So I think most of this recipe relies on yeast and yeast health to be in style.
The yeast I chose this time is Wyeast 3787, Trappist Style High Gravity. Which is supposed to be the yeast used by Westmalle..
This recipe falls outside of the color guidelines for a Trappist Single because of the addition of the specialty malt. However I wanted to amplify the malt a bit and Special B fit the bill. The hops Wakatu (Hallertau Aroma) fall outside the terroir of Belgium but show promise with “restrained floral notes and freshly zested lime”.
4 Lbs Belgian Pilsner malt
3 Lbs German Pilsner malt
1 Lb White Wheat malt
4 oz Special B malt
8 oz Table Sugar (slightly caramelized)
.5 oz Wakatu (Hallertau Aroma) 60 min
1 oz Wakatu (Hallertau Aroma) 15 min
1 oz Wakatu (Hallertau Aroma) 10 min
1 oz French Strisslespalt Steep 20 min at 170F
I did a BIAB stepped mash aiming for 120-140-155 (with 30 min in between). Because this was my first stepped mash with my BIAB I over shot and ended at 130-140-160. I got sleepy and went to bed and in the morning drained and sparged with 1 gallon at 170F. My Beersmith calculations intended to put me at 1.048 and I ended up at 1.051 OG.
I successfully smacked my smack pack (which I’m bad at) and actually followed the directions on the Wyeast pack as closely as I could (which I don’t usually do).
I pitched the 3787 yeast at 77F. 8 hours later I had krausen. 20 hours later a SG of 1.045 at 64F (via Tilt)
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Somewhat similar to the Belgian IPA I did a few days ago. I found 3787 to take off pretty quickly
Mine is a bit more outside the style since I could not get ahold of any Belgian malt. Also did not do a step mash. I think your temps will work out fine. Was that manual step mash or do you have temp control?
It was manual. My thermometer has a temperature alarm that I relied on. My BIAB rested on a false bottom and trapped a hot pocket. So when the alarm went off and I stirred that much hotter mass boosted the temp.
I get a little concerned with water ratios when doing it manually. I assume you have to start thicker and work toward your desired ratio with the boil additions.
I used the process a couple of times with a Pils and a Vienna lager. They both came out pretty well.
I put in my full volume in right from the get go… Knowing what the grain, trub, boil off and equipment loss is… It’s accounted for… Sneezles61
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I do the same. I start at 5 gallons, add a gallon for sparge, boil off a gallon and then add whatever is lost to hop absorption at the end to bring it back to volume.
A smidge over a week later and the 3787 has taken this down to 1.009
I read that 3787 can get stuck easily. Especially if reaching a higher temp and then getting cooler. I started mine at 62 for a few days, then around 66 and now at 75 to get more esters. Have not taken a gravity reading yet because it is in a bucket and don’t want to introduce oxygen yet. Besides, there was a lot of yeast that had not flocculated yet.
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This (the recipe above) has turned into one of my tastiest brews of the year. The hops, malt and yeast really balanced out well.
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Looks great. My IPA also came out very well with that yeast. Tremendous flavors and great overall balance.
Nice glass. From the Homebrew Shop of the Year.
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