Sucro-licious Belgian

Sucro-licious Belgian

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.051 (1.060-1.063, after sugar addtion)  FG = 1.006
IBU = 21 SRM = 6+ (sugar dependent) ABV = 7.4%

Sugar selection can completely change the impression of a Belgian beer. Some dubbels are little more than Belgian blondes with dark candi syrup instead of pure sucrose.

Ingredients
7.5 lbs. (3.4 kg) European Pilsner malt
2.75 lbs. (1.25 kg) Belgian pale malt
0.25 lbs. (0.11 kg) melanoidin malt
6 AAU Hallertau whole hops (60 min.) (1.5 oz./43 g of 4% alpha acid)
White Labs WLP530 (Abbey Ale), Wyeast 3787 (Trappist High Gravity), or Fermentis Safbrew T-58
Priming sugar (if bottling)

Step by Step
Heat 15 qts. (14 L) of water to achieve a mash temperature of 153 °F (67 °C). Mash at 153 °F (67 °C) for 60 minutes. Sparge slowly with 170 °F (77 °C) water, collecting wort until the pre-boil kettle volume is around 6.5 gallons (24.6 L).

Boil the wort for 75 minutes adding the hops with 60 minutes left in the boil. Chill the wort to 65 °F (18 °C), let the break material settle, rack to the fermenter, aerate the wort with filtered air or pure O2 and pitch yeast.

Ferment at 72 °F (22 °C). After fermentation is complete, transfer the beer into five jugs with 4 oz. per gallon (120 g per 4 L) of agave, gur, date sugar, candi sugar/syrup, homemade caramel, golden syrup, or unrefined cane sugars (e.g., turbinado, demerara, muscovado). Once the final gravity is stable, bottle or keg each aiming for 2.2 volumes of CO₂. Use the priming chart at https://byo.com/resources/carbonation to determine the priming sugar needs.

Sucro-licious Belgian

(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.051 (1.060-1.063, with sugar) FG = 1.006
IBU = 21 SRM = 6+ (sugar dependent) ABV = 7.4%

Ingredients
4.1 lbs. (1.86 kg) Pilsen dried malt extract
2.75 lbs. (1.25 kg) Belgian pale malt
0.25 lbs. (0.11 kg) melanoidin malt
6 AAU Hallertau whole hops (60 min.) (1.5 oz./43 g of 4% alpha acid)
White Labs WLP530 (Abbey Ale), Wyeast 3787 (Trappist High Gravity), or Fermentis Safbrew T-58
Priming sugar (if bottling)

Step by Step
Heat 6 qts. (5.7 L) of water to achieve a mash temperature of 153 °F (67 °C). Mash the grains at 153 °F (67 °C) for 60 minutes. Raise the temperature to mash out at 168 °F (76 °C) and begin the lauter phase. Bring the wort to a boil and add the dried malt extract off heat. Stir until the extract is dissolved and return to a boil.

Boil the wort for 75 minutes adding the hops with 60 minutes left in the boil. Chill the wort to 65 °F (18 °C), let the break material settle, rack to the fermenter, aerate the wort with filtered air or pure O2 and pitch yeast.

Ferment at 72 °F (22 °C). After you are certain that fermentation is complete, transfer the beer into five 1-gallon (3.8-L) jugs with 4 oz. per gallon (120 g per 4 L) each of agave, gur, date sugar, candi sugar/syrup, homemade caramel, golden syrup, or unrefined cane sugars (e.g., turbinado, demerara, muscovado).

Once the final gravity is stable, bottle or keg the beer, each aiming for 2.2 volumes of CO₂. Use the priming chart at https://byo.com/resources/carbonation to determine your priming sugar needs.