Belgian Tripel

In honor of Lent (although, I have to admit, this is in no form giving something up, actually probably the opposite, oh well) I brewed a traditional style beer that originated in Trappist monasteries, the Belgian Tripel. What I should do, is say the Liturgy of the Hours while I drink one in the evening; that way as I partake in their beer, I can also partake in their prayers. I did some research on the history of the Belgian Tripel, and found it quite interesting. Here is a short excerpt that describes the beer.

"Part of the mystique of a tripel is the color. They are pure gold or deep-gold, a trait that hides their formidable character, but showcases the softness. This color is achieved by the use of pilsner malt almost exclusively. Any deep hues come from the sheer amount of malt used, or an extended boil. The absence of any character malts will result in a highly-fermentable wort, heightening the alcoholic strength, but lightening the body.

Most have a fairly liberal dose of candi sugar (sucrose, up to 20 percent) in the kettle, which takes the strength and body in opposite direction, just like the pale pilsner malt. Though the body is light, it is not necessarily a thin beer, as brewers tend to balance the mouthfeel by using a slightly elevated mash temperature. On average, a tripel will ferment out to about 7.5 to 10 percent ABV, a strapping level that belies the coy facade. The supple pilsner malt aids in the drinkability, the light body, and the appetizing quality of the brew.

They are generally quite effervescent, which is not normal for a beer of such strength, so they should be poured in a wide goblet or tulip to both accommodate the mousse and allow the multifarious aroma to be appreciated."1

Brewing my First Batch of Beer in the New House

Today we spent the day getting almost everything that was left of our things from our townhouse and cleaning up a bit over there. I moved the majority of my garden that I had in pots over to our "new" homestead. Although we are still living in canyons of boxes, I am currently brewing my first batch of beer in our new house. This time I am brewing a Honey Brown Ale, using wildflower honey. Hopefully it turns out as well as our other batches have.

Brewing Beer

This year Julia surprised me with a beer brewing kit for my birthday. I had been talking about wanting to venture into brewing our own beer for a while, loving the idea of having a beer that is as local as our own home (although yes, some of the ingredients may not be super local, but I hope to change that). I like the idea that it is one more thing that we make ourselves, that we control and know what exactly goes into it, so we can avoid the preservatives and additives that are going into our store bought goods (yes, even beer have preservatives added to them). Brewing beer fall perfectly in line with our push to a more frugal budget, if you don't count the initial cost of the brewing kit (as that was a gift), with the cost of the ingredients the beer came out to 66 cents a beer. One of the things that helped was that I was able to get all my bottles for free, by going to our local liquor store after they had a beer tasting, and asked for all their non screw-top empties, and my brother-in-law gave me a box of empties that he wasn't using from when he used to brew.

I brewed my first batch of beer, it was  North Rim Wheat. I was nervous that it wouldn't turn out, but we have been happily enjoying them now that they are done. I couldn't be happier, it is a deliciously smooth tasting wheat beer.

Now I am dreaming of growing our own hops, wheat and barley (although maybe not barley, as that may not grow so well here in the south, although Walter Reeves says it may be possible, "Outdoor cultivation is more problematic. Barley sprouts very well in October but cold weather can kill it. If you want to grow it for grain, the best planting time is February. You’ll be able to harvest the golden seeds in summer.").

I have now started brewing my second batch of beer. This time I am trying an Amber beer.