Leffe Radieuse Clone

[Agentgonzo]

Mine free rises by about 3-4 degrees during the first 36 hours of high OG wort

 

[UKSkydiver]

Anyway, let us know how it turns out! This beer likes to age (at least 2 months, but it seems to get better all the way up to about 4-6 months).

This has been in a corny for about a month now and I was minded to ask..... what temperature should one 'age' / condition?

 

[Agentgonzo]

This has been in a corny for about a month now and I was minded to ask..... what temperature should one 'age' / condition?

I found that it was best aged at least a month, and got marginally better seen aged 3-6 months. I can't say I noticed it getting better after that. The original recipe/thread said to age for at least 5 months. My latest batch will be aged for at least 6 months before I open it up

As for temperature, I kept it warm (inside the house) for the first 3 weeks in the bottle. Probably 21-23 degrees as you'll still get some fermentation character from the yeast. After that, I would say keep it at cellar temperatures, but I'm just guessing at that point because the only option I have is to keep it in the garage

 

[UKSkydiver]

This is good news..... I had it for a week / 10 days at ambient garage temps, which was actually pretty warm, and then its been at 10c in the fridge since then - so that's pretty much as you suggest. Thank you.

 

[Agentgonzo]

This is the original thread that I got the recipe from
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/leffe-radieuse-clone.290380/

 

[UKSkydiver]

I'm getting through this, although still have a fair few litres left which with any luck will last through til Christmas as the father-in-law will be over and he likes a beer.

I dont know why, but the keg beer tastes nicer than the bottled version. The only difference being it had priming sugar and two weeks at room temp to carbonate. These are a little harsher - they have a bit of alcohol heat.

Distinct flavours of caramel / toffee on both - not very belgian-y. But I've never had a Radieuse, so I don't really know what it's supposed to taste like.

@Agentgonzo I would be willing to do a swap in lieu of you getting your brew on whenever

 

[Agentgonzo]

@Agentgonzo I would be willing to do a swap in lieu of you getting your brew on whenever

Having seen loads of posts about glass being broken, I only send out plastics.

I don't have any left in plastic and my stocks are quite low. But I might do another brew early in the year, so will be happy to send one out to you then.

Happy to accept a bottle and give feedback at any point!

 

[Jordang]

@Agentgonzo Hey! I was looking at this as I love a Leffe…. Which caramunich are you settled on please I, II or III?

 

[Agentgonzo]

I've used type III. 140-160 EBC.

 

[Jordang]

I've used type III. 140-160 EBC.

Excellent as I have that in stock! Thanks…. I’ll post once it’s done

 

[UKSkydiver]

Having seen loads of posts about glass being broken, I only send out plastics.

I don't have any left in plastic and my stocks are quite low. But I might do another brew early in the year, so will be happy to send one out to you then.

Happy to accept a bottle and give feedback at any point!

@Agentgonzo
I think there is enough left after Xmas and the father in law, so if you PM me your addr I will get a bottle to you.
Cheers

 

[Jordang]

I finally got round to brewing this to be ready for Christmas …. Came out at 9.2% . Tastes phenomenal at kegging so can’t wait

 

[Agentgonzo]

I finally got round to brewing this to be ready for Christmas …. Came out at 9.2% . Tastes phenomenal at kegging so can’t wait

I've brewed a few versions of this over the years. I tried a few removing some/all of the sucrose in an attempt to reduce the ABV a bit, thinking the alcohol wouldn't impact the flavour much. I was wrong... the 7% and 6.5% versions didn't taste anywhere near the same as the ones that came out in the 8.2%. Even though the alcohol itself probably doesn't contribute to the flavour much, the flavour changed a lot - presumably the yeast fighting against the higher alcohol levels producing a lot more phenols etc. My latest version was brewed in April ready for winter/Christmas. I've found that it tasted amazing out of the fermenter on bottling day, then 2 weeks later once it had carbed up, but really came into its own after conditioning for 3 months. Your Christmas period should be ideal for it!

 

[An Ankoù]

I finally got round to brewing this to be ready for Christmas …. Came out at 9.2% . Tastes phenomenal at kegging so can’t wait

There are three or four recipes on this thread. Which one did you use? I fancy having a go myself/

 

[Appleton Brews]

I fancy making this as I have made the Blonde and Brown versions. For yeast I could use with the following attenuation
Flushed Nun 75%
CML Belgian 80%
MJ M31 85%
Which one would be recommended?
Thanks

 

[Jordang]

I've brewed a few versions of this over the years. I tried a few removing some/all of the sucrose in an attempt to reduce the ABV a bit, thinking the alcohol wouldn't impact the flavour much. I was wrong... the 7% and 6.5% versions didn't taste anywhere near the same as the ones that came out in the 8.2%. Even though the alcohol itself probably doesn't contribute to the flavour much, the flavour changed a lot - presumably the yeast fighting against the higher alcohol levels producing a lot more phenols etc. My latest version was brewed in April ready for winter/Christmas. I've found that it tasted amazing out of the fermenter on bottling day, then 2 weeks later once it had carbed up, but really came into its own after conditioning for 3 months. Your Christmas period should be ideal for it!

That’s great to hear… I was a bit worried it would just be drowned out by the alcohol but it’s got really robust flavours so I think it will hold up well. Can’t wait as I’ve got a Leffe Brün conditioning too!

 

[Jordang]

There are three or four recipes on this thread. Which one did you use? I fancy having a go myself/

Thank you @samale for judging! Well done everyone!

Mine was a clone of Leffe Radieuse which is one of our favourite Belgian ales.
View attachment 72639

I'd love to say that it was my recipe, but it's not. Full credit goes to the OP of this thread for the recipe.
My recipe is attached if you don't want to trawl through that thread. Belgian candi sugar was home-made by caramelising sucrose/water mixture with a pinch of citric acid until it 'looked about right' (dark brown/90L I think). Carbonation was at 21 degrees for 3 weeks, then conditioned in the garage at variable temperatures over winter/spring/summer.

Vital stats:

• OG 1.082
• FG 1.021
• ABV: 8.0%
• EBC: 40
• IBU: 20
• Fermented for 21 days.
• Conditioned for at least 6 months. This was actually brewed in September last year, so the bottle that Samale got had conditioned for 10 months.

No water chemistry. My water profile (taken from Bournemouth water report) is:

pH	Ca2+	Mg2+	CaCO3	SO4-	Cl-	Na+
7.64	23	15	274	21	21	10

It's definitely one of the top 3 beers I've ever brewed. Straight out of the fermenter, it was bursting with flavour, and only got better over the next 4 months of conditioning.

I used Agentgonzos as above.

 

[Agentgonzo]

I fancy making this as I have made the Blonde and Brown versions. For yeast I could use with the following attenuation
Flushed Nun 75%
CML Belgian 80%
MJ M31 85%
Which one would be recommended?
Thanks

I've brewed this with MJ47. But I think the original recipe was with the westmalle strain.

I would have thought any of the above 3 would work well... Maybe M31 for the higher attenuation

 

[Appleton Brews]

Thanks Gonzo