First timer

Lil guy · Apr 24, 2018

Thanks for the add. I went all grain first time. I started with a hoppy Belgian pale ale. I am just waiting for both the first and second batches to be drinkable. The first is getting better, but still needs some time. Gathering the goods for a third batch. Deciding to let the primary go for three weeks before adding krausen and bottling. The picture should be the 2 beers I have going, with the only difference was the first was 1.75 post boil volume. The second was 2 gallon post boil volume.

thehaze · Apr 24, 2018

S-04 is an English yeast. It will make anything from American/English Pale Ales to IPAs, Browns, Reds, Ambers, Stouts, Porters, Bitters, etc. but NOT belgian beer.

To brew a Belgian beer, you need Belgian yeast. And here depends on how much you want to invest. Liquid yeast is better, as it offers diversity and a range of yeast, that really bring out the " belgian " character in beer. Dry yeast, although fairly good, does not have the same diversity. The only one I liked so far is T-58 with Danstar Abbaye coming a very far away second place. But Danstar Abbaye is a lesser performer than T-58, which I made better beer with.

Moreover, Belgian yeast - from experience - does not fare well with lots of bitterness and IBUs. 60 IBUs for a 5% beer is too much even for a heavily hopped session IPA. So I think you kinda need to rethink that aspect of the brew. Maybe try to read up more on how the different aspects of the beer and beer making affect the final outcome.

GFHomebrew · Apr 24, 2018

2nd the belgian yeast option for belgian beer but if you tone down the IBUs a bit it should make a decent English pale...

Lil guy · Apr 24, 2018

I like the American IPA hoppiness. I was reaching for a bittery beer. I didn't prime with sugar, I primed with a 20% krausen and did the second in the bottle. It is only 2 weeks in bottle. Just to get to know the bottle conditioning I started tasting at a week. 1st week was barely drinkable, second week improved, but still incredibly hazy after a cold crash. The rest will be cold crashed and sampled on the week until I get it figured to repeat ability. it's going to continuously change i am sure by still having active yeast in the bottle. Just a simple experiment to occupy the mind since my stroke.