Gordon Strong’s Belgian Pale Ale

Belgian Pale Ale

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.047 FG = 1.010
IBU = 25 SRM = 12 ABV = 5%

Ingredients
6 lbs. (2.7 kg) Pilsner malt
2.5 lbs. (1.1 kg) Vienna malt
8 oz. (227 g) aromatic malt
8 oz. (227 g) Caramunich® III malt or crystal malt (80 °L)
6 oz. (170 g) biscuit malt
0.4 oz. (11 g) debittered black malt
5 AAU Saaz hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
2.5 AAU Saaz hops (10 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Saaz hops (2 min.)
White Labs WLP515 (Antwerp Ale), Wyeast 3655 (Belgian Schelde Ale), Omega Yeast OYL-049 (Belgian Ale DK), or SafAle S-33 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Adjust all brewing water to a pH of 5.5 using phosphoric acid. Add 0.5 tsp. each calcium chloride and calcium sulfate to the mash.

Mash the Pilsner, Vienna, and aromatic malts at 151 °F (66 °C) for 60 minutes. Start recirculating wort. Add remaining malts and raise the temperature to 168 °F (76 °C) for 15 minutes. Sparge slowly and collect 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of wort.

Boil the wort for 90 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated in the recipe. The longer boil will help drive off the precursor compounds of dimethyl sulfide (DMS), found in Pilsner malt. You can add a kettle fining agent if you so desire.

After the boil is complete, chill the wort to 64 °F (18 °C), pitch the yeast, and ferment until terminal gravity is reached. Allow the yeast to free rise in temperature to promote full attenuation, but don’t let the temperature get above 77 °F (25 °C).

Rack the beer, prime, and bottle condition, or keg and carbonate.

Belgian Pale Ale

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.047 FG = 1.010
IBU = 25 SRM = 12 ABV = 5%

Ingredients
6 lbs. (2.7 kg) liquid pale malt extract
8 oz. (227 g) Caramunich® III malt or crystal malt (80 °L)
6 oz. (170 g) biscuit malt
0.4 oz. (11 g) debittered black malt
5 AAU Saaz hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
2.5 AAU Saaz hops (10 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Saaz hops (2 min.)
White Labs WLP515 (Antwerp Ale), Wyeast 3655 (Belgian Schelde Ale), Omega Yeast OYL-049 (Belgian Ale DK), or SafAle S-33 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
Use 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of soft or reverse osmosis (RO) water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C).

Steep the malts for 30 minutes in a mesh bag. Remove and rinse by dunking the bag several times. Turn off the heat. Add the liquid malt extract and stir thoroughly to dissolve completely. You do not want to feel any liquid extract at the bottom of the kettle when stirring with your spoon. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil. Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated.

After the boil is complete, chill the wort to 18 °C (64 °F), pitch the yeast, and ferment until terminal gravity is reached. Allow the yeast to free rise in temperature to promote full attenuation, but don’t let the temperature get above 77 °F (25 °C).

Rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and carbonate.