Iechyd Da Brewing Company: Walloon Belgian Dark Strong clone

Iechyd Da Brewing Company: Walloon Belgian Dark Strong clone

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.080   FG = 1.020
IBU = 30   SRM = 34   ABV = 8.4%

This Belgian dark strong ale is brewed with dark candi syrup and dark malts to create a beautiful dark amber ale with sweet, toffee-like aromas.

Ingredients
11 lbs. (5 kg) Pilsner malt
2.25 lbs. (1 kg) aromatic malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Carabrown® malt (55 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Briess Extra Special malt (130 °L)
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) Belgian dark candi syrup (180 °L)
10 AAU Sorachi Ace hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 10% alpha acids)
White Labs WLP500 (Trappist Ale) or Wyeast 1214 (Belgian Abbey) yeast
3⁄4 cup (150 g) dextrose (if priming)

Step by Step
Mill the grains and mix with 4.6 gallons (17.3 L) of 162 °F (72 °C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 150 °F (65.5 °C). Hold this temperature for 90 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear, and lauter. Sparge the grains with 2.7 gallons (10.2 L) water at 170 °F (77 °C), stir in Belgian candi syrup until dissolved, and top up as necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredient list. After the boil, chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 65 °F (18 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast. Ferment at 66 °F (19 °C) for two days. After initial fermentation begins, allow wort to free rise to 76 °F (24 °C) until fermentation is complete (a specific gravity of about 1.020). Once the beer completes fermentation, bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.5 volumes. You may want to cold-crash the beer prior to packaging to 35 °F (2 °C) for 48 hours to improve clarity. Store carbonated beer at near-freezing temperatures for at least two weeks before drinking.

Partial mash option:
Substitute the Pilsner malt in the all-grain recipe with 7.5 lbs. (3.4 kg) Pilsner liquid malt extract. Bring 5.4 qts. (5 L) of water to approximately 162 °F (72 °C) and mix in the crushed grains placed in grain bags for 60 minutes. Remove the grain bags and wash with 1 gallon (4 L) hot water. Let the grain bags drain fully. Add liquid extract and Belgian dark candi syrup while stirring, and top off to 6 gallons (23 L) wort. Stir until everything is completely dissolved. Bring the wort to a boil. Boil for 60 minutes. Follow the remaining portion of the all-grain recipe.

Tips for Success:
Brewer Chip Lewis notes that the initial temperature restraint during fermentation helps with the development of more spicy/peppery phenols relative to the levels of banana and clove. This spicy, peppery note complements the dark raisin, burnt sugar, and pit fruit flavors in the beer beautifully! As Chip also says, this beer is “pretty straightforward” – like so many other Belgian beers, the complexity doesn’t have to be complicated.