Seeking Advice on Belgian Dark Strong

[pmonti]

Hello from Spain, first post but 3 months lurking. I'm asking your advice on this recipe because it is my 5th beer but the first that is not a canned kit or a test.

It is a 10L batch (+/- 2.5 gallons). It is partial boil (5.5L pre-boil +/- 1.5 gallons) as my pot is not big enough. 30 minutes steeping, 30 minutes boil, OG 1.087 , estimated FG 1.020, +/- 9% ABV, 24.5 IBU, 0.283 BU:GU.

After playing with beersmith for a week this is the result. What do you think?

120,00 gr (4.23 oz) Special B Malt (354,6 EBC) Grain 1 4,6 %
1,00 kg (2.2 lbs) Light Dry Extract [Boil for 30 min](15,8 EBC) Dry Extract 2 38,2 %
35,00 gr (1.24 oz)Styrian Goldings [5,40 %] - Boil 30,0 min Hop 3 13,9 IBUs
0,50 kg (1.1 lbs) BrewFerm Dark Candy Syrup [Boil for 15 min](200,0 EBC) Extract 4 19,1 %
1,00 kg (2.2 lbs) Light Dry Extract [Boil for 10 min](15,8 EBC) Dry Extract 5 38,2 %
2,0 pkg Canadian/Belgian (Wyeast Labs #3864) [124,21 ml] Yeast 6 -

Any advice is welcome.

Thanks for your time,

Patrick.

[raiderman]

I'm not a great one for dark beers and until last week not a great one for strong belgians - but I've just legged the latter so heres what I think I know and what I know I think! The main thing that leaps out is that its not very bitter. I've just legged a blonde 11%er which is hopped towards 100ibu and even then I dry hopped it with 50g of citra. Tasting on kegging it it doesn't taste that bitter - and the bitterness will mellow during layering. The extra malt and alcohol seem to offset the bitterness. It also affects the aroma. This brew has citra late in the boil and again in the FV - enough to turn a lighter brew in to breakfast beer - at this gravity thats held in check, this is a very grown up beer and hopefully will mature brilliantly. You have dark malt, so aromatic hops may be las an issue but I think you need more bitterness to offset the malt. You might want to up the hop content and I wouldn't rule out late/dry hopping with cascade or something of that ilk which might go nicely with the malt aroma.

[pmonti]

I will think about hopping it up, but the only hops I have available are saaz, styrian goldings and hallertau. Wich one of those would be better for late hopping?

[far9410]

I will think about hopping it up, but the only hops I have available are saaz, styrian goldings and hallertau. Wich one of those would be better for late hopping?

Syrians are amazing late

[pmonti]

What about the rest of the recipe? Do you think something needs changing?

[raiderman]

Go for styrians, there no reason not to use some saaz for bitterness but I'd late hop with styrias
Theres not much to say about the rest except for the dark malt which isn't something I use- the extract and sugar all give the gravity you want and the only issue is the amount of special b, but you're within tolerance there and this is a beer for ageing which will let the dark malt round out any way