Gordon Strong’s Belgian Dark Strong Ale
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain) OG = 1.091 FG = 1.015 IBU = 24 SRM = 26 ABV = 10.2%
Ingredients
7 lbs. (3.2 kg) Pilsner malt
3 lbs. (1.4 kg) pale ale malt
2 lbs. (0.91 kg) Munich malt
2 lbs. (0.91 kg) dark Munich malt
1 lb. (454 g) aromatic malt
1 lb. (454 g) crystal malt (40 °L)
2 oz. (57 g) chocolate malt
1 lb. (454 g) dark candi syrup (0 min.)
1 lb. (454 g) amber (brown) sugar (0 min.)
5 AAU Saaz hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
3.6 AAU Styrian Goldings hops (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 3.6% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Saaz hops (5 min.)
Wyeast 3787 (Trappist High Gravity) or White Labs WLP500 (Monastery Ale) or LalBrew Abbaye Belgian Ale yeast
1 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Adjust all brewing water to a pH of 5.5 using phosphoric acid. Add 1 tsp. of calcium chloride directly to the mash.
This recipe uses a step mash. Mash in the Pilsner, pale ale, Munich, dark Munich, and aromatic malts at 144 °F (62 °C) in 23 qts. (22 L) water. Hold for 45 minutes. Raise the temperature to 158 °F (70 °C) and hold for 15 minutes. Add crystal and chocolate malt. Begin recirculating and raise temperature to 168 °F (76 °C) and recirculate for 15 minutes. Sparge slowly and collect 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of wort.
Boil the wort for 90 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated in the recipe. Add the sugars at the end of the boil and stir to dissolve.
Chill the wort to 64 °C (18 °F), pitch the yeast, and ferment until complete. Allow the beer to free rise in temperature during fermentation.
Rack the beer, prime and bottle (or cask) condition, or keg and force carbonate the beer.
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains) OG = 1.091 FG = 1.015 IBU = 24 SRM = 26 ABV = 10.2%
Ingredients
6.5 lbs. (2.9 kg) pale liquid malt extract
3.25 lbs. (1.5 kg) Munich liquid malt extract
1 lb. (454 g) crystal malt (40 °L)
2 oz. (57 g) chocolate malt
1 lb. (454 g) dark candi syrup (0 min.)
1 lb. (454 g) amber (brown) sugar (0 min.)
5 AAU Saaz hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
3.6 AAU Styrian Goldings hops (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 3.6% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Saaz hops (5 min.)
Wyeast 3787 (Trappist High Gravity) or White Labs WLP500 (Monastery Ale) or LalBrew Abbaye Belgian Ale yeast
1 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Start with 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C).
Turn off the heat. Add the crystal and chocolate malt in a mesh bag and steep for 30 minutes. Remove and rinse grains gently.
Add the malt extracts and stir thoroughly to dissolve completely. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil. Follow the all-grain recipe’s step by step for boil, fermentation, and packaging instructions.
