Continuing with my sack of Dingeman’s Belgian Pilsner malt with Belgian Golden Strong Ale. It should be a good one!

How it Went: 2/9/2013

Great brew day. I made some adjustments and they all worked out. First off I went with a more rigorous boil. I’ve been following what I heard on the Jamil Show about a “barely moving surface” boil without considering where he was brewing vs where I was brewing. The high humidity of Louisiana has resulted in low boil off and therefore low gravity with how I’ve been brewing. I adjusted it up some today and the end result was right on gravity. Second I had some technical ideas on how to cool and siphon with my current equipment. I used my long plastic brewing spoon to keep my siphon from sucking up too much trub from the kettle and I upped the amount of water I use to cool my kettle. Probably the most clear and clean wort I’ve ever pulled. Cooled up it under 70 degrees, aerated and pitched my 2 liter starter after decanting off the extra starter wort.

Update 2/16/2013

I’m having some deja vu on this thing as the fermentation appeared to have stalled around 1.02.   I’ve transferred the beer with all it’s yeast which appears to have once again kicked up the fermentation.    I’ve moved it in to the house to sit at a higher temperature and hopefully finish.    If in a week it’s still above 1.014 I will pitch an active starter.   I’m apparently missing something about managing a Belgian fermentation.

Update 3/2/2013

This beer will finish out and taste very good.   Feb 22 it was around 75+% attenuation.   March 1 it’s right about 80+% attenuation and should be nice and dry at around 1.008 when I keg it on 3/4/2013.    I’m adjusting pitching rates for future beers and definitely giving padded time for fermentation when it comes to these Belgians.