Gordon Strong’s Belgian Tripel
All-Grain Recipe
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.072 FG = 1.010
IBU = 34 SRM = 4 ABV = 8.3%
Ingredients
9 lbs. (4.1 kg) Pilsner malt
1 lb. (454 g) Vienna malt
2.5 lbs. (1.1 kg) white sugar
6 AAU Sterling hops (60 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 8% alpha acids)
9.5 AAU Amarillo® hops (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 9.5% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Styrian Goldings hops (2 min.)
White Labs WLP510 (Bastogne Belgian Ale), Wyeast 3787 (Belgian High Gravity Ale), or SafAle T-58 yeast
7⁄8 cup corn sugar (for 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. of calcium chloride and 0.5 tsp. calcium sulfate to the mash.
This recipe uses a step mash. Use enough water to have a moderately thick mash (1.5 qts./lb. or 3.1 L/kg). Mash in the Pilsner and Vienna malts at 131 °F (55 °C) and hold for 10 minutes. Raise the temperature to 140 °F (60 °C) and hold for 10 minutes. Raise the temperature to 145 °F (63 °C) and hold for 40 minutes. Raise the temperature to 158 °F (70 °C) and hold for 20 minutes. Raise the temperature to 169 °F (76 °C) and recirculate 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. Add the sugar with 15 minutes left in the boil.
Chill the wort to 63 °F (17 °C), pitch the yeast, and ferment until complete, allowing the temperature to rise as much as it wants, rousing the yeast if necessary to complete. Rack to secondary and cold condition for five weeks at 50 °F (10 °C).
Rack the beer again, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate. Repitching fresh yeast at bottling may be needed if bottle conditioning. Warm condition for three weeks at 70 °F (21 °C). Age at least six months.
Extract-Only Recipe
(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.072 FG = 1.010
IBU = 34 SRM = 4 ABV = 8.3%
Ingredients
5.4 lbs. (2.5 kg) Pilsen dried malt extract
2.5 lbs. (1.1 kg) white sugar
6 AAU Sterling hops (60 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 8% alpha acids)
9.5 AAU Amarillo® hops (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 9.5% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Styrian Goldings hops (2 min.)
White Labs WLP510 (Bastogne Belgian Ale), Wyeast 3787 (Belgian High Gravity Ale), or SafAle T-58 yeast
7⁄8 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Use 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C).
Turn off the heat. Add the malt extract and stir thoroughly to dissolve completely. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil.
Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated. Add the sugar with 15 minutes left in the boil.
Chill the wort to 63 °F (17 °C), pitch the yeast, and ferment until complete, allowing the temperature to rise as much as it wants, rousing the yeast if necessary to complete. Rack to secondary and cold condition for five weeks at 50 °F (10 °C).
Rack the beer again, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate. Repitching fresh yeast at bottling may be needed if bottle conditioning. Warm condition for three weeks at 70 °F (21 °C). Age at least six months.
