Beer Forum

So, is there such a thing as a session strength Belgian ale? I'm looking for something like a Tripel, but in the neighborhood of 4-5% ABV so I can actually have a couple as a lawnmower beer.

I was thinking of a Saison, but I really don't want to deal with the annoyance that is the Saison yeast. Do you think I could just use a Belgian yeast strain on a Saison recipe?

Thanks in advance.

Belgian Pale Ale is listed as a Belgian "session ale" in the BJCP guidelines.

OG 1.048 - 1.054
FG 1.010 - 1.014
ABV 4.8% - 5.5%

HedgehogBC wrote:So, is there such a thing as a session strength Belgian ale? I'm looking for something like a Tripel, but in the neighborhood of 4-5% ABV so I can actually have a couple as a lawnmower beer.

I was thinking of a Saison, but I really don't want to deal with the annoyance that is the Saison yeast. Do you think I could just use a Belgian yeast strain on a Saison recipe?

Thanks in advance.

Isn't that what a belgian single is? I'd probably put a little more character malt in than you do with a tripel as the yeast is going to offer a little less character. I'd also decline to put in sugar

Most of the lower alcohol trappist beers I see are about 6 degrees belgian (~1.060ish).

Off the top of my head? @~75% efficiency

11# Pils
1# Munich
0.5# Carapils
Mash very dry (148 for 90 min, bring up to 155 for 15 min to finish conversion of starches)
Aim OG: 1.057 FG:1.010, ABV 6.1%

hop to about 25 BU (about same BU/GU ratio of a tripel, assuming 35/80) (2oz Saaz at 3.5%)
Noble/Golding hop for aroma 1/2oz @ 15, 5 min (Saaz 3.5%)

I think I may brew this myself....

I have been working on scaling down a couple of Belgian Strong Ales to session strength, and have a nice Belgian Blond recipe that has turned out well a couple of times now. It is based loosly on the BCS Belgian Blond recipe with some lemon zest added near the end of the boil. The last batch had an OG of 1.044 and finished at 1.007. Light, crisp and refreshing! Our first attempt at a session strength Dubbel (some might call it a Patersbier) was not even close, so I'm considering adding some Brett to it and then letting it sit for 4-6 months.

I have been brewing session/table strength belgians for my last few brews. I love them because you can have the belgian goodness and drink multiple pints while avoiding face dives. I see them referenced as single, enkel, table, pater, session, etc. In comps I have used Cat 16E with the description Trappist table beer.

One was based on CYBI Bam Biere using the wlp550, oak cubes, and dry hop but no bugs. It came out very nice, light and easy drinking ~4.5ABV.

My last blonde was again based on Bam Bier but i added some carapils used WY3522 with no oak, no dryhops ~4.5 ABV.

This last beer just won gold in Cat 16 at the Liquid Poetry Slam in CO has been picked up by New Begium for the 2010 GABF ProAm. I will be flying out to New Belgium in July to brew this on NB's 100 barrel system. Sweet!!!

I brewed this one for a party recently and it was very well recieved. Personally, next time I brew it I'm going to bump up the bitterness by about 5-10 IBUs because I find that a bit more bitterness makes things a little more refreshing to me. I will also increase the coriander. 5g wasn't enough to really notice anything I don't think.

Also note that my batch size was 7 gallons to account for trub loss in my kettle.

Belgian Single

A ProMash Recipe Report

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 7.00 Wort Size (Gal): 7.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 10.50
Anticipated OG: 1.048 Plato: 11.84
Anticipated SRM: 4.3
Anticipated IBU: 24.0
Brewhouse Efficiency: 80 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Formulas Used
-------------

Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.
Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.
Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppg
% Yield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.

Color Formula Used: Morey
Hop IBU Formula Used: Rager

Additional Utilization Used For Plug Hops: 2 %
Additional Utilization Used For Pellet Hops: 10 %


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
76.2 8.00 lbs. Pilsener Germany 1.038 2
4.8 0.50 lbs. Biscuit Malt Great Britain 1.035 35
9.5 1.00 lbs. Wheat Malt America 1.038 2
9.5 1.00 lbs. Turbinado Sugar Generic 1.046 0

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.75 oz. Czech Saaz Pellet 3.50 21.5 60 min.
1.00 oz. Czech Saaz Pellet 3.50 2.5 10 min.


Extras

Amount Name Type Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 Unit(s)Whirl-Floc Fining 15 Min.(boil)
5.00 gm Corriander Seed Spice 5 Min.(boil)


Yeast
-----

White Labs WLP530 Abbey Ale


Mash Schedule
-------------

Mash Type: Single Step

Grain Lbs: 9.50
Water Qts: 12.00 - Before Additional Infusions
Water Gal: 3.00 - Before Additional Infusions

Qts Water Per Lbs Grain: 1.26 - Before Additional Infusions

Saccharification Rest Temp : 148 Time: 60
Mash-out Rest Temp : 168 Time: 10
Sparge Temp : 170 Time: 60


Total Mash Volume Gal: 3.76 - Dough-In Infusion Only

All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.

HedgehogBC wrote:So, is there such a thing as a session strength Belgian ale? I'm looking for something like a Tripel, but in the neighborhood of 4-5% ABV so I can actually have a couple as a lawnmower beer.

I was thinking of a Saison, but I really don't want to deal with the annoyance that is the Saison yeast. Do you think I could just use a Belgian yeast strain on a Saison recipe?

Thanks in advance.

I've used essentially a Helles grain bill (1.048 OG, 95% pils, 5% Munich, 22 IBUs) and fermented with both the Duvel yeast and the Orval yeast. You could also do a mini-tripel and not use the cane sugar. Or you could do a table-strength Saison with a different yeast. Etc.

You can do anything you want with Belgian styles; there aren't any rules.

HedgehogBC wrote:I was thinking of a Saison, but I really don't want to deal with the annoyance that is the Saison yeast.

There's nothing annoying about 3711.