Dark Strong Ale Westvleteren 12 Clone

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: WLP 530
Yeast Starter: 3.8L Stirplate
Additional Yeast or Yeast Starter: Starter Seeded w/ 100 Billion Cells
Batch Size (Gallons): 5.5
Original Gravity: 1.090
Final Gravity: 1.012
IBU: 36
Boiling Time (Minutes): 90
Color: 33
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 7
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 60
Tasting Notes: Plummy, mildly malty, finishing with a rich spice and hint of candi syrup

Grist/Fermentables
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8.00 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Belgian (2.0 SRM)
7.00 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) Belgian (3.0 SRM)
2.50 lbs D-180 Candi Syrup (180.0 SRM)

Mash Steps
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Mash at 149.0 F 90 min
Fly or batch sparge 168.0 F

Boil Steps
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Boil 90 minutes
Add hops and Servomyces per schedule, (make sure to open the Servomyces cap).
Stir-in adjuncts at 10 minutes prior to flame-out, (alternatively, stir in adjuncts at flame-out)

Boil Ingredients
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1.00 oz Brewer's Gold [8.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min
1.00 oz Hallertau Mittelfrueh [5.00%] - Boil 30 minutes
1.00 oz Styrian Goldings [4.10 %] - Boil 15.0 min
1.00 Items Servomyces - Boil 5.0 mins


Yeast Ingredients
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320 Billion cells or 3200 ml stir-plate starter seeded with 1.0 vial Abbey Ale (White Labs #WLP530)
***Krausen yeast method to be added here


Clear wort boil-down notes (Optional Step):
-------------------
(Optionally) perform a separate boil-down of 1.00 gallon of vorlaufed wort into a syrup using the following steps:

1. Extract 1.0 gallon of wort at the beginning of clear runoff into a 3-5 gallon pot.
   
2. Boil the wort down until it becomes a dark mahogany brown and is bubbling with large bubbles.
   
3. Be careful NOT to burn the maltose syrup.
   
4. The result will be approximately 24-26 ounces of syrup.
   
5. Re-crash the syrup by adding wort from the ongoing main boil.
   
6. Pour the dissolved liquid back in to the main boil.
   
   
   Fermentation Pitch Notes:
   ---------------------
   Chill wort to 63-64F
   Oxygenate chilled wort to 8-10PPM by diffusing pure O2 via .05 micron diffuser for 90-120 seconds.
   Pitch decanted yeast starter, adding chilled wort to the yeast flask to clear remaining yeast as necessary.
   Ramp fermentation temp (evenly over time) from 63 - 80F over 7 days.
   
   
   Fermentation Process Notes
   ---------------------
   1/5/2012 - Primary Fermentation (7 days at 63F ending at 80.0 F)
   1/23/2012 - Secondary Fermentation (3 -10 days at 78.0 F ending at 60.0 F)
   1/26/2012 - Tertiary Fermentation (40 days at 50.0 F ending at 50.0 F)
   
   Final Aged Ale
   ---------------------
   In the end you should have a mohagany dark ale that is fragrant, malty, plummy, with a pillowy tan head and considerable Belgian lace.