Belgian Pale Ale
An easy-drinking “session beer” with a subtle spicy character, our Belgian Pale Ale is a real crowd pleaser! To purchase this kit, click here.
Statistics
Original Gravity 1.050
Final Gravity 1.013
Alcohol Content 4.6%
Ingredients
6.6 lb. Muntons Extra Light Malt Extract
½ lb. Dingemann’s Aromatic Malt 22° L
¼ lb. Dingemans Caramunich Malt 19°
1½ oz. Styrian Goldings Hop Pellets (Bittering)
¼ oz. Styrian Goldings Hop Pellets (Flavor)
¼ oz. Styrian Goldings Hop Pellets (Finishing)
Wyeast # 1762 XL Belgian Abbey II Yeast
Procedure
A few hours before you begin to brew, prepare your liquid yeast according to the package instructions. We assume that you are familiar with basic homebrewing techniques, so these procedures are abbreviated.
1. Divide the cracked grains among 2 of the muslin bags (no more than ½ pound per bag) and add them to your brew kettle along with up to 2 gallons of cold water. Heat slowly.
2. Steep the grains in hot water (about 145º–160ºF) to extract flavor and color – do not allow to boil. After about 30 minutes, remove the grain bags and then bring the water to a boil.
3. Remove the pot from the heat and add one can of extract (reserve the other can to be added later in the boil). Keep the kettle off the burner and stir until the malt extract is completely dissolved.
4. Put the pot back on the burner and bring to a boil. Once boiling, place the bittering hops into muslin bags (no more than 1 oz. per bag), add them to the pot, and set your timer to boil for 1 hour. Keep an eye on the pot to avoid boil-overs.
5. After 40 minutes of boiling, remove the pot from the heat (you do not have to stop the timer) and add the remaining malt extract. Stir until it is completely dissolved, then put the pot back on the heat.
6. After 45 minutes, add the flavoring hops (in a muslin bag). Also add ½ teaspoon of Irish moss, or 1 Whirlfloc tablet, which can help clarify your beer (optional).
7. After 60 minutes of boiling, turn off the heat and add the finishing hops (in a muslin bag). Put a lid on your pot and cool it in an ice bath (use your sink) for about 30 minutes. Remove hop bags from the kettle before pouring into fermenter.
8. Pour 2 gallons of cold water into your sanitized fermenter, add the cooled wort (the stuff in your pot), and top up with additional water to 5 gallons. Aerate the wort with vigorous stirring, rocking the fermenter, etc.
9. Make sure the wort is below 80°F before adding yeast. Take a hydrometer reading if desired. Add the yeast to the wort.
10. Store the fermenter where the temperature will be a fairly constant 65°–75°F. Active fermentation may take only a few days, or it can last up to 2 weeks. A hydrometer reading is a great way to determine when the fermentation is done. Keep the beer in the primary fermenter for two weeks until active fermentation is done (no signs of active fermentation for the last 2–3 days).
11. When ready to bottle, siphon beer into your sanitized bottling bucket, leaving sediment behind. Boil the priming sugar in 1–2 cups of water for a few minutes, gently stir into beer, bottle as usual.