Big Dark Belgian Strong Ale or The Xmas Magic Potion
December 2018
For family and friends
15g batch
Calculated Stats-
- OG 1.095 +/-.005
- FG 1.022
- 25 IBU
- 42 SRM
- 9% ABV
Grain Bill- 43# total
- 25# Pilsner BE
- 5# Maris Otter UK
- 5# Wheat DE
- 5# Munich DE
- 2# Special B BE
- 1# Roasted Barley UK
Boil Adjuncts- 5# sugar
- 2# Corn Sugar
- 1# Candi Syrup 180
- 1# Dark Rock Candi
- 1# Honey
Hop Bill-
- 6oz Hallertau DE 60′
- 1oz EKG 30′
Yeast- Wyeast 1581 PC Belgian Stout
Brew Schedule-
- Strike 12g @ 165F
- Mash in @ 155F (do not mash dark grains yet)
- Hold 155F 60′
- Bump 3g boiling water, 30′
- Mash in roasted barley and Special B, bump 2g boiling water, hold 30′
- Lauter
- Sparge 5g
- Boil and add corn sugar, candi syrup, rock sugar
- Brew Day-
- Strike 165-170F
- Mashed in 150F a little low @12:45pm
- 1:45pm added 3g boiling water bumped to 151F
OG = 1.082 (that’s disappointing)
Fermentation
Two weeks after brewing gravity checks 1.013. Stellar! The sample is sweet, sugary, warm, delicious. It’s got some floaters of hop bits and trub but it’s otherwise clear. A beautiful red brown. Only 10g though. I’ll secondary in two carboys.
Also I washed the yeast and plan to use it in the lower gravity Abbey Ale I’m working on.
PS Washing the yeast was a bust. Tried starting it a week later and it wouldn’t bubble.
Racked to tertiary 5 weeks after brewing. Beer is clearing beautify.
Packaging
After letting this beer age in carboys all year, I bottled most of it on November 5, 2019. The sample was excellent, very different than the Witches Brew, but complex, heavy, smooth, and a beautiful dark black ruby color. I blended the two carboys I had and added a double dose of bottling sugar (roughly a cup and a half of corn sugar dissolved id boiling water). I also started some Wyeast Abbey Ale II the night before in a couple of cups of malt extract. The Witches Brew was flat due to lack of live yeast, so this yeast addition should hopefully fix that.
I also have 2 gallons of magic potion to keg for the benefit we’re doing for Kristin’s South City program.
I’m very happy with this beer at this point. A well carbonated version should create the magic desired this Christmas.
