Fools Blonde (Brugse Zot Clone)

[LeicesterLad]

Hi All,

Its been a long time since I've last posted or even made anything, but following a visit to Bruges last week and sampling all their lovely delights it's reignited my fire :drink: so I thought I'd dust off the kit and have a bash...

Now what do you think to this, partly taken from the Halve Maan Brewery and other recipes I could find online...

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Fools Blonde (Brugse Zot Clone)

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: Belgian Dubbel
Boil Time: 90 min
Batch Size: 20.8 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 28.4 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.042
Efficiency: 75% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.058
Final Gravity: 1.010
ABV (standard): 6.3%
IBU (tinseth): 29.87
SRM (morey): 9.35

FERMENTABLES:
3 kg - German - Floor-Malted Bohemian Pilsner (60%)
0.5 kg - German - CaraBelge (10%)
0.5 kg - German - Caramel Wheat (10%)
0.5 kg - German - Wheat Malt (10%)
0.5 kg - Belgian Candi Sugar - Clear/Blond (10%)

HOPS:
40 g - Hallertau Hersbrucker, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 4, Use: Boil for 90 min, IBU: 20.37
20 g - Saaz, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 3.5, Use: Boil for 30 min, IBU: 6.4
15 g - Saaz, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 3.5, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 3.1

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
50 g - Coriander Seed, Time: 10 min, Type: Spice, Use: Boil
50 g - Orange Peel Bitter, Time: 5 min, Type: Spice, Use: Boil
10 g - Star Anise, Time: 5 min, Type: Spice, Use: Boil

YEAST:
White Labs - Belgian Ale Yeast WLP550
Starter: No
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 81.5%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Temp: 20 - 25.56 C
Fermentation Temp: 22 C


Ive placed the order with The Malt Miller and have Sat/Sun planned as a brew day fingers crossed.

 

[TheRedDarren]

Hi mate, looks good to me!
I'd maybe drop the coriander and orange to 20~30g each. And maybe halve the anise.
As they say 'if you can indentify the spice you've used too much'. I'd rely on the spice to come from the yeast which I think it will if you ferment at 22*.
Either way, let me know how it turns out please, looks good.

 

[LeicesterLad]

Thanks for the reply ..

I thought it certainly felt a lot but I borrowed the additions from another recipe, can't say I'm too familiar with adding spices to beer but looking forward in giving it a go !

LL

 

[rodabod]

First time I've heard of caramel wheat. I will have to investigate...

 

[clibit]

First time I've heard of caramel wheat. I will have to investigate...

You can get cara wheat and roasted wheat (midnight wheat in USA), I've yet to try them. I've read threads about Black IPA where people say roasted wheat is the best grain for that style. Cara or crystal wheat is sold by uk online homebrew retailers.

 

[dad_of_jon]

Thanks for the reply ..

I thought it certainly felt a lot but I borrowed the additions from another recipe, can't say I'm too familiar with adding spices to beer but looking forward in giving it a go !

LL

I drink brugse zot fairly often, not sure I picked up those spices in the blonde orange anise & coriander. Would be a nice twist for a winter beer though.

 

[LeicesterLad]

So today I got a delivery from The Malt Miller, good service it must be said, albeit a little pricey maybe. It's the Carawheat that I have and yes I have to agree dad_of_jon less is probably more on the spices. If it's anything like the Zot at the brewery I'll be a very happy man ha ha

 

[LeicesterLad]

Good day brewing all went to plan overall ... Only problem I had / have is that the final volume only came out to 19 Ltrs but the SG is 1.074 not 1.058 as wanted .. Now do I top up with cooled boiled water to the 5 gal mark hopefully bringing the SG down to somewhere near the 1.058

 

[LeicesterLad]

Where I went wrong was adding the 500g of the Belgian Candi Sugar to the boil at the end without taking the SG .. Live and learn and all that

 

[TomB]

I am a massive fan of this beer and had a go at brewing it using this recipe https://www.brewtoad.com/recipes/brugse-zot-clone it was a disaster as the brew got contaminated at some stage with a wild yeast, not the recipe's fault I know. I am determined to have another go and like the look of your recipe so would love to hear how it turns out! Tom

 

[dad_of_jon]

Good day brewing all went to plan overall ... Only problem I had / have is that the final volume only came out to 19 Ltrs but the SG is 1.074 not 1.058 as wanted .. Now do I top up with cooled boiled water to the 5 gal mark hopefully bringing the SG down to somewhere near the 1.058

You plug some figures into your recipe software as an estimate to see what effect it should have. Best not to dilute right to get the target FG in case it doesn't quite get there. Better for it to be a bit stronger than weaker imo :smile:

I'd personally add no more than a litre.

EDIT: sorry just seen the date on your last post. What did you do after?

 

[Kerby]

Hi guys, had this beer straight from the brewery in Brugges and really enjoyed it. Came across this info detailing the grain and hops used in the original, maybe someone more experienced than me can figure out the quantities etc?

http://allaboutbeer.com/review/brugse-zot/

 

[LeicesterLad]

Hey Tom

The beer is great I'll add a photo when I can, still in the FV but the WLP550 has certainly done its job down to 1.014 now and holding so I'm going to rack this weekend. Ordered 100 330ml bottles from Ampulla yesterday ready to bottle.

You get the nose of the banana and pear maybe from the Belgian yeast with that citrus from the orange peel, similar to taste with the right bitterness and hops, the colour is not bad too as I remember from drinking it in Bruges

Overall very pleased with the recipe and beeras a whole, cant wait to start drinking it over Xmas

LL

 

[LeicesterLad]

You plug some figures into your recipe software as an estimate to see what effect it should have. Best not to dilute right to get the target FG in case it doesn't quite get there. Better for it to be a bit stronger than weaker imo :smile:

I'd personally add no more than a litre.

EDIT: sorry just seen the date on your last post. What did you do after?

I added 4 Ltrs cooled boiler water to bring it down to 1.062, seems to have worked ok

 

[LeicesterLad]

Let's see if this works as it is now straight out the FV and compared to that from the Brewery

 

[TomB]

This all looks very promising!

 

[TomB]

LeicesterLad had a cheeky little taster of this yesterday (I followed your recipe to the letter) have to say it's lush! Thank you

 

[LeicesterLad]

Hi Tom,

Good to hear, I was really impressed and it gets better with time.

Cheers 🍻

 

[the_quick]

Sorry to dig up old thread, would love to brew this beer, but wonder if anyone has recipe for blonde version?

 

[the_quick]

Well, I brewed it, found online and some tweaks:

Batch size in fermenter 19L

Grain
EuroPils 3kg
Wheat malt 1kg
Candi Sugar 0.3kg
Cara Amber 0.4kg
Hops
Hallertau Mit 40g @60 min
Saaz 20g @15min
Saaz 20g @10min
Other
Orange peal 40g @5min
Coriander seeds 20g @5min

Wyeast Belgian Ardennes 3522

OG 1.049
FG 1.006
ABV~ 5.6%

2 weeks in fermenter, 2 weeks in bottle for carbonation, 4 weeks in shed at around 16 degrees maturing

It tastes really good now but I think it will improve with time, as after trying first bottle just after carbonation, it wasn't that great and I had my doubts, but now I will say it is on the track to be really good. Picie below