Getting the high apparent attenuation

[jonnyt]

I've just experimented with two batches using T-58 yeast, one a strong golden starting around 1.090 and one a Chimay Red clone starting at 1.072. They finished up at 1.016 and 1.014 respectively.

Both had around 10% sugar content added in the last few minutes of the boil.
I fermented at 18C for two days then over a number of days raised the temps to 25C

They taste very much of Belgium Beers , but wow on earth do you get these to go lower? i.e. Drier in the future?

[Dunk]

That sounds pretty low for those starting gravtities to me. To go lower um, brett? Cooler mash temp, step mash with rests to break up the long chains???

82% and 78% apparent attenuations are pretty good and the key is - do they taste dry enough???

[jonnyt]

To be fair my Chimay Red clone hit the exact mark from the recipe in the Clone Brews book.

I actually haven't properly tasted them yet as both are still carbing up though.

[seymour]

If you'd simply bulk-aged it in a secondary fermenter for longer, I guarantee it would've kept dropping slowly but surely. The same will happen in your bottles, albeit even slower.

Your results are nothing to scoff at, though, and a fine method if you're wanting to "get amongst it" sooner.

[jonnyt]

Thanks, the one that attenuated 82% was actually bulk conditioned for 3 weeks and the yeast cake used for the second batch that went to 78% which does tend to hold up your theory

[super_simian]

I've found t58 to be one of those bugger yeasts which fool you into thinking they are done, only to very slowly attenuate in the bottle. Once the bottles get some real age on them, like 4-6 months, you can end up with very lively beer!

[jonnyt]

Sounds good, they are meant to be lively!

[bigrichlock]

Hello,

I have just brewed a triple that had a SG of 1.081 and has finished out with a FG of 1.008 coming in at about 9.7%

The keys i reckon are; healthy yeast, i tend to use the WLP Belgian strains with a high cell count, mash fairly low and then don't added any simple sugar to the boil, add the sugar later in the fermentation when it is approx 2/3 of the way through.

The last triple went from 1.062 to about 1.025 in 3 days, i then added 1.250kg ish of dextrose boiled up and added to the fermenter and it fermented out in another 3 days, quite possibly the most impressive fermentation i have seen! the beauty with this method is the yeast start on the harder sugars to eat before getting on the easy stuff, another top tip from the brewing network.

Its now largering for 4 weeks at 7deg with gelatin with about 3.5 vols CO2 so finger crossed its going to be Crystal clear, highly carbonated and packing almost 10%

Rich

[seymour]

Sounds like a real beauty, Rich. Nice work!

[super_simian]

Sounds good, they are meant to be lively!

Yeah, but I've primed hoping for lively, off a given FG, and ended up with glass grenades is what I'm saying!