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You are here: Home --> Forum Home --> Brewing Forum --> Brewing Discussion --> Emphasize Belgian character

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testingapril
Charter Member
Atlanta, GA
595 Posts


First, let me just say that I am not an expert in Belgian Blonde. I've never brewed one.


But, I do have experience with that yeast, and I prefer using it under pitched, at least according to Mr. Malty. I haven't used it since I started using calculators based on Kai's numbers. I used to like to pitch between 50-75% of what Mr malty recommended. I never got the character I was looking for when using the full rate. Also, all reports from Belgium indicate that the brewers there under pitch the Belgian style strains for abbey style beers. I think the one exception is Westy because they pitch the leftovers from Westmalle and it's reported that it's a gross over pitch for their batch sizes, but the culture may be in pretty poor shape, so who knows.


Next up is the consideration that higher OG will by nature produce more character. Your blonde is not that high OG, so it's not going to display Tripel levels of character, pretty much no matter what you do, so I think you are free to push the character pretty hard. Also, for competition, being overboard on the style is usually better than trying to take the subtle approach. Especially with Belgians. Do something to stand out sort of thing.


Lastly, sucrose. Use it. Don't invert it, don't darken it, don't use some expensive candi sugar or some other nonsense. Use pure sucrose. Beet sugar, cane sugar, either one. But I am of the semi-unsubstantiated opinion that sucrose is necessary to really get WLP500 to do the fruity thing that I like about it. When I've made all malt beers with it the beers just lacked a certain something in the yeast profile that my sucrose beers didn't. This can be difficult to balance the malt flavor and dryness of the beer without getting the ABV too high. This is the secret to Belgian Blonde IMO, the malty/sweet/dry balance under 7.5% ABV.


Hope that helps.


2




Posted 34 days ago.

rayfound
Charter Member
Riverside, CA
313 Posts


My normal process is to pitch @ the target for the OG before sugar, then add the sugar after high krausen.


2




Posted 34 days ago.

homebrewdad
Charter Member
Birmingham, AL
2480 Posts


Dan. thanks for the advice.  I'm going to split the Belgian part and see what I get for each.  I was looking to pitch it at .5 million/ml, as opposed to the standard .75 million/ml.  

Yeah, standing out makes sense.  

Don't worry, I'm using some sucrose.  Looking at about 7.5% - enough to add 8 points of gravity, which gets me to 1.073.  Think I should add more?

Yep, I'm adding sugar after high krausen, Ray.


Thanks for the input, guys!
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Posted 34 days ago.

testingapril
Charter Member
Atlanta, GA
595 Posts


I've always added the sugar in the boil, but I don't suppose it matters much.


1.073 is probably big enough for a tripel or golden strong to be honest. Especially if it dries out enough. You could definitely up the sugar to 10% and do it as a tripel as long as the color is light enough.


2




Posted 34 days ago.

rayfound
Charter Member
Riverside, CA
313 Posts


1.073 is my tripel,dries out to like 1.005 and is supremely enjoyable. Not boozy. But I do run closer to 20%sugar.


Only fermentation stall I ever had was a 20% sucrose beer with everything in the boil.


2




Posted 34 days ago.

ingoogni
nl
314 Posts


In case you didn't know this one already:
Keeping it simple, what monks can teach us ...




Posted 34 days ago.

homebrewdad
Charter Member
Birmingham, AL
2480 Posts


That is a fantastic link, sir!  Thanks.



Posted 34 days ago.

testingapril
Charter Member
Atlanta, GA
595 Posts


What is mio/mL in regards to cell count?


2




Posted 34 days ago.

ingoogni
nl
314 Posts


cells * 106  per 10-3 liter




Posted 34 days ago.
Edited 34 days ago by ingoogni

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