Belgian Strong Dark Ale Color

Brewing Processes
1

Morning,

I have been working on a new Belgian Strong Dark Ale and I noticed when racking today that the wort is a lot lighter than the last time I did this recipe. The 1st time I did it I was using a homebrew store recipe and the final product was a dark brown in color. This time around the wort is a light tan color. I sampled the wort when I was racking and it tastes fine. I also checked the gravity and it is on target with what I was expecting but I am wondering if I should be concerned about the color?

Here is the recipe I did: (This is a mini-mash recipe)

2.5 lbs Belgian Pale Malt
4 oz Cara Wheat
4 oz Biscuit Malt
4 oz Munich Malt
4 oz Special B Malt
8 lbs Extra Pale Extract
2 lbs Clear Candi Sugar
1 lbs Pilsen Light DME
11 fl oz Lyle’s Golden Syrup
2 oz Styrian Cellia (Golding)
1 oz Saaz
.25 oz Sweet Orange Peel
.25 oz Bitter Orange Peel
.25 oz Anise

2

Did you use exactly the same ingredients?  I’ve got to say that clear syrup is pretty unusual for a BDSA.  Usually it would be more like a 180 syrup, which would add a lot of color.

3

If it tastes good I wouldn’t worry about it.

4

@denny
I did use the same exact ingredients per the homebrew store recipe. I remember using the same syrup since they didn’t have any in the store so I had to run to whole foods and get some there.

@Steve
I am going to go with your thinking. I was just worried some major may have gone wrong. Also I was just in a homebrew competition this weekend and I got dinged for my beer being off style. So I would like to get better at that.

5

I hope this isn’t my inexperience talking but small variations in temperature could affect the way your yeast clarify the wort. Steve533

6

There is nothing in that ingredient list that would get that wort higher than 10 SRM. Typically you would be at 16-30+ SRM for a Dark strong ale.

You could always throw some Sinamar in to darken it up a little.

7

Could you have used Dark Munich last time? I have almost made that mistake before and it would definitely account for a much darker beer in the end.

8

I’m late to this party but I love this style, have one bottle conditioning as we speak.  I agree with Denny, that the light syrup is strange, but this is also a very complicated recipe for an extract brew. 5 malts, 2 extracts and 2 types of sugar? Seems a bit of overkill and also likely something got left out.

Also, it’s not completely obvious in your post (not to me anyway) you say you made it twice, did you use the exact same recipe both times? I don’t know why the first one would be dark, but I’m not convinced this is a BDS recipe.  The LHBS may have it labeled wrong.  Just spitballing, but with the wheat malt and orange peel this looks like a Belgian Wit recipe.  Dark Strongs (to my knowledge) are not typically spiced.

As far as competition, I would enter it as a Belgian Golden Strong.  Essentially the same beer other than color.  Any updates on how it turned out?