#1 Belgian Pale Ale

Since beginning to homebrew, I've been looking for an interesting way to both document and connect with the greater homebrewing community; a blog seemed like the most logical choice. Although I'm far from 'expert homebrewer' status after only two and a half years, I think I can offer a unique perspective of a homebrewer's knowledge in flux... I feel like I'm learning new things about brewing from multiple sources every day (not that even the most experienced brewers don't, but still...). Documentation of my learning process will aid me as I get more and more carried away with the hobby of homebrewing, and I hope that it can provide others with insight as well, whether you're a beginner troubleshooting your own brew or a seasoned brewer looking to reminisce and shake your head at the mistakes you used to make when brewing beer.

Double India Black Ale (Sublimely Self-Righteous clone)

For the next five weekends, the plan is to brew within Belgian and German style guidelines. I've been trying to get around to brewing both a Belgian Dubbel and a German Kolsch for a while now. Picked up Wyeast's 2565 Kolsch Ale yeast and I had yet to try White Labs, so chose to go with their WLP530 Abbey Ale yeast for the Belgians. After having great results with repitching yeast from previous batches I figured I'd stretch them out over the next few weeks.

To get a yeast cake large enough to ferment the Dubbel I have planned, I thought I'd start with a Belgian session beer. I adapted the recipe from The Naked Pint by Christina Perozzi & Hallie Beaune by swapping out some of the specialty malts and hops.

Evil Monk Belgian Pale Ale

Batch Volume (Gal): 5.00     

Pre-Boil Volume (Gal): 6.33

Total Grain (Lbs): 9.00

OG: 1.048     Anticipated FG: ~1.008 - 1.012     Anticipated ABV: ~ 5%     

IBUs: 25.3

SRM: 7.1

Brewhouse Efficiency: 71%

Boil Duration: 75 min

Grain                   (Lbs)           (%)

Pilsner                    8               88.9

CaraFoam            0.25             2.8

CaraMunich         0.25             2.8

Aromatic Malt      0.25             2.8

Biscuit Malt          0.25             2.8

Hops                    (AA%)          (IBU)          (Oz.)          (Boil [min])

Styrian Goldings    4.6                17             0.75                  60

Czech Saaz            3.9                4.3            0.25                  45

Czech Saaz            3.9                2.4            0.25                  30

Styrian Goldings    4.6                1.5            0.25                  15

Czech Saaz            3.9                 0.0           0.50                   0

Yeast
WLP530 Abbey Ale Yeast (pitched directly from vial)


Water
1 tsp Calcium Chloride (75 min)
2 tsp Calcium Sulfate    (75 min)
1 tsp Irish Moss             (10 min)
1/2 tsp yeast nutrient      (10 min)

I mashed this beer using a single infusion, aiming for anything between 150 - 152 F. With 1 TBL of 5.2 pH buffer added to my strike water, I hit 152 F at the start of the mash which fell to 150 F at the end of 60 minutes. 

I sparged with the standard 1.5 times the amount of strike water used in the mash and yet ended up coming up short at the end of the sparge. I've come close in my past few brews, but to come one and a third gallons short of my typical pre-boil volume was a bit confusing. Must have lost more water than I had expected due to grain absorption. I ended up running a small batch sparge after the initial fly sparge to hit my 6.33 gallon pre-boil volume. Luckily still came at 71% efficiency; not the 75% I typically hit once I reach 6.33 gallons, but close enough.

After hitting a gravity of 1.048 (original target was 1.050) I added my CaCl and CaSO4 salts and started to heat the wort up to a boil. While boiling, I scraped off the thin layer of coagulated protein left on the top of the mash after my mini batch sparge. I saved 7 cups of spent grain that should make about 6 loaves of spent grain bread (if I can get myself to bake all of it). 

Of course it's with the first brew of a new blog that I make the absent-minded mistake to leave the plastic tubing of my immersion chiller too close to the legs of my propane burner, melting a sizable hole along the tube delivering water to the chiller. It was only after strike out, turning on the water to the chiller, and seeing a steady stream of water coming from the chiller tubing that I realized my stupid mistake. That'll be an interesting fix... Luckily I didn't have to rely solely on my chiller to cool my wort post-boil. What little snow we have here in NH was key in helping to chill the outside of the kettle.

All 5 gallons of the post-boil wort was chilled to around 60 F (usually chill to 70 F but trying to cut down on the protein haze). Aerated the wort with an aquarium pump for 30 minutes, pitched WLP 530 straight from the vial after a good shake, and currently waiting for signs of activity about 4 hours later. I've heard encouraging accounts of WLP 530, so I'm hoping it'll dry out this beer quickly and leave behind a nice big yeast cake ready to ferment next weekend's planned Dubbel and a great batch of Belgian Pale Ale.

After finishing up with the brew, it was a nice surprise to receive some great beer gifts. More and more I'm finding that the go-to gift for myself from family members is beer or something beer related. Definitely not complaining... Thanks to Aunt Lisa and Suzanne for the great beer trays, hilarious beer t-shirt, and gift-certificate to Barb's Beer Emporium in Concord, NH!