Belgian tripels are one of my favorite beer styles. Their golden hue, dry finish, and subtle sweetness make them a delight to enjoy. Brewing this myself means I can always have a good tripel on hand whenever I want.
This recipe is a great starting point for crafting your own classic Belgian tripel. While there are many variations of tripels, I opted for a straightforward recipe without spices or any additional flavorings. It’s just a clean canvas for experimentation. If you’re ready to dive into brewing your own tripel, here’s my process.
Belgian tripel
Brew your own straight forward delicious tripel
Ingredients
- 5750 grams of Swaen Pilsner Malt (3.7 EBC)
- 150 grams of GoldSwaen Belge Malt (35 EBC)
- 700 grams of white sugar
- 20 grams of Magnum hops (11% alpha acid)
- 12.5 grams of Fuggles hops (4.5% alpha acid)
- Fermentis SafBrew BE-256 (Abbey Ale Yeast)
Mash schedule
- Mash Water: Use 23 liters of water for mashing and sparge with an additional 5.4 liters.
- Mash Temperature: Maintain at 65°C (149°F) for 90 minutes.
- Mash Out: Raise to 78°C (172°F) for 10 minutes.
Boil schedule
- Boil Time: 60 minutes.
- Hop Additions: 20 grams of Magnum hops at the start of the boil (60 minutes).
12.5 grams of Fuggles hops 10 minutes before the end of the boil. - Adjunct Addition: Add 700 grams of white sugar 10 minutes before the end of the boil.
I used the grains from the Swaen, a Dutch malting house. Feel free to replace them with more common options. Pilsner malt from Castle Maltings, Dingemans, or Weyermann works well. GoldSwaen Belge can be replaced by Weyermann Carabelge
Tips for success
This Belgian tripel recipe is designed to be simple yet effective. However, it’s also an excellent base for creativity. Consider adding spices such as coriander, orange peel, or experimenting with different malts like wheat, oats, or rye.
Using brewing software, such as Brewfather, can help you fine-tune the recipe to match your brewing setup and achieve better efficiency.
The end result: Well balanced Belgian tripel
If all goes well, you’ll have a golden, slightly sweet Belgian tripel with a dry finish and a notable kick from its 9.3% ABV. Perfect for sipping on special occasions or sharing with fellow beer enthusiasts.
