Three A Day Tripel

Belgian Strong Ale

This is a 2004 BJCP style 18c beer.

Recipe: Belgian Tripel (based on Recipe from January/February 2005 Zymurgy)
Volume: 5 gallons
Dates:

Brew date: Apr 23, 2005
Transfer to secondary: May 7, 2005
Bottling: May 20, 2005

Ingredients:

Water source: basement utility sink filtered dispenser
Yeast: WLP500 Belgian Trappist
Pitched on yeast bed from Two A Day Dubbel

Grain bill

	Potential sg pppg	Points per gal
13.5 lbs Pilsener Malt 1 lb Aromatic Malt 1.5 lbs Corn Sugar	1.037 1.034 1.046	499.5 34.0 69.0
	Ideal: Pre-boil: Target:	602.5 602.5 602.5	/ 5 gal = 120.5 >>> 1.121 * 70%/ 6 gal = 70.3 >>> 1.070 * 70%/ 5 gal = 84.4 >>> 1.084
1 lb Corn Sugar in secondary

Hops

2 oz Hallertauer - 4.2% avg alpha Utilization: 60 minutes @ 1.070 = 19.3%	*IBU = 2 4.2 * 19.3 * 0.75 / 5 = 24.3**
0.5 oz Hallertauer - 4.2% avg alpha Utilization: 30 minutes @ 1.070 = 14.8%	*IBU = 0.5 4.2 * 14.8 * 0.75 / 5 = 4.7**
0.5 oz Saaz - 2.5% avg alpha Utilization: 15 minutes @ 1.070 = 9.6%	*IBU = 0.5 2.5 * 9.6 * 0.75 / 5 = 1.8**
	Total IBU = 31

Other

1/4 tsp Bitter Orange - 15 min
1 tsp Irish Moss (rehydrated) - 15 min 1/4 tsp zest from orange - 15 min
1/4 tsp crushed coriander - 15 min

Activity Log

Mash/Lauter/Sparge:

Heated 5 gallons of water to 168 f in 10 gallon Polarware kettle with false bottom. Mixed in grain and let stand at 152 f for 60 minutes. Added boiling water to mash out at 168 f for 10 minutes. Opened spigot 45 degrees and recycled until relatively clear. Captured 7 gallons into bucket with screen, sparging with 168 f water. Cleaned Polarware kettle and drained 7 gallons from bucket back into it.

Boil:

Brought to a boil and added corn sugar. Boiled for 30 minutes then added first hops. Boiled for 30 more minutes then added second hops. Boiled for 15 more minutes then added third hops, bitter orange, orange zest, crushed coriander and rehydrated Irish moss. Boiled for 15 more minutes then cooled by running through counterflow chiller into 6.5 gallon carboy containing yeast bed from Two A Day Dubbel taking specific gravity of 1.072 (a bit low due to 5.5 gallons instead of 5). Aerated by rocking on folded towel. Fitted stopper and airlock and placed at 72 f.

Fermentation (target final gravity = 1.020):

Observations of primary stage (14 days @ 72 f)

28 hours: 1 inch of foam, 50 bubbles per minute
By the marks on the carboy, sometime between the previous and next reading the foam reached 4 inches.
43 hours: 2 inches of foam, 168 bubbles per minute
3 days: 1/2 inch of foam, 80 bubbles per minute

Siphoned to 5 gallon carboy taking specific gravity reading of 1.014. Accidentally rocked on folded towel to mix and slightly aerate thinking it was the Headstrong Dark carboy. One day later, boiled 1 lb of corn sugar in 1.6 L of water and added to carboy. This will bring effective original specific gravity up a bit and provide a bit of dryness.
Observations of secondary stage (14 days @ 70 f)

16 days: slight foam, no bubbles
17 days: no foam, 6 bubbles per minute
18 days: foam around the top perimeter, 10 bubbles per minute
19 days: foam around the top perimeter, 10 bubbles per minute
20 days: foam around the top perimeter, 9 bubbles per minute
21 days: slight foam, 5 bubbles per minute
22 days: slight foam, 2 bubbles per minute
23 days: slight foam, 1 bubbles per minute

Bottling:

Siphoned into two 2 liter bottles until 4/5 full. Pressurized to 30 lbs/sq in of CO2 and placed in fridge. Took specific gravity reading of 1.011. Effective original gravity after sugar in secondary = 1.080 putting ABV at 9.0%. Boiled 5.1 ounces of corn sugar in 2 cups of water. Cooled and added to bottling bucket. Siphoned 4 gallons into bottling bucket. Filled and capped 40 bottles.

See Three A Day Tripel labels here.

Results:

This beer won first place in the Belgian Strong category at the 2005 BUZZ Boneyard Brew-off in Champaign, IL. It also won Best of Show in that competition.
This beer won first place in the Belgian Strong category at the 2005 Dayton Beerfest in Dayton, OH.
This beer won third place in the Belgian Strong category at the 2006 Upper Mississippi Mash-out in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area.
This beer won third place in the Great Lakes Region First Round of the 2006 National Homebrew Competition held at Emmett's in West Dundee, IL.