Tom's Belgian Abbey Ale

[TomFogarty]

9 lbs pilsner
6 lbs marris otter
2 lbs abbey malt
2 lbs dark candi syrup

1 oz Willamette (65 min)
1 oz tettnang (20 min)
1 oz hallertau (5 min)

WY3787 (washed)

Target gravity is roughly 1.092, might be a bit higher though. Final gravity is estimated at 1.015.

For the candi syrup I mixed up 1 cup water, 2 lbs sucrose, 6 oz dextrose, 2-1/2 tsp DAP (di-ammonium phosphate) and brought to 290 F, added 1-1/2 cups water and brought back to 240 F. It went into the boil and darkened it up to a rich chocolate brown.

Mashed for 90 minutes at 150 (a bit lower than I intended) and mashed out at 170 for an extra 15 minutes. Pre-boil volume is about 8 gallons...not used to the new mashtun, it's been much more efficient than my old regime! Aiming for 5.5 gal post boil.

[TomFogarty]

Gravity came up a bit short due to the extra volume, I've got just under 6 gallons on the fermenter. Yeast is pitched, just waiting for the krausen.
On a side note, it smells almost exactly like Westmalle Dubbel at the moment, only sweeter.

[TomFogarty]

Racking into secondary tonight, the lagering fridges are set to go. It will lager at about 40F for a month or so, then bottled up!