Belgian Brune Dream

Belgian Strong Ale

This is a 2004 BJCP style 18e beer.

Recipe: Belgian Dark Strong Ale
Volume: 5 gallons
Dates:

Brew date: Mar 17, 2007
Transfer to secondary: Mar 31, 2007
Kegging: Apr 14, 2007

Ingredients:

Water source: basement utility sink filtered dispenser
Yeast: WLP500 Belgian Trappist
Pitched on yeast bed from Transverse Colon Tripel

Grain bill

	Potential sg pppg	Points per gal
12.5 lbs Pale Malt 2.0 lbs Vienna Malt 1 lb Munich Malt 1 lb Caramunich Malt 0.75 lb Carapils Malt 0.25 lbs Biscuit Malt 0.1 oz Chocolate Malt 1 lb Corn Sugar	1.037 1.035 1.035 1.034 1.034 1.035 1.030 1.046	462.5 70.0 35.0 34.0 25.5 8.8 0.2 46.0
18.5 lbs Total	Ideal: Pre-boil: Target:	682.0 682.0 682.0	/ 5 gal = 136.4 >>> 1.136 * 70%/ 6 gal = 79.6 >>> 1.080 * 70%/ 5 gal = 95.5 >>> 1.096

Hops

2.5 oz Hallertauer - 4.2% avg alpha Utilization: 60 minutes @ 1.080 = 17.6%	*IBU = 2.5 3.2 * 17.6 * 0.75 / 5 = 21.1**
0.75 oz Hallertauer - 3.2% avg alpha Utilization: 10 minutes @ 1.080 = 6.4%	*IBU = 0.75 3.2 * 6.4 * 0.75 / 5 = 2.3**
0.75 oz Hallertauer - 3.2% avg alpha Utilization: 3 minutes @ 1.080 = 2.1%	*IBU = 0.75 3.2 * 2.1 * 0.75 / 5 = 0.8**
	Total IBU = 24.2

Activity Log

Mash/Lauter/Sparge:

Heated 5 gallons of water to 168f in 7 gallon mash tun with bazooka T-screen. Stirred in grain and achieved 152f. Rested for 60 minutes. Heated to mash out at 170f. Opened spigot 30 degrees and recycled until relatively clear. Sparged with 168f water. Captured 6.5 gallons into 10 gallon polarware pot with false bottom.

Boil:

Brought to a boil and added corn sugar and boiled through hot break. Skimmed hot break off with perforated pie tin. Boiled for 30 minutes then added first hops. Boiled for 50 minutes then added second hops. Boiled for 7 minutes then added third hops. Boiled for 3 minutes and removed from heat. Cooled with counterflow chiller into carboy. Took specific gravity reading of 1.088. Rocked on folded towel to aerate and mix yeast bed. Fitted with stopper and airlock and placed at 75f.

Fermentation

Observations of primary stage (14 days @ 75 f)
(target final gravity = 1.020)

18 hours: 1 1/4 inches of foam, 100 bubbles per second
28 hours: 3/4 inch of foam, 60 bubbles per second
60 hours: 1/2 inch of foam, 40 bubbles per second
3 days: 1/4 inch of foam, 33 bubbles per second

Transferred to 5 gallon carboy. Captured 2 liter bottle and placed under 30 lbs/sq in CO2. Took specific gravity reading of 1.019.
Observations of secondary stage (14 days)

No countable bubbling but beer clarified significantly.

Bottling:

Siphoned beer to 5 gallon corny keg, put under 30 lbs/sq in CO2 pressure for 2 days to force carbonate and then put on tap.

See Belgian Brune Dream labels here.

Results:

This beer won third place in the Strong Belgian Ale category at the 2007 Dayton Beerfest in Dayton, OH.
This beer won third place in the Strong Belgian Ale category at the 2007 MUGZ Land of the Muddy Waters in Rock Island, IL.