Thoughts on this biere de garde recipe?

I learned a long time ago that if I am entering a beer into a comp that was thrown together from stuff I have on hand it either does well, or terrible. So there ya go.

 

3711 Will be too phenolic for a BdG. You are also missing the hops from the whirlpool on the recipe sheet, and I'm not sure layering .5oz of hops over the last 15 minutes will add anything to the recipe that adding them all at 15 wouldn't accomplish. I would get a different yeast, even a standard Lager yeast and ferment it a little warmer (high 50s/low60s). Also, with that amount of sugar contribution I would expect it to be a little dryer than 1.009.

 

Looks like it should make a tasty beer to me. Yeah, 3711 wouldn't be my first choice, but if you keep fermentation temps on the low side (reduce spiciness) should be solid.

Here is a recipe for a Rye Biere de Garde I did a while back. It turned out pretty solid. It had a nice mix of a bready/biscuit and subtle spicey flavor.

8 lbs Golden Promise
4 lb Munich malt 10L
1 lb Biscuit malt
1 lb Flaked Rye
.5 lb CaraRye

1 oz Mt. Hood @60
1 oz Mt. Hood @10

WY 3725PC
Lagered for 4 weeks
OG: 1.066, FG: 1.002, IBU: 26

 

I have brewed a bdg with a saison yeatst and it turned out amazing. the yeast I used was very earthy though. not sure if 3711 is or not. either way, I would mash slightly lower than 156, more like 152, to dry it out even more. I would take out the saaz and add another ounce of spalt to the whirpool for more earth character. otherwise, you should be good. maybe not an exact bdg, but close enough

 

If your goal is to brew a Biere de Garde to style and the only choice you have for yeast is US-05 vs. 3711, then US-05 would be the 'better' of the two.

A Biere de Garde is not supposed to have a 'Belgiany' character like Abbey Ales, Saisons, etc.

Cheers!

 

style guidelines say " Related to the Belgian Saison style, the main difference is that the Bière de Garde is rounder, richer, sweeter, malt-focused, often has a 'cellar' character, and lacks the spicing and tartness of a Saison." This sounds like it has a somewhat Belgian-ness to it. just ferment as low as possible to stop the saison esters from coming through.

 

It is not just esters that you need to be concerned about here, it is the production of phenols (spicy type flavors) as well. Do you have technical information which states that fermenting cooler will suppress phenols?

Cheers!

 

Or go with a blend of the S05 and 3711 to restrain some of the typical high Belgian character.

 

you are correct that the phenols will be there still, but I also havent used this yeast, so I am not sure what flavors come through with it. just wanted to state that bdg is closer to saison than one might think.

 

Perhaps I can be of assistance here. I have brewed a number of Saisons using 3711. All of those beers had a BIG phenol presence with just a hint of citrus/fruit (esters).

I do not share that viewpoint. Every "bdg" that I ever drank had very low levels of phenols and esters.

Cheers!

 

Have you had Avant Garde by Lost Abbey? it is a dry, earthy beer with a decent amount of phenols and esters. I have only had a few of this style, so I am clearly no expert, but I remember that one specifically reminding me of a saison.

 

I have seen people 'speculate' that phenols are suppressed by cooler fermentations. I have seen people 'speculate' that phenols are suppressed by warmer fermentations. I have seen people 'speculate' that...

I have not seen any scientific papers which address this topic.

I 'speculate' that it would be challenging to have just one 'rule' here since I would guess that it would be yeast strain specific.

Cheers!

 

@ghostinthemachine I think the moral of this story is to use the correct yeast for the style. I can venmo you $7 for it, if you like.

 

No, I have not. I have had a half dozen "bdg" beers and every one of those beers had a "earthy" quality to them and basically imperceptible phenols/esters.

I would not be surprised that some commercial brewers use Abbey/Saison strains to ferment their "bdg" beers since that style is considered to be a "Farmhouse Ale" and Saisons are considered to be "Farmhouse Ales".

Cheers!

 

Using 3711?

Cheers!