Recently brewed a Belgian Dark Strong ale, and besides not being dark enough, I have concerns that my FG is too high. It’s coming in around 1.020-1.022. :-\
The malt bill was
57% Belgian Pils
17.5% Munich I
5.5% Caramunich
3.3% Aromatic Malt
3.3% Special B
0.2% Carafa II Special
In the boil I added
8.8% Schenk Stroop (Dutch Sugar Syrup)
4.4% Table Sugar
I mashed at 145 for 40 minutes and 156 for 45 minutes.
OG was 1.092, I used pure O2 injection, and fermented with Wyeast 1762 (Rochefort Strain) around 64 degrees for a month. This only got me 77% attenuation. I did a fermentation test with the Shenk Stroop alone and it is highly fermentable, so I don’t think that was the problem.
Should I be aiming for a drier beer next time? I suppose the step mash did not do me any favors here. Thoughts?
I don’t think your finishing too high at all. With that amount of specialty malts in your bill, it’s likely the yeast fermented everthing they could. The AA% is 77%, which is at the top end of the range for WY1762. Your looking good. How does it taste?
I agree with Bluesman. I think you’re right where you want to be.
My most recent BDSA had a similar OG and an FG of 1.015. I thought it tasted a little too thin, not enough body or complexity in the taste. And the judges at a comp I recently submitted it to agreed. So for the next batch I’ll be bumping up the specialty grains somewhat and shooting for a FG more in line with what you got.
It really depends what you’re going for. The Trappist brewers get 88-90% apparent attenuation, finishing around 1.010 or 1.011, and they don’t taste thin at all. Residual sweetness doesn’t always equal body. There are also other examples of the style that finish a lot sweeter. If you want it to taste drier, go for it. A 90 minute mash at 145 might be a start, as well as cutting down on the specialty malts. You could also push the sugar towards 20%.
I will say that I haven’t been successfull at getting the Rochefort strain to attenuate like they do. I tried both 1762 and 540, made large starters, and both versions still crapped out at around 1.018-1.020. WLP530, on the other hand, is a beast
I did see something last night after i posted this that indicated that Rochefort-type yeast might need some help. Well, too late now!
The beer tastes good but is a little on the hot side; then again, it’s only a month since I brewed it. I am going to take it off tap and let it age at cellar temps for a month or so.
