AG#3 Pelforth Brun/Leffe Clone

[Hobbins]

This was inspired by IPA (a member on here) who posted a recipe in this post http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=28852

I've adapted it for my 30l BIAB boiler and it comes out something like this.

OVERVIEW

Style: Belgian Brown Ale
Yeast: White Labs Belgian Yeast WLP550
Original Gravity: 1.065
Total IBU’s: 40.7
Efficiency at End of Boil: 75%
Mash Length (mins):

41C for 15mins
50c for 20 mins
64c for 60 mins
71c for 20 mins

Mash out 76c

Boil Length (mins): 90

VOLUMES/TEMPS

Vessel Volume: 30L
Water Required: 25.2L
Volume at End of Boil: 19.1L
Volume into Fermenter: 15.5L

Total Grain Bill:

GRAINS – COLOURS – PERCENTAGES AND/OR WEIGHT

Grain 1: Pale Ale Malt, Maris Otter – 5 EBC – 74.9% or 3.278Kg
Grain 2: Special B – 354.6 EBC – 10.8% or 473g
Grain 3: Wheat Malt – 60 EBC – 9.4% or 411g
Grain 4: Sainsbury's Light Soft Brown Fairtrade Sugar 4.9% or 214g

HOPS

Hop 1: Northern Brewer – 9.6AA% - 25.83g at 90 min
Hop 2: Styrian Goldings – 4.4AA% - 8.6g at 15 min

I've never done a beer with wheat in before and wanted to do a stepped mash. I adapted one of Pittsy's mash schedules and thought, rightly or wrongly, that as the wheat was malted it may benefit from a slightly longer mash at 64C. I really do need to get the insulation sorted out on by boiler as over the 60 minutes at 64C it dropped to 61C!

I also did this today as I couldn't get into work due to flooding so my yeast wasn't built up in a starter as recommended for higher gravity beers. So I drained the boiler 20 minutes after the boil had stopped and straight into the FV so it can cool down overnight and give the yeast a chance to build up a little.

I really have flown by the seat of my pants on this one so any comments are most welcome. And now for a few pictures...

The grain shot

Coming up to the boil

Pre Boil Gravity, This was way under what I expected. Slight concerns at this stage...

The end of the boil, protein was clumping up even though I didn't use an protofloc

End of boil gravity and colour, the colour was spot on, the gravity coming out at 1.062 was only 3 points under what I was after so much better than anticipated at the start of the boil.

Crud at the end. More that I thought as I didn't cool other than leaving for 20 mins before transferring to the FV and no use of protofloc.

So all in all, a decentish brewday. Unprepared and a little flying by the seat of the pants but it seems to have worked out pretty well. FV in the fermenting fridge cooling down. Going to pitch the yeast tomorrow at 18.5c and leave for three weeks in the primary and then at least a couple in secondary and the bottle and leave for at least three months.

Again if anyone has any suggestions on this timing please feel free to let me know.

Thanks to IPA for the recipe and to Pittsy for the advice during the brew :

 

[pittsy]

looks a good 1 , hope it turns out well , most likely needs around 6 plus weeks to be at its best :thumb:

 

[Hobbins]

What do you reckon to the mash schedule? I kind of made that up.

 

[tazuk]

000000000000 yes keep us updated looking forward to this brew :thumb:

 

[pittsy]

yeah good mash , i think as only 400g ish of wheat doing a protein rest etc may not be needed (lol even though i go on about how it is ) i think i would of done around 40 mins 64c then 30 mins at 71c but yours will give a great beer

 

[tazuk]

wot about yeast as its a big beer wot are you talkng about yeast when you guys have the recipy set in stone i want to give it a wirl : :thumb:

 

[zgoda]

Belgians should be dry and this one will be dry. Maybe bit too dry for my palate, but nothing wrong. If you carbonate it to some high value, like 2.7 vols co2, it will be dangerously drinkable. Real killer.

 

[Hobbins]

Would it be less dry if the mash at 64C was done at say 66C? I've a lot to learn still.

I've enough grain to repeat this again although the fermenting fridge will be occupied for quite some time now. So if its too dry them I can alter things to suit my taste. That's the only downside of brewing beer - the wait for the first decent taste!

@tazuk I'm using White Labs Belgian WLP550 yeast. I thought this may be a good starting point for a Belgian beer! I've never brewed this style so it seemed right. I think that IPA whose recipe this is used SO4 and was pleased with the results. I made a 500ml starter, before trying to pitch 18.3C, the actual temp was 17.5C, but given a hour in the fridge it'll get up to temp. I wish I had made a 1L starter as it's quite a hight OG and cool temps. I've read a slightly cooler ferment keeps a nice clean taste with this yeast. I understand it drops quite quickly and then takes a couple of weeks to finish up, so about three weeks in primary. If anyone has any experience of using this yeast please do chip in.

 

[pittsy]

yep ive used/got this yeast . i think i fermented at around 20c (was around 7 months ago) my brew had a lovely fruity taste going on and i think it was a little slow to finish , that sounds about right what you said :thumb:

 

[Hobbins]

The yeast was pitched this morning at 7.00am into the FV which is inside the new brew fridge which in turn is looked after by an STC1000.

The air lock is now bubbling and we're off. Set the STC for 18.3C with 0.5C variances either side. Interestingly I did have the probe in the beer overnight through the airlock hole. I then proceeded to drop this on the floor this morning and ended up taping it to the outside of the FV under a plastic bag filled with high end synthetic insulation. The probe read the same temp in both positions, so there it stays.

 

[tazuk]

you have same way as my fem fridge trust me its a god send :thumb:

 

[Hobbins]

Tell me about it! One thing I didn't seem to see on the forums when I started reading is the importance of being able to control fermentation temps. First two brews were easy until fermentation then trying to move buckets about the house to try and keep things the right temp. Now just push a few buttons and leave it to it. Godsend indeed!

 

[tazuk]

i never put my sensor in ale all i did was got some bubble wrap about 2-3 inch square over sensor with some tape over bubble wrap working sweet here :thumb:

wait till we get a summer and temps lol lol rise and your ale is in a fem fridge you know its right i can not fault a fermenting fridge any type of season one day if you ever make lager you know wot i mean :thumb:

Tell me about it! One thing I didn't seem to see on the forums when I started reading is the importance of being able to control fermentation temps. First two brews were easy until fermentation then trying to move buckets about the house to try and keep things the right temp. Now just push a few buttons and leave it to it. Godsend indeed!

 

[Hobbins]

Nearly three weeks in primary FV. Down to 1.012 and tasting like a proper Belgian beer. Cloves and bananas present. Still a little rough but it's no where near ready yet. Put into secondary today and left in that at 15C for a least a week then bottling. My best brew yet by far!

 

[Hobbins]

Bottling tonight. Smells just like Leffe Brune! Not had a taste yet. Just trying to find out how much sugar I need to prime the 16 Litres with. The Aussie BIAB calculator says 100g. Not sure this is enough as it should be really carbonated. Still looking...

 

[Dieseljockey]

Well done I also had a go at IPA recipe yesterday...a little disappointed with my OG...but hey ho nothing I can do about it now. Will have to wait & see.

 

[IPA]

This is my mash schedule for it.
52° 10 min
66° 60 min
73° 35 min
76° 15 min
Apologies for not including it with the recipe
IPA

 

[IPA]

This is my mash schedule for it.
52° 10 min
66° 60 min
73° 35 min
76° 15 min
It conditioned in 3 weeks
Apologies for not including it with the recipe
IPA

 

[IPA]

Bottling tonight. Smells just like Leffe Brune! Not had a taste yet. Just trying to find out how much sugar I need to prime the 16 Litres with. The Aussie BIAB calculator says 100g. Not sure this is enough as it should be really carbonated. Still looking...

I used 3.2 grms a litre and it turned out fine!
Read diesel jocky's review in tasting homebrew

 

[IPA]

Belgians should be dry and this one will be dry. Maybe bit too dry for my palate, but nothing wrong. If you carbonate it to some high value, like 2.7 vols co2, it will be dangerously drinkable. Real killer.

This is not a Belgian it's FRENCH! and it is not dry