evening.

[jivetyrant]

Protoplast Dark Belgian Strong v1.1

Recipe constructed with the aid of various homebrew books and Beersmith.

Target OG 1.087
Target FG 1.022
estimated 29.7 IBU
estimated color 14.5 SRM

6 gallon boil, 5 gallon batch

Preboil

1lb Cara-Pils, crushed
1lb Honey Malt, crushed (If I can get some)
1lb Cara-40, crushed

Steeped in grain bag until water reaches 170 degrees.

Boil

9 lbs Amber Extra Light DME, boil 5 minutes then start timing the 60 90 minute boil.
1 oz Cluster Styrian Goldings hop pellets (60 90 min)
1 1/2 lb light candi sugar Dark Candi Syrup (30 min) stir until dissolved
1/2 1 oz Saaz Hallertauer pellets (30 min)
1 1/2 lb turbinado sugar (20 min) stir until dissolved
1/2 1 oz Styrian Goldings Saaz pellets (10 min)
1/2 tsp Wyeast yeast nutrient, dissolved in warm water (10 min)
1 tsp irish moss, reconstituted in warm water (10 min)
1 1/2 oz Challenger Saaz pellets (5 min)

Cool using a wort chiller, transfer and top off to 5 gallons if necessary.  Oxygenate with pure O2 for 1 minute using a 2 micron stainless aeration stone.  (Should I be using a .5 micron stone, and is a full minute overkill?)

Pitch 2 packs of Safbrew T-58, rehydrated.

Once primary fermentation is complete, transfer to secondary for an additional 2 weeks.

Bottle with 5oz priming sugar dissolved in 1 cup boiling water.  Ready to drink in 2-4 weeks, would probably improve with aging.

New Questions

Should I add the Candi syrup later in the boil to prevent boiling off of aromatic and flavor compounds?

I will only be using half of the Candi syrup that I'll be ordering (the instructions call for 1/4 to 1 cup per 5 gallon batch, it ships in a 2 cup packet.)  How should I store the excess, or should I take out the turbinado sugar entirely and all the full pound of Candi syrup?

What are the differences between a 90 minute boil and a 60 minute boil?

P.S. - Thanks for the tip on the candi syrup, it looks like exactly the kind of thing I'd want in this beer!

[bluesman]

New Questions

Should I add the Candi syrup later in the boil to prevent boiling off of aromatic and flavor compounds? add last 10 min of boil

I will only be using half of the Candi syrup that I'll be ordering (the instructions call for 1/4 to 1 cup per 5 gallon batch, it ships in a 2 cup packet.)  How should I store the excess, or should I take out the turbinado sugar entirely and all the full pound of Candi syrup? I would use 1lb candi and nix the turbinado

What are the differences between a 90 minute boil and a 60 minute boil? 90min boil will give a little more complexity (kettle caramelization) to the malts and a little more color.

P.S. - Thanks for the tip on the candi syrup, it looks like exactly the kind of thing I'd want in this beer! Your welcome!

[jivetyrant]

My ingredients are prepped, my carboy is clean and I'm prepped to brew this bad boy on Tuesday this week!  I'm very excited indeed!

[denny]

Have a great time, man!

[bluesman]

My ingredients are prepped, my carboy is clean and I'm prepped to brew this bad boy on Tuesday this week!  I'm very excited indeed!

Very good. Good Luck! 

Let us know how you make out with it.

[jivetyrant]

Brewed it!  OG was on target at 1.088, it's fermenting hot right now (~80 F) as planned.  The closet it's in smells great!  I plan on checking it in about a week, probably bottling it in about 1.5-2 weeks.  I don't see much need for a secondary with this beer since I'm not intent on clarifying it and don't know of a reason to keep it in the carboy other than that.  The wort tasted great.

[jivetyrant]

Update!

I checked it early last week, came up with a gravity of 1.026.  I shook the snot out of it to get the yeast back into suspension and heated it back up to ~80.  Checked it 3 days later and it was 1.030, but it was a major yeast-smoothy so i didn't pay the gravity reading much mind.  Checked it again today, much more clear but it was still 1.030.  It was tough to tell as the lighting wasn't very good where it's being stored but I think it's probably stratifying a bit.  I plan to cold crash the batch in the fridge this week to drop any remaining yeast and will probably bottle next wed or thu.

It tastes great!  Fruity and slightly boozy, but that's probably because it was at 66 degrees and uncarbonated. :p

[denny]

I think it's probably stratifying a bit.

I've never heard of that happening.  I don't think it's possible for beer to stratify post fermentation. 

[bluesman]

Your final gravity seems a bit high but if it tastes good that's what really matters. Have you calibrated your hydrometer recently?