MJ 47 (Belgian Abbeye) recipe ideas

Zambi

Zambi

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I need some ideas!
Current batch with M47 is ready to bottle and I want to pitch on the trub again.
I'm looking to brew something that compliments my current stock of
Belgian Voss (with kaffir lime leaf/lemon peel/coriander/saaz)
Voss Wheat (with lemongrass/lime peel/coriander/saaz)
Voss Cheapskate (with saaz & a touch of ginger)
M47 (pilsner/aroma & wheat malt with Styrian and Saaz)

Not too much choice in malt.
I got pilsner, wheat, aromatic amber 50 ebc, crystal 150 ebc, cara 30-42 ebc. Nothing else

I think it sort of gotta be Belgian with a yeast like that
Maybe something like a Golden strong, trappist or single?
I like a saison, but I think the yeast isn't good for that.
What would you all suggest?

Note: I can control fermentation temperature
 
I like the idea of a Golden Strong. That would be a nice compliment to your current lineup. All Pils with enough sugar to help hit your target gravity. Adding some of your favorite spices would be a nice addition as well.
 
You could do many styles with those ingredients, including Tripel or strong ale. Or a Dubbel, since you have some darker malts on hand. A Patersbier (single) is also a possibility.

I've heard of people making a sort of faux-saison with Lallemand Abbaye, using ferm temps on its higher end. Pitch at ~20C and let it free rise. It's certainly within the realm of possibilities. Not sure how close MJ's offering is to Lallemand, but it might work.

In any case, it's your beer. You don't have to color within the lines.
 
Thanks Max,
I've recently had some warm & hot fermented M47 ales. The warm (around 25-26 oC?) came out nice, the hotter one was sort of OK.

I'm going for a golden strong.
Done a bit of checking and aiming for the following
Pilsner malt 75%
Table sugar 25%
OG of around 1.070 ?

Mash @ 65 oC (149 F)

60 minutes boil

For hop I'm thinking of Saaz, but I got perle & tradition as well
30 + 15 minute hop addition?

Fermentation temperature?
Previous brew I kept at 20-22 oC (68-72 F)

What do you all think? Would that work?
 
Zambezi Special said:
Thanks Max,
I've recently had some warm & hot fermented M47 ales. The warm (around 25-26 oC?) came out nice, the hotter one was sort of OK.

I'm going for a golden strong.
Done a bit of checking and aiming for the following
Pilsner malt 75%
Table sugar 25%
OG of around 1.070 ?

Mash @ 65 oC (149 F)

60 minutes boil

For hop I'm thinking of Saaz, but I got perle & tradition as well
30 + 15 minute hop addition?

Fermentation temperature?
Previous brew I kept at 20-22 oC (68-72 F)

What do you all think? Would that work?
Click to expand...
That's a lot of sugar. I remember reading 10-15% max for any added sugar to the wort. But it's your beer :)
 
Zambezi Special said:
Thanks Max,
I've recently had some warm & hot fermented M47 ales. The warm (around 25-26 oC?) came out nice, the hotter one was sort of OK.

I'm going for a golden strong.
Done a bit of checking and aiming for the following
Pilsner malt 75%
Table sugar 25%
OG of around 1.070 ?

Mash @ 65 oC (149 F)

60 minutes boil

For hop I'm thinking of Saaz, but I got perle & tradition as well
30 + 15 minute hop addition?

Fermentation temperature?
Previous brew I kept at 20-22 oC (68-72 F)

What do you all think? Would that work?
Click to expand...
My opinion:

I like it a lot, with one concern. I think with all that sugar, this beer will likely ferment down to .005-.006 or so, maybe even less. I would be a bit concerned with going off the charts with ABV and drinkability. Maybe 15-20% instead?? Of course, I’ve never used M47 before so I’m not sure exactly how well it attenuates. I’d shoot for 7.5-8% ABV.

I like the choice of Saaz, maybe at 30 and 5…but would probably bitter with something else.

Ferm temp seems to be right in this yeast’s wheelhouse.

Good luck!
 
Yep.
Lot of sugar, but looking at the dutch and belgian sites, it seems not unusual...
Scares me a bit though.
Maybe I go down to 20 or in 2 stages. One making the wort, 2nd after 2 days ...
Ddfinitely be researching a little more
 
If you go ahead with that much sugar, you might want to shoot for a higher mash temp, like around 154F (68C). Otherwise, you'll have a thin, dry beer.
 
Thanks all
I'm having a re-think....

Gonna lower the sugar amount after all, to 20% and up mash temp to 67-68 oC

Now figuring out hop additions
 
Last edited:
Right hops...
Most difficult part.
Saaz at 15 minutes & flame out?
Something at 60 or 45?
I don't have real bittering hops.
So choice is Cascade, Galena or Hallertau Blanc (or Saaz)
 
Right
This is it :D
Sort of in between Golden Strong & Saison
Pilsner malt 81%
Sugar 19 %

Minimum 60 minutes mash at 67-68 oC (152-154 F)

60 minute boil
EKG @ 60 min (would like Styrian, but have run out)
Saaz @ 10 min
24 IBU
BU/GU 0.37

OG 1.065
FG 1.006
ABV 7.7%

Fermentation temp 20-22 oC (68-72 F)

Planning is for tomorrow.
Milling today
Lot of bottling to do as well tomorrow (M47, Hazy Cheapskate & cider) as I need to free my mash cooler box and fermentation fridge
 
MaxStout said:
If you go ahead with that much sugar, you might want to shoot for a higher mash temp, like around 154F (68C). Otherwise, you'll have a thin, dry beer.
Click to expand...
That seems to be the point from the golden strongs I've drunk. Taste's like a dry, fairly neutral ale, that has you falling about after a few. I've drunk about a dozen and I'm always wondering what's the point.
 
Last edited:
Mark Farrall said:
That seems to be the point from the golden strongs I've drunk. Taste's like a dry, fairly neutral ale, has you falling about after a few. I've drunk about a dozen and I'm always wondering what's the point. Getting drunk quickly I suppose. Not something I'm after any more.
Click to expand...

That's the trick: making a high-ABV beer with very low FG, yet with good body and head-retention. I love Duvel, Piraat, etc., and try as I may, I have been unable to replicate the style.
 
Last chance for adjustments to mash temperature...
Brew will start in a couple of hours
 
When in doubt, 152-153°F, 67C.

No way we can tell the difference in a couple of gravity points. My opinion, that.
 
Mashing is taking place now :)

Added 1.7 kg of grain (of 40 oC) to 7.5 ltr water (of 74 oC), so should be sitting at around 67-68 oC.
Pot with bag of grains has gone into my cooler box lined with duvet. Temperature will obviously drop a bit, but not much

Ah well, at least we are on the way
 
I got the fermenter out of the fridge this morning and took a gravity sample. 6 brix on the refracto. Put the figures in for correction and I got an FG of 1.000, and apparent attenuation of 100 %
Had a little taste and it tastes warm/hot alcoholic.
I took a bigger sample as I didn't trust the first one. Hydrometer also gave 1.000 :(

I had cleaned bottles in the mean time. Put them away and grabbed 1 litre pet bottles, just in case I'm dealing with a diastaticus or other infection.
Last time using a diastaticus was about 5 brews ago though

This batch was poured on trub of a previous M47 batch.
That one ended up at (corrected refracto measurement) 1.008 and 82% apparent attenuation.

What could have caused this?

Fermenter is currently soaking in hot soapy water (non scented dish washer).
 
Zambezi Special said:
I got the fermenter out of the fridge this morning and took a gravity sample. 6 brix on the refracto. Put the figures in for correction and I got an FG of 1.000, and apparent attenuation of 100 %
Had a little taste and it tastes warm/hot alcoholic.
I took a bigger sample as I didn't trust the first one. Hydrometer also gave 1.000 :(

I had cleaned bottles in the mean time. Put them away and grabbed 1 litre pet bottles, just in case I'm dealing with a diastaticus or other infection.
Last time using a diastaticus was about 5 brews ago though

This batch was poured on trub of a previous M47 batch.
That one ended up at (corrected refracto measurement) 1.008 and 82% apparent attenuation.

What could have caused this?

Fermenter is currently soaking in hot soapy water (non scented dish washer).
Click to expand...
Possible infection maybe?

But I'd be thinking sour ish or peppery maybe with infection.
Just a guess.
 
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