Re: Fake Belgian Ale

Sugar & Yeast:

In the sugar section of supermarkets these days there are a number of very nice choices 'C&H Pure Cane Sugar Washed Raw', which is washed crystallised whole sugar cane juice, in 2# plastic bags (their regular brown sugars are now full flavoured, not merely coloured "dark" like some others); and there is another popular brand rated 'raw', in a sort of brown paper bag container. Also, I am experimenting with Honey, which seemed to produce exceptionally fine, smooth carbonation in ales and kombucha, but which some doubt is any better than corn [maize] sugar (for priming, anyway). The Seven Bridges organic brewing suppliers like to add

1-2 # light honey to their ESB, q.v. North-western Europeans enjoy flavourful sugars, even with their coffee -- and so do I. Northern Brewer offers Belgian Candi Sugar in clear, amber, and dark; with respective Lovibond degrees rating of 0, 75, and 275: Are Lovibond rating degrees those of fermentability, colour, or flavour? Beet sugar seems to have a bitter off-taste to me, without the nuttiness of cane; recently, however, the beet sugar tasted seems to have no flavour at all, just "sweet".

Regarding yeasts, your Trappist choice is straightforward, and not one of those complicated, sour types, right? NB also has several Belgian types, even including a complex sour yeast/bacteria blend (:-

3763 Roeselare Belgian Blend This culture is a blend of Saccharomyces, Brettanomyces, and Lactic Acid Bacteria to produce classic Belgian styles of sour brown and red beers.

They've about a dozen different Belgian Ale yeasts listed, on two pages, and several kits.

Here's another complex blend at that same link: (:-

3278 Belgian Lambic Blend Contains a selection of Saccharomyces cerevisiae which include Belgian style wheat beer yeast, sherry yeast, two Brettanomyces strains and Lactic Acid Bacteria. While this mixture does not include all possible cultures found in Belgian Lambics, it is representative of the organisms which are most important for the desirable flavour components of these beer styles. Individual components available from this blend are numbered below. Apparent attenuation: 65-75%. Flocculation: low-medium. Optimum temp: 63°-75° F

MAY CHIMAY ALE UTILISE SUCH A BLEND OR SIMPLY A SINGLE STRONG ALE YEAST -- the WLP500 Trappist ? Having not tasted the Cinc Cents, what is its taste & texture, please?

Best regards from Veneta, Oregon,

Brooks

Al Fresco wrote:
>>
>> I got all excited when I tried Chimay Cinq Cents, so I decided to try
>> something sort of similar. I really like the combination of Crystal and
>> Nugget hops I used in a lager a while back, and I thought it would go
>> great with a heavy ale, so here's what I came up with. Tell me if it >> makes sense.
>>
>> 5.0 lbs. wheat
>> 4.0 lbs. Pilsner
>> 2.0 lbs. 2-row
>> 1.5 lbs. 60L crystal malt
>> 1.0 lb. Munich
>> 1.0 lb. candi sugar
>> 0.75 oz. nugget - 75 minutes
>> 0.5 oz. crystal - 45 minutes
>> 1.0 oz. crystal - steep
>> WLP500 Trappist yeast
>>
>> Est. OG 1.082
>> Est. FG 1.019