Chimaybe

[Vossy1]

Most ales are fair game IMO at a young age, and I actually prefer some young to matured, but once over 9%, as you've found SH they're too solvently young, and take time to mellow.

I found this also , but how do you learn, unless you try em as they mature

[SiHoltye]

Stop following me!

Honestly am not getting solvents from this, and think I may have been a little under praising of this. Can't wait to light the fire and watch all the christmas specials.

[SiHoltye]

Am on my 2nd bottle of this tonight by way of seeing if it's any cop to bring to Sutton. It's not good enough for that I think. I've undercarbonated it, and it's perhaps a little underhopped, lacking the hop presence of the bottled version. Good kit though, am pleased enough and will have another go at it in the fullness of time.

[Barley Water]

Interesting thread, let us know how your beer turns out after a little more aging. I have both a Dubbel (O.G. 1.085 a little high, but what the hell) and a Belgian Blond (O.G. 1.069 pretty much in the ballpark for the style) in secondary right now. Both were fermented with WLP500 (the Chimay strain). I started both at 65F and let the temperature increase to around 75F over a week. Both beers present very spicy, both the aroma and taste. I am hoping that everything will sort of meld together after some aging but hopefully they will retain some character. Both beers tasted very alcoholic when transfering them to secondary but the taste was not "hot" so I don't think I have a problem with either beer (I didn't really expect them to be session beers anyway). I haven't done alot of these so I am still screwing around with yeast handling on these beasts. I suspect that once you have a decent formulation, the whole trick becomes one of proper fermentation control. Anyway, I plan to bottle both in Belgian 750's and do the whole cork and wire thing. I suspect I will be drinking from both batches well into 2009.

[SiHoltye]

Will do BW. I'm very pleased I made the effort to make this. They do suggest up to 5 years aging is possible and perhaps beneficial. Fat chance

[spearmint-wino]

I could always, ahem, look after a couple of bottles for you Si?

I could promise to give at least the bottles back

[SiHoltye]

Cracked a bottle just now, and it's under carbonated Chimay Blue Perhaps a smidgen more lingering body than required (think you're right on upping the sugar %) but the smell is right, the warming flowery roasty flavour is there, and the yeast contribution is predictably fab. Perhaps just a hint of toffee detectable that wasn't intended, but with all I've learnt since I made this any future attempt would hopefully lose this. Don't think I've learned a lot from opening this bottle now, but I'm a bit more sober for making comments than last time.

Just cracked a pucker bottle to sip side by side (to hell with work tomorrow ).

The shop bought (maintained at 15degC) foamed over! The website suggests 10-12degs but this was very lively at 15. Yeast sediment raised from the bottom of the bottle.

Aroma is roastier from the legit, taste is sweeter first and with a more lasting bitterness. Mine gives more alcoholly notes in the mouth, though both are the same ABV.

As a work in progress I'm pleased. Reckon water alkalinity adjustment and hop age allowance should help my lower than desired bitterness in the next attempt. Also a review of the special malts with roastiness/body in mind would be in order, perhaps balanced by upping the sugar to counter a higher than desirable FG. Oh, and increase the priming to half a teaspoon in 250mls. Storage at 13degs in my ale kegerator would prolly do it a favour too seeing as that's closer to how they reckon it should be kept.

If you're thinking of brewing whatever strength belgian with the Chimay Whitelabs yeast because you like the flavour...definitely do it, stands out a mile, you'll love it.

[SiHoltye]

Cracked a bottle last night. What a lovely winter warmer. Deceptively drinkable, gave me an unintentional weave on the way to bed

[SiHoltye]

Cracked a bottle last night. What a lovely winter warmer. Deceptively drinkable, gave me an unintentional weave on the way to bed

Haven't had that problem yet, though have heard it happens. Got a story about my other half along those lines but just can't go there.
(we bought a new linen basket the next day)

[SiHoltye]

Re-capping here as a future reminder to myself if no others. Supping a one year old bottle now.

The helpful previous comments are right, up the sugar to thin the body, try 15-20% perhaps.
Treat the water to bring the hops out as they are on the low side of low here. Needs a smidge more bitterness, and a larger smidge more flavour.
Prime the bottles more, carbonation could be half again.

[don'tmakemegobackinthebox]

i've been following this thread for some time and now feel ready to brew up a belgian, next week hopefully, i'm putting in the order now for some yeast and special B.

how did you prime the bottles?

did you use fresh yeast or krausen?

would you make any other changes to the recipe?

how did you condition the secondary fermentation and at what temp?

any advice gratefully received.

[SiHoltye]

i've been following this thread for some time and now feel ready to brew up a belgian, next week hopefully, i'm putting in the order now for some yeast and special B.

how did you prime the bottles?

did you use fresh yeast or krausen?

would you make any other changes to the recipe?

how did you condition the secondary fermentation and at what temp?

any advice gratefully received.

Oh so much learnt in the last year Me that is.

I primed with ¼ tsp table sugar, in hindsight go for ¾ tsp in a nip bottle
I re-pitched most of the yeast cake from the previous 1.060 Belgian pale. You should try this or use a monster starter, check Mr Malty for pitching rates
Poss up the flavour hops from 25g to 30g, and not brew with the missus around
I didn't secondary other than in the bottles. One week at ferment temp, then under the stairs

Have fun

[don'tmakemegobackinthebox]

many thanks.

as soon as the extra supplies arrive - brew on!

[SiHoltye]

I primed with ¼ tsp table sugar, in hindsight go for ¾ tsp in a nip bottle

Sorry, don't know why I put that, meant go for ½ tsp.

[SiHoltye]

Opened a bottle just now and this is one of my most worthwhile brew projects. Beautiful to look at, plummy, raisony, really rich. Fantastic after 18 months. Should bring again to sutton if I can bear to lose 6 more bottles.