Going to be attempting my first Belgian Tripel in the near future. I’m using Jamil’s recipe (from Brewing Classic Styles book) and swapping Candi Syrup for Corn Sugar. His recipe states: Lager for 1 month at 45-50F.
I currently use a 7.9gal Speidel Fermenter and am unsure what to do after Secondary Fermentation (I’ll keep the beer in the fermenter for 2 weeks)…
Is it ideal to rack the beer to a Secondary Fermenter to allow for lagering prior to carbing? I don’t have access to a kegging system so I’m worried about introducing O2…
A good way to avoid extra O2 exposure is to not rack to secondary at all. Also, racking too soon (as in racking to secondary) has a potential to stall fermentation and leave off flavors and aromas in the beer. Leave it in primary for a month and you’ll be at FG and the beer will be clear.
I completely understand that… But I was assuming Jamil meant he lagers for a Month in addition to the 2-week Fermentation time. In an effort to “clean up” the beer, I would like to rack the beer off the trub at the end of secondary fermentation prior to Lagering…
If it’s completely OK to let the beer sit on the Trub for 6 weeks then I’ll go that route if it means avoiding introduction of O2… I was just hoping for a “cleaner” final product.
You can ‘lager’ after packaging as well. It’s what I typically do. Tripel is obviously a big beer which takes a while to hit FG and a little while longer for the yeast to clean up after itself. A month in primary is a good guideline IME - the beer is completely done, pretty clear, and ready to package at that point. I say leave it in primary for a month, then package. If you’re bottling, carb in the warmest room in the house until carbed and then you can cold condition until you like it. If kegging, try it every week until you’re happy. Rough job.
Edit - Not trying to pass this off as the only way to do it. But I’ve brewed a lot of beer and this works. Just my $0.02 .
I would bottle after 2 weeks but age for 90 days min to about 6mos. This comes from advice I got from an experienced belgian brewer who swears that aging is the key (and also bottle conditioning). Honestly, a properly brewed triple is pretty good fresh but I think it improves/gets more smooth and fruity (what I prefer) whereas fresher tends to be more spicy and bitter. Last one I did, I bottled a dozen or so and kegged the rest. I cracked one now and then and it indeed got better. Best thing you can do is get something else brewing right after so you drink it and not the tripel or “stay out of the beer” as he put it.
Depending on the yeast style used, consider an open fermentation - not totally open, but with a piece of loose foil covering the grommet/airlock hole. Some Belgian strains seem to finish up better and not stall out when the pressure of an airlock isn’t used. Just a thought in terms of “tips”…otherwise I agree with all that has been said above - don’t rack too early!
I agree. Well made tripel is easy to drink early but always gets better. I can’t believe I haven’t brewed one in 3 years. Used to brew one every year. Easily remedied though.
If you purge all the o2 out of your secondary with co2 then using a secondary may be a better option. If not then it probably will cause the beer to oxidize somewhat. I consider a stainless corny to be a great “secondary”.
Also, the “lagering at 45 degrees” is kinda silly. After fermentation is over a lagering period of a few weeks at 32 degrees is a better option IMO. The thought that the yeast are “magically working” at 45 degrees is a myth.
Want to say a big thanks to everyone who has pitched in!
My buddy and I are pretty new to homebrewing (so far have done 3 batches) and my wife loves Belgian Tripel’s. So the help is greatly appreciated!
My hope initially was exactly what you recommended above… Let the beer sit in Primary → Package (we are going to bottle condition with DME) → “Lager.” I really appreciate the tip on Fermentation time (all prior brews were out of the Fermenter in 2 weeks). I do not want to overpitch this beer in the hopes that I get more of the Fruity Esters than the Spicy Phenols…
Does it really make a big difference what temp the final Lagering step takes place at? I was planning to Pitch ~1.5 packets of WLP530 with a 1.5L starter (24 hours prior to pitching) and in theory this yeast shouldn’t be active at 45-50F. It seems to me the “Lagering” taking place in this recipe is simply to allow more “stuff” to fall to bottom of Bottle while the beer is conditioning.
Do you know how aggressively that experienced brewer pitches? We are throwing 5gal into the Fermenter with the plan to package 4gal (auto siphon beer off of Trub into bottling bucket). As mentioned in prior Post… My plan was a 24-hour starter with WLP530 (10% DME solution, 1.5L, 1.5 packets).
You are certainly asking some good questions at 3 brews in. ;D Most of what you are asking is debatable amongst us. There are no clear answers… That said, I will give you my thoughts. First off, I believe pH trumps yeast ranching/obsessing about cell counts. The best starter in the world will not fix a beer made without regard to pH. I aim low for Belgians. I mash and sparge @ 5.2. All this being said, tripels are large beers (means >1.060 but <1.080) and need more yeast. I would advise you to just pitch 2 packets and forgo a starter or go ahead and do one with one packet. I like to pitch cool and ramp up right as krausen begins to fall. I aim high 70’s. I think esterification occurs faster at warmer temps and would advise you to store at basement/cellar type temps and not cold/fridge temps and that was inline with the Belgian dude’s thoughts. From here, wait as long as you can. Basically, I was told the bigger the beer the longer to age and anything above 1.080 would be 1YR min. If you do not own it already you need Brew Like a Monk.
Really appreciate the info! I think I’ll definitely buy the book.
Hopefully one last question for you… We are currently using two Rubbermaid 10gal coolers to mash + sparge. Sparge vessel is only water draining into Mash, and Mash vessel empties into what will become the Boil Kettel. How could I get a sparge pH of 5.2 if it’s just water in the vessel which will rinse the grains…
Or do you just check a pre-boil pH and then adjust with Salts from there?
Salts are typically added to the mash and the sparge. Some brewers will also adjust in the kettle too.
Before you start getting into water adjustments, you first need to know what your water profile has to offer. If you are working with your local municipality water then you can send a sample into Wards to be tested. Check their website for the homebrew water test. Or you can always switch to 100% Reverse Osmosis water which is pretty much a blank slate that minerals/salts can be added back to hit a certain desired profile to best suit the beer style you are brewing which in turn can help dial in a desired pH for your mash. Many of us here use Brunwater for this.
I would not worry much about water adjustments right now. I would get a few more all-grain batches under your belt prior to learning about water chemistry.
Download Bru’n water and start learning. That should get you started in the right direction. There is a learning curve to water and pH but it is very worthwhile IMO. Since you are already knowledgeable about yeast I figure you for a guy that would not be too intimidated by it. The short answer to your question is acid. You will likely need acid to lower both mash and sparge liquor as low as I stated. I prefer phosphoric acid. It is a mineral acid and the acid you will read of in the book ;D
I would say most homebrewers make 2 big mistakes on belgians. First, they are chicken to use enough sugar. Tripel should be about 20%. Secondly, pH is too high. Lower really lightens it up and makes it a more authentic (gives it the champagne-like vibe). This is probably why your wife likes this style and why I pointed you in this direction…
Brewinhard is spot on. The KISS method for now would be just brew your next with RO (I prefer distilled) and that should give you an idea. I just use tap water (very average stuff) but use the acid to hit 5.2 in the mash and also acidify sparge to same. Not really hard to use acid. All you need to get started is a 10% solution from LHBS and a baby medicine syringe to measure. Run your numbers in Bru’n water and off you go.
It does matter. Maybe. Kinda. But for certain there is no “magic” that happens at 45 degrees. Some folks might suggest that the yeast is still working and creating flavors but if you pitch enough yeast (it appears you are) and conduct “proper” fermentation (aeration, temp control) then once the fermentation is finished and the yeast starts to drop out the colder you crash it the better (as long as you don’t freeze it obviously). So, in fact, the colder you "lager’ it the faster the yeast will drop out the sooner the beer will be ready. Colder storage also prolongs shelf life and postpones any oxidation problems you may have picked up from racking. OTOH if 45 is the coldest you can go the beer will be just as good as if you stored it at 32. But by no means will it be better!
Regular old cane sugar is also just fine. You don’t need corn sugar. I brew a tripel as a commercial flagship beer and always hit 90+ AA using plain of Costco cane sugar, mashing at 148 for 45 minutes. Cane sugar is about 15% of total fementables.
Keith - do you add sugar in the boil for your homebrews? I had heard/read/imagined?? That it’s better to let the yeast get underway and to add the sugar at high krausen…maybe another Homebrew myth?
I add it to the boil. Every time I have added the sugar to the fermentation I have gotten a higher apparent attenuation though (added near end of fermentation). That’s not a myth. But it actually gets too dry for my personal tastes. I can get 90% AA at 148 with a 45 minute mash, no need to be any drier IMO.
