Oud Bruin Experiment 2013

I checked on my first Oud Bruin a few days ago. It has been aging for a little over a year and has a pretty mean looking pellicle since adding dregs from a Jolly Pumpkin La Roja. It's tart but the tartness is more subdued than any of my other sours, and I'd also say the flavor profile is more complex. Considering the looks of the pellicle, I think it will need to age at least through the winter before it's ready for packaging. I bottled Flanders #2 a while back, so I have a sour fermenter open and I thought I'd get started on another Oud Bruin.

The Oud Bruin I'm making today is an experimental one of sorts. The yeast I'm using for primary is Wyeast 3822-PC Belgian Dark Ale which is one I've never used before. Here are the yeast's vitals:

Beer Styles: Belgian Strong Dark and Golden Ales, Belgian Quadrupel, Oud Bruin/Flanders Brown, Fruit Beers, Belgian Specialty Beers
Profile: This unique Belgian ale yeast is a high acid producer with balanced ester and phenol production allowing a good expression of malt profile, especially the strong flavors of darker malts and sugars. High alcohol tolerance. Spicy, tart, and dry on the palate with a very complex finish.

Alc. Tolerance:  12% ABV
Flocculation: medium
Attenuation: 74-79%
Temp. Range: 65-80°F (18-27°C)

The fact that this yeast is a high acid producer is the reason I wanted to try it. Originally I was going to brew a  Belgian Dark Strong Ale with it, but eventually decided on brewing another Oud Bruin. I'm planning on primary fermentation with 3822, then pitching Roeselare in secondary for aging. I'm also using D-180 Belgian Dark Candi Syrup but I don't think I'll add this until I rack it to secondary for aging (never used this before either and I'm trying to ensure the bugs still have something to eat). This recipe will get aged hops which I prefer because they're very bug-friendly. Below is the grain bill for this recipe:

9.00 # 4 oz Dingemans Belgian Pilsner
1.00 # Weyermann Cara Munich III
0.75 # Castle Aromatic
0.50 # Dingemans Special B
0.13 # Briess Midnight Wheat
28.3g Aged Hops (60 min)
1/2 t Wyeast Yeast Nutrient
0.5 tabley Whirlfloc
Wyeast 3822-PC Belgian Dark Ale yeast in a 1.2L starter (primary)
16 oz D-180 Premium Extra Dark Belgian Candi Sugar (secondary)
Wyeast 3763 Roeselare Blend (secondary)

I did a step mash of 20 minutes at 150F followed by approx 35 minutes at 158F. I don't do many step mashes but I was trying to get some unfermentable sugars in this beer so that the bugs and brett in the Roeselare will have something to work with. 90 minute boil. Primary at 70F.

Brewing Notes
No real issues to speak of except for...I forgot to use my stainless scrubby filter over my pickup tube to filter out the aged whole hops. A couple times it almost clogged but it ended up working out ok. This brew is a beautiful brownish-red color. If it ends up tasting half as good as it looks, it should be a great beer.

Update 11/3/2013
I racked this to secondary yesterday and added the Roeselare and Extra Dark Belgian Candi sugar. This beer has some nice esters going on. The acid level is really low for a sour, but it's noticeable so it would be pretty high for a clean fermentation.

Update 1/7/2015
I pulled a sample today and I really like the way it's turned out. Tartness level is towards the high end of the style, but it's lower than the first Oud Bruin. I'm hoping to bottle it this weekend.

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