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2/4/2021
Updating recipe.
yeast : The original 1214 pouch did not show any swelling, pitched anyway, still no activity 48 hours later. emergency pitched reused 3787 from fridge mightve been 18 months old tbh. fermentation took off and fermented to low 1005 FG making this 7.2%
hops: i couldnt get tradition so i settled for mittelfruh.
taste test / comparison with hardywood : color is nearly identical, even the carbonation level is pretty similar, and the murkiness. i was hoping mine to clear out a little but it is the same vaguely medium clarity as singel. the aroma is very similar, although singel has more of a tart bright lemoney and faint woodey smell. i suspect that must be from finishing hops. i thought mine might be too belgianey yeastey but its not really any "louder" than singel. need to find some belgian appropriate noble hops for flavoring and amp it up a bit and we may be in business.
i think what we are looking for here is saaz hops. they are supposed to be citrus spicy and woody. i think those will be spot on for the next brew.
also singel has more head and retention. could add some carafoam or carapils for that.
i think theres some coriander in this singel too. idk. i wouldnt want to take mine there but we could dial up the fermentation temperature to see if it maybe comes off from the yeast.
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1/13/21
Brew Day
Measured 1060 OG on 5 gallons in fermentor for 75g efficiency.
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11/27/2020
taking some notes from mad fermentationalist https://www.themadfermentationist.com/2011/07/belgian-single-recipe-with-brett.html
adding acid malt for pH. probably should start with distilled and adjust eek still could. changing to hallertau german tradition. changing to 1214. should be ok to use later in tripel or golden strong?
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6/3/2020 brew day
Removed 0.5 dextrine carapils bc dont have it on hand. Still rolling with it at 6.2%. downgrade eff to 65....update : OG 1061 so actual eff 67%
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5.7.2020
Removing 2nd hallertau and ekg additions for simplicity. Ref https://byo.com/article/belgian-blond-style-profile/
Planning to reuse yeast for other heavier Belgian styles so I'm starting with wy 3787
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2020 belgian blonde
trying this again, after failed COTU (not a great effort). Copying recipe from that although it was only 2row. I think i might be able to get closer.
changing :
- 2row back to pilsner
- reducing pilsner a little to land around 6.5%
- reducing efficiency from 72 to 69
- changing T-58 back to WY1214 (originally used with trustmonkey)
- this time be sure to boil 90 minutes (trustmonkey was only 60)
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COTU belgian blonde
update jan 2019
Update they probably meant the wort was 1055 preboil. After brew day the OG was 1065 so in taking a little of the cane sugar out of the recipe (haven't added it yet)
copied from 2016 trustmonkey recipe. that batch turned out bad but im blaming the yeast / fermentation on it. will be getting mystery wort from center of the universe for a contest. the brewery says it will be 100% 2 row at 14 plato which is 1057 so this recipe lines up with that being that i could add the cane sugar. (i really dont want to have to add any DME). of course, this is a malty beer so i would be at the mercy of whatever malt bill they use for most of the flavor. might be fun to do it this way instead of covering it up with hops etc.
also im changing out the WY1214 for Safale T-58 to coincide with another ongoing experiment....should be fine...
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copied from 2015's blinde recipe. came out with 5 gallons exactly but was under on gravity - 1.044 (without the sugar), wanted to hit 1.051. By chance I have some Pilsen LME so I will add enough to add 7 pts. Wort has been chilling for one day while yeast starter....starts. Adding the LME and pitching tonight (night after brew night)
