Belgian Beers On Deck

I decided I would add some beer to my slate of beverages for summer enjoyment. I have brewed some amount of beer every year since 2003, but it has certainly declined in volume since I really got into the winemaking.

First up is a Belgian White made with wheat malt and infused with coriander and orange. I am using a traditional recipe and Belgian Wit yeast in hopes of sticking close to the style here. This is a lighter beer that can be enjoyed with or without food, but the citrus and spice does provide some pairing opportunity that I will not miss taking advantage of. I brewed it yesterday and it is already fermenting away happily.

Today I am going to make what I plan to call Jay's Belgian Trappist Monster. I am starting with a trappist dubble recipe that will get a secondary fermentation with two pounds of dark brown sugar and some additional Saaz hops. The Trappist/Abbey style yeast is going to go nuts with all the sugar, but you won't hear any complaints from me. I expect this guy is going to be high in alcohol, aroma and flavor. While it will definitely be enjoyable on its own I expect the food pairing opportunities, including with dessert, will abound. I'll be out in the front yard brewing this one this afternoon, so if you drive by throw a wave my way and I'll lift my glass of whatever I am enjoying as I brew!

Once tasting comes around I will post an update.

Tonight we are hosting a multi-birthday/anniversary party with and for some friends and I am using the occasion to do a Malbec tasting to get some feedback to feed into my first Malbec batches next month. I'll definitely take notes and post the feedback this week.

Cheers!

--Jason