As you know, I'm always hunting for good beer recipes. You may have noticed lately I'm getting some proven ones directly from maltsters. This makes perfect sense when you think about it, because the companies producing the malt ought to know how it performs best, which malts go best together, etc. It's also in their best interest to recommend the best possible recipes because if the brewer produces great beer, they'll keep coming back for more of that particular malt.
Today I'll share some from Castle Malting in Belgium. Their slogans are straight-forward and honest, "Belgian Malts That Make Your Beer So Special" and "Malts From The Country Famous For Its Beer."
Castle Malting: Strong Belgian Blond Beer
DESCRIPTION:
A strong, slow-drinking beer with a nice character, exquisite aroma and a sublime taste.
Original gravity: 16-17° Plato, 1065-1070
Alcohol: 9%
Colour: 8 -12 EBC
Bitterness: 25 - 30 EBU
INGREDIENTS:
Malts:
95% Pilsen
5% Pale Ale
Hops:
Saaz for bittering, Hallertauer for aroma
Yeast:
Safbrew T-58
Step 1: Mashing
-Mash in 75 litres of water (58°C)
-Rest at 63°C for 80 minutes
-Rest at 68°C for 15 minutes
Step 2: Filtration
Separate the wort from the spent grain with water at 76°C
Step 3: Boiling
Duration: 1 hour
-After 15 minutes add Saaz;
-After 55 minutes add Hallertauer Aroma
-Remove the trub
Step 4: Cooling
Step 5: Fermentation at 25-28 °C
Step 6: Lagering:
2 days at 12°C, then 2 weeks at 0-1°C
CASTLE MALTING: STRONG BELGIAN BLOND BEER