Poochops GF Brewday #10 Rochefort 10 clone

[PhilM]

Fascinating reading. Thanks guys for sharing your thoughts and ideas in this way, it’s really appreciated and inspiring. I can’t stop reading this forum.

 

[Poochops]

Last post was in August 18 but I tried another late October 18 and it still was a bit raw and alcoholic TBH. This thread decided me to try another :-https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/hot-alcohol-flavours.80854/
which I'm half way down quaffing just now.
So it's been in the bottle about 58 weeks and you know what? it's ok, it's not getting poured! It tastes of alcohol in the background but not fuselly as such any more. It's incredibly rich, very full bodied, caramel, stone fruit, Christmas pudding and a bit of brandy on top! I'm certain in 3 months and 6 that it'll continue to improve which is a good job because there's about 60 bottles left, but I wouldn't be ashamed to serve this now by any means.
It was bottled at 1.020 with 140g of sugar for 2.5 volume of co2 and amazingly it hasn't overcarbed at all despite adding fresh yeast at bottling, it's got great carbonation for the style and the head is lingering nicely. I'm not sure if I'd brew as big again, I managed the temperature within the yeasts range carefully so I'm miffed it's taken so long to condition out, but I'm in no rush, it'll store for much longer so I'll ride this till it peaks.

 

[mitchmalt]

Great thread, just come across it so I’ve had the whole story in one go! I made a tripel today, so really interesting to see how your beers changed so much over time. Mine will be 9.5 - 10 % depending on FG so I’m thinking I’ll need to be patient. Thanks for sharing

 

[MagnusTS]

Thanks for posting updates about this brew.
I love Rochefort-10 and have seen a few different recipes online.
(Have you seen the recipe on the CandiSyrup.inc website?)

I tried doing a quad last year after reading this thread.
But I ended up doing the Belgian Quad from James Morton's book.
I scaled it down and just did a 5L stove top version.
It all went ok, despite no temperature control.

The brew didn't turn out as dark as I was expecting, and some of the bottles weren't carbonated. Maybe because I didn't add fresh yeast at bottling? It tastes OK. Quite nice really. Definitely doesn't feel like I'm drinking a 10%+ beer. But it IS strong: I fell up the stairs after having a 330ml bottle last night!

But it is definitely nowhere near the complexity and smoothness of a Rochefort-10. I guess I'm kidding myself if I think I can get anywhere near that though.

I'm going to have a re-read of your thread and have a think about what to change next time I brew this.

 

[uDicko]

.
But I ended up doing the Belgian Quad from James Morton's book.
I scaled it down and just did a 5L stove top version.

The brew didn't turn out as dark as I was expecting,...

I did exactly the same. Its not dark. Submitted to the Feb dark competition so will hopefully get some feedback

 

[MagnusTS]

I didn't think it was clear in Morton's recipe wether to use candy sugar crystals or syrup. I used syrup.
My quad feeds a bit thin, and absolutely no head, even with the carbed bottles.

 

[uDicko]

I used crystals, forced carbonation. Tricky part is getting it from the keg to bottle with limited kit and retaining carbonation

 

[Poochops]

It was the recipe out of candisyrup.com @MagnusTS but I made my own syrup and added a bit of cold steeped carafa III late on cos it wasn't dark enough in the kettle, I went a bit too dark in the end!
It does have a very complex flavour but it's not like rochefort 10 TBH and it's just plain weird where the fusels came from as they werent there as it was finishing but hey ho, they're gone now. I can't think what I'd change to avoid, nothing really stands out as a cause.
I'm done with double figure brews now I think, I enjoy RIS around 8% and I want to work on these plus some stronger saisons for the summer as well as doing more normal strength brewing for the weekends, there's plenty of empties in the garage

 

[MagnusTS]

Thanks @Poochops, I might have one more go at a quad this summer. I'll use your modified Candisyrup Rochefort-10 recipe, and add some carafa iii steepings if it is looking too pale. Plus extra yeast at bottling for carbonation?