Mike’s “Devilish” Belgian Strong Golden (Batch #121)

5 gallons/19 L, all-grain; OG = 1.080; FG = 1.015; IBU = 40; SRM = 3–5; ABV = 8.6%

Ingredients:

• 14.7 lbs. (6.7 kg) Belgian Pilsner malt (1.4–1.8 °L)
• 0.35 lbs. (0.16 kg) CaraPils® malt (6–9 °L)
• 1.3 lbs. (0.6 kg) granulated corn sugar (15 mins)
• 7.8 AAU German Perle hops (60 min) (1.0 oz./28 g of 7.8% alpha acids)
• 2.3 AAU Czech Saaz hops (10 min) (0.75 oz./21 g of 3.0% alpha acids)
• 1.5 AAU Czech Saaz hops (0 min) (0.5 oz./14 g of 3.0% alpha acids)
• Wyeast 1388 (Belgian Strong Ale) or White Labs WLP570 (Belgian Golden Ale) yeast

Step by Step:

Mash grains at 150 °F (66 °C) for 90 minutes. Boil wort for 75 minutes adding hops and corn sugar per scheduled times. Cool wort to room temperature and drain or rack the wort off of the trub. Aerate the cool wort and oxygenate. Ferment at 68 °F (19 °C) for 10 days in the primary and 2 weeks in the secondary.

Extract with grains option:

Replace Pilsner malt with 3.0 lbs. (1.4 kg) of light dried malt extract, 5.0 lbs. (2.3) light liquid malt extract and 1.65 lbs. (0.75 kg) Pilsner malt. Steep crushed grains at 150 °F (66 °C) in 3.0 qts. (2.8 L) of water. Boil at least 2.5 gallons (9.5 L) and add the liquid malt extract late in the boil.