Yeast for Belgium Tripel

Brewer #294190 · Jan 4, 2020

I am brewing a Belgium Tripel and I was told that the yeast that came with the kit (Brewers Best) cannot survive the alcohol volume which is 8-9% and that I may either need to add more yeast or get champagne yeast. Anyone have any experience with this?

Yooper · Jan 4, 2020

A great Belgian triple uses a great yeast, since this beer style is all about the yeast derived flavors. I like White Labs WLP500 for my triple.

Bubba Wade · Jan 4, 2020

If you prefer dry yeast, I have had a lot of success with the Safale BE-256. Alcohol tolerant to 11%. Nice Abbey ale flavor.

Bubba Wade · Jan 4, 2020

Yooper said:
A great Belgian triple uses a great yeast, since this beer style is all about the yeast derived flavors. I like White Labs WLP500 for my triple.

I have not tried this yeast. How does the flavor compare to the Safale BE-256?

Yooper · Jan 7, 2020

Bubba Wade said:
I have not tried this yeast. How does the flavor compare to the Safale BE-256?

I don’t know- I’ve never used a dry Belgian yeast. I’ve used several White Lab strains, and a couple of Wyeast strains.

Nosybear · Jan 7, 2020

Yooper said:
I don’t know- I’ve never used a dry Belgian yeast. I’ve used several White Lab strains, and a couple of Wyeast strains.

I've used the dry Belgian yeast and it works well. Very aggressive fermenter!

Meatwad · Jan 8, 2020

I brew A LOT of Belgian ales, primarily Tripels and Brett Singles. Not all Tripels need to be big beers. The trappist brewery's Triples around around 8-9%.

Tripel yeasts are going to use either Chimay (Imperial's B63 Monastic) or Westmalle (Imperials's B48 Triple Double).

Chimay is more phenolic and ester forward (pear, apple, banana). Leaves more body but is well-attenuated.

Westmalle is cleaner: less phenolic and moderate esters (pear, apple). Attenuation monster that you'll want A LOT of headspace for.

Use this link to find the equivalent strain from liquid yeast labs: https://www.saltcitybrewsupply.com/media/YeastComparison3.pdf

The key to a good Tripel is to start fermentation around 64F for a few days and ramp it up 1 degree very day until you're at 70-72F.

The other key is to feed it half of the simple sugars later in the boil and the other half as fermentation slows in primary. This keeps the yeast interested in maltose rather than sucrose (which they'll attack first and get full and floc out). AND ALWAYS PITCH ENOUGH YEAST! Preferably 1M/ml/degree plato.