High ABV Belgian Tripel, how high is too high?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by Beerswimmer, Jun 18, 2014.

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  1. Beerswimmer

    Beerswimmer Initiate (0) Mar 4, 2013 Texas

    I bought too much grain for my wheat tripel. I like to use 20% sugar in my Belgians and now my estimated OG will be 1.1 something. I'm looking at a well over 10%abv, I think it might be a bit much! What do you guys say?? Leave it the way it is and have a helluva beer for New Years, or try to cut back to a "reasonable" 8-9%abv?

    6gals
    8lbs pils 40%
    8lbs white wheat 40%
    4lbs sugar 20% <----- I could easily lower this, but I'm sure if I should.

    I will be using Wyeast 3787, Westmalle yeast that should be able to eat all the sugar without too much trouble.
     
    #1 Beerswimmer, Jun 18, 2014
  2. slusk

    slusk Initiate (0) Sep 28, 2009 Virginia

    BJCP says 9.5% for a triple, I'd say your in the neighborhood. A wise man once said, Brewing is not a game of targets but "being in the ballpark" Do it!

    PS: Big starter... and I'd boil that bad boy for a minimum of 90 minutes, better 120, IMHO.
     
    #2 slusk, Jun 18, 2014
  3. Beerswimmer

    Beerswimmer Initiate (0) Mar 4, 2013 Texas

    Yeah, or I could add some darker grains in there and candi my sugar and call it a BSD:slight_smile:
     
    #3 Beerswimmer, Jun 18, 2014
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  4. billandsuz

    billandsuz Pooh-Bah (2,097) Sep 1, 2004 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    if 10% is your worry, I am not sure 9% is your answer.

    go for it. as long as you can establish a very large and healthy starter, plenty of O along with reasonable fermentation temperature control then 10% is well within reason.

    now, if this works out to be a quality tripel is a whole other story. it may well be 10%, but of what is still uncertain.

    make your 10% brew. everyone does it sometime. why wait?
    Cheers.
     
    #4 billandsuz, Jun 18, 2014
  5. slusk

    slusk Initiate (0) Sep 28, 2009 Virginia

    I'm thinking a 'balls-to-the-walls-badass-Belgian'. The triple B.
     
    #5 slusk, Jun 18, 2014
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  6. Beerswimmer

    Beerswimmer Initiate (0) Mar 4, 2013 Texas

    Doing my mental math, poorly, I'm guessing 10.5% if it finishes below 1.03. I have O2, and controlled temps. I'll be using about a 2.5L starter, too small? I'm thinking just a tad of a modification to the Westmalle temp schedule for this. Start at 67F ambient and go up a degree everyday but not stop until I hit 78F ambient to really try and get all the fementables eaten up. I want to avoid fusels, but get all the fruity esters that I love.
     
    #6 Beerswimmer, Jun 18, 2014
  7. FATC1TY

    FATC1TY Pooh-Bah (2,564) Feb 12, 2012 Georgia
    Pooh-Bah

    If you want to avoid the fusels, I'd suggest keeping it at the lowest end for roughly 3-5 days and then allowing it to warm.

    But to each your own. I've found that while strain dependent, keeping fusels down is #1 in a beer over 7.5-8% and to do so, is to ferment it cool and pitch WELL.
     
    #7 FATC1TY, Jun 18, 2014
  8. Beerswimmer

    Beerswimmer Initiate (0) Mar 4, 2013 Texas

    Agreed! So I'll start at 65F for 3-5 days, then bump it up a degree until no change in FG for a few days. I really enjoy the fruity esters, so I do want to finish up in the mid 70's.
     
    #8 Beerswimmer, Jun 18, 2014
  9. ventura78

    ventura78 Pundit (972) Nov 22, 2003 Massachusetts

    I would go for the big new years beer. For my first all grain the guy at the homebrew shop dialed me up a recipe for a Karmeliet triple clone that came in at over 12%. He thought I wouldn't hit the intended OG., so he had me using a lot of base malt. ( I did hit it plus a bit more ) Not that is your first all grain, but a big Triple is nice around the holidays.
     
    #9 ventura78, Jun 18, 2014
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