Belgian Strong & Dark

[coatesg]

To some extent, but I think there needs to be more fruity raisins, plums, figs, etc, - but it's been a while since I've had a Rochefort (and I'm not having one now to compare )

[196osh]

I love Rochefort. Rochefort 8 is just superb.

I did a BSDA with the Chimay yeast. I would like to make one with the Rochefort yeast. Mabye try and make a beer more like Rochefort.

[WishboneBrewery]

Sounds good.
I'm just wondering if I have under-primed mine 15L primed with 60g Soft Brown Sugar, I'm never very calculated when it comes to priming and tend to add it with an semi-educated guess based on previous bottlings and how they carbonated up.

[simple one]

Looks good. In hindsight would you have altered your fermenting temps at all? (for flavour, rather than the eruption?)

[coatesg]

All recommendations I've seen point to running this at 22C max - I wouldn't want any hot fusels or too much solvent in there which is a risk of higher temps I think. The real Rochefort recipe is much more simple than this, and I think gets a lot of the flavour from the stuff in the candy syrup. If I could get hold of the right syrup, I'd use more of it, drop some of the speciality malts and start the ferment lower (16C) and let it rise naturally to 22C and hold it there.

[crookedeyeboy]

Nice one Graham. Unfortunately my entry for the CBA National isnt going to get the conditioning time yours has had but hopefully it will still be a good drink.
Have you ever used WLP0575 Belgian Style yeast? Its doing exactly what your rochefort one did! Good job I had a towel handy, Ive never seen such a vigoros fermentation. The FV smells lovely now very very fruity and estery. Bring on bottling day!

[coatesg]

Not yet - but those Belgian yeasts do go potty when they really get going...

Unsure what to send to Skipton (not going myself, but may send beer) - I have a few options: a 6 month old strong Belgian Blond, this one, a barley wine, a mild, and a strong dark bitter. Unfortunately, four out of those five would land in the same speciality category...!

[crookedeyeboy]

Haha theres no rules against entering multiples in the same category is there??

[coatesg]

No - that's very true, but entering that many seems like a bit of a waste when I could keep some of them for Sutton!

[crookedeyeboy]

Haha Yes I forgot about that! When is it?

[coatesg]

Sat, November 13th. Richard's website is a bit out of date, but the date at least makes sense.