Belgian Dark Ale Beer Recipe | BIAB Belgian Dark Strong Ale | Brewer's Friend
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Belgian Dark Ale

295 calories 21.9 g 12 oz
Beer Stats
Method: BIAB
Style: Belgian Dark Strong Ale
Boil Time: 30 min
Batch Size: 1 gallons (fermentor volume)
Pre Boil Size: 1.4 gallons
Post Boil Size: 1 gallons
Pre Boil Gravity: 1.064 (recipe based estimate)
Post Boil Gravity: 1.090 (recipe based estimate)
Efficiency: 60% (brew house)
Hop Utilization: 99%
Calories: 295 calories (Per 12oz)
Carbs: 21.9 g (Per 12oz)
Created: Monday September 8th 2025
1.090
1.011
10.3%
29.6
31.5
5.2
n/a
 
Fermentables
Amount Fermentable Cost PPG °L Bill %
40 oz Weyermann - Pilsner40 oz Pilsner 36 1.5 65.6%
10 oz Weyermann - Munich Type I10 oz Munich Type I 38 6 16.4%
2 oz Aromatic Malt2 oz Aromatic Malt 35 20 3.3%
1 oz Dingemans - Special B1 oz Special B 33.1 125 1.6%
6 oz Candi Syrup - Belgian Candi Syrup - D-1806 oz Belgian Candi Syrup - D-180 32 180 9.8%
2 oz Cane Sugar2 oz Cane Sugar 46 0 3.3%
61 oz / 0.00
 
Hops
Amount Variety Cost Type AA Use Time IBU Bill %
7.20 g East Kent Goldings7.2 g East Kent Goldings Hops Pellet 5 Boil 30 min 16.16 47.4%
8 g Hallertau Mittelfruh8 g Hallertau Mittelfruh Hops Pellet 3.75 Boil 30 min 13.47 52.6%
15.20 g / 0.00
 
Mash Guidelines
Amount Description Type Start Temp Target Temp Time
1.6 gal Infusion 155 °F 148 °F 30 min
 
Other Ingredients
Amount Name Cost Type Use Time
2.17 g Chalk Water Agt Mash 1 hr.
1.51 g Calcium Chloride (dihydrate) Water Agt Mash 1 hr.
0.62 g Epsom Salt Water Agt Mash 1 hr.
0.28 g Gypsum Water Agt Mash 1 hr.
1.66 g Baking Soda Water Agt Mash 1 hr.
4.30 ml Lactic acid Water Agt Mash 10 min.
 
Yeast
Fermentis - Safbrew - Abbaye Yeast BE-256
Amount:
1 Each
Cost:
Attenuation (avg):
82%
Flocculation:
High
Optimum Temp:
54 - 77 °F
Starter:
No
Fermentation Temp:
68 °F
Pitch Rate:
0.35 (M cells / ml / ° P) 29 B cells required
0.00 Yeast Pitch Rate and Starter Calculator
Priming
CO2 Level: 2.65 Volumes
 
Target Water Profile
RO
Ca+2 Mg+2 Na+ Cl- SO4-2 HCO3-
150 10 75 120 65 412.959
Water is Malty 30 SRM
Mash Chemistry and Brewing Water Calculator
 
Notes

Wyeast - Trappist High Gravity 3787
White Labs - Abbey Ale Yeast WLP530
Fermentis - Safbrew - Abbaye Yeast BE-256
White Labs - Monastary Ale Yeast WLP500
Wyeast - Belgian Abby Ale II 1762
Lallemand - LALBREW® ABBAYE BELGIAN ALE YEAST
Fermentis - Safbrew - Specialty Ale Yeast T-58
Wyeast - Belgian Ale 1214
Mangrove Jack - Belgian Ale Yeast M41
Mangrove Jack - Belgian Tripel M31

Belgian Dark Strong Ale Westvleteren 12 Clone - Multiple Award Winner
CSI - CandiSyrup
Recipe Type
All Grain
Yeast
WLP 530
Yeast Starter
3.8L
Additional Yeast or Yeast Starter
Starter Seeded w/ 100 Billion Cells
Batch Size (Gallons)
5.5
Original Gravity
1.090
Final Gravity
1.012
Boiling Time (Minutes)
90
IBU
36
Color
33
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
7
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
60
Tasting Notes
Plummy, mildly malty, finishing with a rich spice and hint of candi syrup
Grist/Fermentables
----------------------------------
8.00 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Belgian (2.0 SRM)
7.00 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) Belgian (3.0 SRM)
2.50 lbs D-180 Candi Syrup (180.0 SRM)
Mash Steps
---------------
Mash at 149.0 F 90 min
Fly or batch sparge 168.0 F
Boil Steps
---------------
Boil 90 minutes
Add hops and Servomyces (yeast nutrient) per schedule, (make sure to open the Servomyces cap).
Stir-in adjuncts at 10 minutes prior to flame-out, (alternatively, stir in adjuncts at flame-out)
Boil Ingredients
---------------------
1.00 oz Brewer's Gold [8.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min
1.00 oz Hallertau Mittelfrueh [5.00%] - Boil 30 minutes
1.00 oz Styrian Goldings [4.10 %] - Boil 15.0 min
1.00 Items Servomyces - Boil 5.0 mins
Yeast Ingredients
----------------------------------
320 Billion cells or 3200 ml stir-plate starter seeded with 1.0 vial Abbey Ale (White Labs #WLP530)
***Krausen yeast method to be added here
Clear wort boil-down notes (Optional Step):
-------------------
(Optionally) perform a separate boil-down of 1.00 gallon of vorlaufed wort into a syrup using the following steps:

  1. Extract 1.0 gallon of wort at the beginning of clear runoff into a 3-5 gallon pot.
  2. Boil the wort down until it becomes a dark mahogany brown and is bubbling with large bubbles.
  3. Be careful NOT to burn the maltose syrup.
  4. The result will be approximately 24-26 ounces of syrup.
  5. Re-crash the syrup by adding wort from the ongoing main boil.
  6. Pour the dissolved liquid back in to the main boil.
    Fermentation Pitch Notes:
    ---------------------
    Chill wort to 63-64F
    Oxygenate chilled wort to 8-10PPM by diffusing pure O2 via .05 micron diffuser for 90-120 seconds.
    Pitch decanted yeast starter, adding chilled wort to the yeast flask to clear remaining yeast as necessary.
    Ramp fermentation temp (evenly over time) from 63 - 80F over 7 days.
    Fermentation Process Notes
    ---------------------
    1/5/2012 - Primary Fermentation (7 days at 63F ending at 80.0 F)
    1/23/2012 - Secondary Fermentation (3 -10 days at 78.0 F ending at 60.0 F)
    1/26/2012 - Tertiary Fermentation (40 days at 50.0 F ending at 50.0 F)

    Final Aged Ale
    ---------------------
    In the end you should have a mohagany dark ale that is fragrant, malty, plummy, with a pillowy tan head and considerable Belgian lace. Like the pic below:
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  • Public: Yup, Shared
  • Last Updated: 2025-11-29 21:07 UTC
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