Geoff Humphrey's BrewBlog > Brew Sessions > Timothy’s Tripel [Belgian Tripel]

Timothy’s Tripel

Specifics

Style:

Category:	Belgian Strong Ale
Number:	18C

Strongly resembles a Strong Golden Ale but slightly darker and somewhat fuller-bodied. Usually has a more rounded malt flavor but should not be sweet.

Commercial Examples: Westmalle Tripel, La Rulles Tripel, St. Bernardus Tripel, Chimay Cinq Cents (White), Watou Tripel, Val-Dieu Triple, Affligem Tripel, Grimbergen Tripel, La Trappe Tripel, Witkap Pater Tripel, Corsendonk Abbey Pale Ale, St. Feuillien Tripel, Bink Tripel, Tripel Karmeliet, New Belgium Trippel, Unibroue La Fin du Monde, Dragonmead Final Absolution, Allagash Tripel Reserve, Victory Golden Monkey.

Brew Date:

January 1, 2010

Tap Date:

May 30, 2010

Yield:

10 gallons

Color (SRM/EBC):

5.4/10.5

Bitterness (Calc):

25.3 IBU (Rager)

BU/GU:

0.3

Calories:

269 (12 ounces)

Conditioning:

Keg

ABV:

11.1%

ABW:

8.6%

Batch No:	01-2010
OG:	1.085
OG (Plato):	20.45° P
Target OG:	1.085
FG:	1.002
FG (Plato):	0.52° P
Target FG:	1.010
Real Extract:	4.12° P
App. Atten.:	97.5%
Real Atten.:	79.9%

General Information

Method:	All Grain

Method:

All Grain

This will be the first beer I make where I will not be cleaning any of the equipment with Oxyclean. Instead, I'll be using PBW. Why? Some members of my brew club have noticed what they call a "house flavor" to many (if not all) of my brews they've tasted.

At a BJCP study session, it was identified that the Oxyclean I've been using to soak my gunk-encrusted carboys in my be contributing to the "house flavor" due it its fragrance. Therefore, everything that touches this brew will be thoroughly soaked and scrubbed with PBW. If the "house flavor" shows up in this one, it's back to the drawing board. We'll see (January 1, 2010).

Great news! I brought a sample of this to our April officer's meeting and no one there could detect the "house flavor" - it looks like the Oxyclean was the the culprit (April 1, 2010).

Did a side-by-side with the St. Bernadus Tripel. The general consensus:

Color is about the same
Timothy is much clearer (albeit from a keg vs. a bottle with sediment)
St. Bernardus has a sweeter palate - Timothy is drier
Phenolic and ester aromas are comparable
Timothy is "fresher"
Carbonation is comparable

All in all, I believe this is the recipe and the procedure for this beer. If "beer people" say I love the esters from this and other aficionados cannot tell which is the authentic Belgian and which is mine, you gotta go with it. A keeper for sure.

Comments

Made a syrup with five pounds of granulated cane sugar in 1/3 gallon water. Boiled 20 minutes to concentrate and cooled. Added to the primary fermenter on the fourth day (January 4, 2009). Fermentation temps ran from 70°F at pitch to nearly 77°F at high krausen. Resulting aroma is appropriately estery, with all of the characteristics you would expect: pear notes, some apple, and pepper. My plan is to bottle at least a case for aging and competitions (April 1, 2010).

Made a syrup with five pounds of granulated cane sugar in 1/3 gallon water. Boiled 20 minutes to concentrate and cooled. Added to the primary fermenter on the fourth day (January 4, 2009).

Fermentation temps ran from 70°F at pitch to nearly 77°F at high krausen. Resulting aroma is appropriately estery, with all of the characteristics you would expect: pear notes, some apple, and pepper. My plan is to bottle at least a case for aging and competitions (April 1, 2010).

Scale Recipe

Enter desired final yield (volume):

gallons

Malts and Grains

16.00 pounds

German Pilsen Malt (2-Row)

Color (L):	1.5 °L
Info/Use:	Light color, malty flavor. For pilsners, lagers.

60.4% of grist

10.00 pounds

American Pale Malt (2-Row)

Color (L):	1.8 °L
Info/Use:	Smooth, less grainy, moderate malt flavor. Basic malt for all beer styles.

37.7% of grist

0.50 pounds

Belgian Aromatic Malt

Color (L):	23 °L
Info/Use:	Imparts a big malt aroma. Use in brown ales, Belgian dubbels and tripels.

1.9% of grist

26.50 pounds

Total Grain Weight (Water Amounts

Water Amounts

Target Final Boil Volume:	10 gallons
Evaporation Rate:	1.33 gallons per hour
Boil Time:	90 minutes
Runoff Volume Needed:	12.4 gallons	10 gallons (final boil volume) ÷ 0.96 (cooling) + 2 gallons (boil evaporation)
Grain Amount:	26.5 pounds
Grain Absorbtion:	5.6 gallons
Total Water Needed:	19.1 gallons	12.4 gallons (runoff) + 5.6 gallons (grain absorbtion) + 1.00 gallons (equip. loss)
Mash Water Needed:	8.8 gallons	based on 1.33 quarts per pound of grain
Sparge Water Needed:	10.2 gallons	19.1 gallons (total water) – 8.8 gallons (mash water)

)

100% of grist

Adjuncts

5.00 pounds

Sucrose (Table Sugar)

Non-Fermentables

1 tsp

Irish Moss @ 15 minutes

Hops

1.00 ounces

Magnum

Region:	Germany
AAU Range:	12 - 14%
Notes:	Clean bittering hop. Bred at the Hop Research Institute in Hull, Germany.
Typical Use:	Bittering.
Substitution:	Columbus, Nugget, Northern Brewer
Example:	Lager, Pilsner, Stout

12.5% Pellets @ 60 minutes
Type: Bittering
Use: Boil

12.5 AAUs

1.00 ounces

Golding

Region:	United States, Canada
AAU Range:	4 - 6%
Notes:	Version of Kent Goldings grown in the United States.
Typical Use:	Aroma.
Substitution:	Kent Goldings
Example:	English-style Ale, ESB, Pale Ale

4.5% Leaf @ 10 minutes
Type: Aroma
Use: Boil

4.5 AAUs

2.00 ounces

Total Hop Weight

17 AAUs

Boil

Total Boil Time:	90 minutes

Total Boil Time:

90 minutes

Yeast

Name:	Belgian Strong Ale
Manufacturer:	White Labs
Product ID:	WLP545
Type:	Ale
Flocculation:	Medium
Attenuation:	78-85%
Alcohol Tolerance:	High
Temperature Range:	66–72°F
Amount:	2000 ml

Equipment Profile

Converted Keg, 10 Gallon/38 Liter Cooler Mash Tun

Batch Size:	10.00 gallons	Boil Volume:	12.00 gallons
Evaporation Rate:	9.00% per hour	Mash Tun Dead Space:	0.80 gallons
Efficiency:	72%	Mash Tun Weight:	9.00 pounds
Hop Utilization:	100%	Mash Tun Volume:	10.00 gallons
Loss:	1.00 gallons	Mash Tun Specific Heat:	0.30 Cal/gram per °C
Notes:	Converted 15.5 gallon/59 liter keg boil kettle for full boil with a 10 gallon/38 liter cooler as a mash/lauter tun.

Mash Profile

Single Infusion Mash, Light Bodied Beer, No Mash Out

Grain Temperature:	72°F	Tun Temperature:	72°F
Sparge Temperature:	168°F	PH:	5.4
PPG:	27.2	Efficiency:	81.3%
Notes:	Mash profile for most well-modified malts.

Steps

#	Name	Type	Time	Temp.	Description
1	Mash In	Infusion	75 min.	150°F	Add 100% of mash water at 162° F / 72° C

Water Profile

Highlands Ranch, Colorado

Calicum:	31.4 ppm
Bicarbonate:	56.9 ppm
Sulfate:	41.1 ppm
Chloride:	0.9 ppm
Sodium:	27.0 ppm
Magnesium:	3.5 ppm
PH:	5.4%
Notes:	Filtered through standard charcoal system.

Procedure

Single infusion mash at 149°F for 90 minutes. Sparge with 170°F water. 90 minute boil. Add hops according to schedule. Cool wort. Pitch yeast at 64°F from starter. Primary ferment one week, raising to a temperature 71°F by the end, adding sucrose when primary fermentation begins to slow. Transfer to secondary. Lager for at least 4 weeks at 37°F. Longer is better. Carbonate to 3.4 volumes.

Single infusion mash at 149°F for 90 minutes.
Sparge with 170°F water.
90 minute boil.
Add hops according to schedule.
Cool wort.
Pitch yeast at 64°F from starter.
Primary ferment one week, raising to a temperature 71°F by the end, adding sucrose when primary fermentation begins to slow.
Transfer to secondary.
Lager for at least 4 weeks at 37°F. Longer is better.
Carbonate to 3.4 volumes.

Fermentation

Primary:	7 days @ 70° F
Secondary:	7 days @ 70° F
Lager:	42 days @ 37° F

Tasting Reviews

	1 Review		Submit a Review		Refresh Page

1 Review

Submit a Review

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	45-50 = Outstanding		30-37 = Very Good		14-20 = Fair
	38-44 = Excellent		21-29 = Good		00-13 = Problematic

Review by Geoff Humphrey (The Brewer)

Aroma:	8 / 12	Malt and esters dominate aroma. Pear, apple esters mix with malt-derived grainy characteristics. Some phenolic spiciness, but esters are up front.
Appearance:	3 / 3	Light gold to gold in color. Persistent, white head. Lacing. Brilliant clarity.
Flavor:	12 / 20	Prickly carbonation gives way to malt with some alcohol warming. Finish is dry with a pleasant, fruity aftertaste. Notes of apple and pear in the flavor along with grainy, bready malt. Slight lemon. Spicy phenolics meld with alcohol warmth and hop presence to lend some bitterness. Could be elevated, though.
Mouthfeel:	3 / 5	Medium body with dry finish. High carbonation with some alcohol warmth. No astringency.
Overall Impression:	7 / 10	Best I've made. Fits the style well - could be a bit lighter in the body to accentuate the bitterness. Still some residual sweetness even though it attenuated quite well.
Cumulative Score:	33 / 50	Very Good

Bottle Label

View Full Size

Awards & Competitions

Entry Name:	Timothy’s Tripel
Competition:	Liquid Poetry Slam
Date:	Jun 6, 2010
Style:	Belgian Tripel
Place:	1st (Gold)

Entry Name:	Timothy’s Tripel
Competition:	Gnarly Barley
Date:	Aug 7, 2010
Style:	Belgian Tripel
Place:	3rd (Bronze)

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