August 6, 2007
Belgian Lighthouse Ale
It’s been two months, and I need to brew some beer. This time of year, particularly in Southern California, is a bit difficult for brewing. Fermentation temperature is crucial for most beers, and it’s tough to keep it as cool as necessary to keep from having off flavors.
That only means one thing. When life gives you high temperatures, make Belgian beers! Belgian beers make use of strains of yeast that work best at higher temperatures, and the flavors those yeasts imparts are the characteristic signature of Belgian beer.
So I got an idea… In most brewpubs, the question of what to serve BMC (Bud-Miller-Coors) drinkers is a tough one. Usually, brewpubs will offer a wheat beer, since it’s typically the lightest beer they offer. But I got an idea that I might be able to do something better. Two of the biggest reasons some people don’t like craft beer is due to bitterness (hops) or the flavor of strong roasted malts. That cuts out a lot of options. But it leaves open Belgians. Some Belgians aren’t hoppy, don’t have overwhelming malt characteristics, but neither are they boring beers.
The yeast characteristic gives a Belgian beer a flavor profile that often surprises people. It’s a beer unlike any they’ve ever had. Many people are almost surprised it’s even beer!
So I have two goals. First, I want a light ale that goes down easy, but has enough interesting flavor to keep me coming back. Second, I want an inoffensive beer that I can introduce to new beer drinkers, the type who wouldn’t even take two sips of one of my bitter IPA’s or stouts full of roasted malts.
Thus the Belgian Lighthouse Ale was born. A beer in the 4.5% range, neither bitter nor dark, with plenty of interesting malt characteristics to keep me happy, and the fruity esters of Belgian yeast to add that special kick. And a nice double meaning in the name, the Belgian Lighthouse Ale happens to be a belgian light house ale.
All in all, I think it’ll make a lot of drinkers happy.
Belgian Lighthouse Ale (10 gallon batch)
7# Vienna
6# Belgian Pilsner
2# Caravienne
1# White Wheat
1 oz Tettnang @ 60 minutes
1 oz Tettnang @ 10 minutes
WLP550 White Labs Belgian Ale Yeast
OG: 1.043
FG: 1.008
ABV: 4.5%
Bitterness: 11.9 IBU
Color: 6.3 SRM
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