Belgian Tripel with N.Z. Hops

Happy 1st Birthday to LPDML!

I've been impatiently waiting for our 11th batch of beer to mellow.  At 9.7% ABV and with a lot of ester formation from fermenting at high temperatures, this beer certainly needed the time to come together.  Alas, after 7 weeks, it seems as though it has arrived at it's baseline.  It has aged enough to come together but still has a chance to mature further.

We wanted to brew a traditional Belgian Tripel, but spike it with fruity New Zealand hops instead of the traditional German or English varieties.  The grain bill was kept simple, with Pilsner malt as the base, a touch of Biscuit and Aromatic for color and complexity and three pounds of clear Belgian Candi Sugar for alcohol and an authentic dryness.  We used a combination of Pacifica and Motueka for bittering and flavor, and Nelson Sauvin for aroma and dry hop.  We selected a highly flocculant and fruity Belgian yeast strain, Wyeast Ardennes 3522, to produce a clear beer with a flavor complementary to the hops.  The beer was fermented very warm, and left to age for a month before bottling.

Beer Name: N.Z. Hopped Tripel
Style: Belgian Tripel
OG: 1.060 (1.081)
FG: 1.008
ABV: 9.7%
IBUS: 32

Grains:
10 lbs Pilsner Malt
1 lb CaraPils Malt
8 oz Aromatic Malt
8 oz Biscuit Malt

In the Boil:
.33 oz NZ Pacifica Hops @ 60 Minutes
.33 oz NZ Motueka Hops @ 60 Minutes
.33 oz NZ Pacifica Hops @ 30 Minutes
.33 oz NZ Motueka Hops @ 30 Minutes
.33 oz NZ Pacifica Hops @ 15 Minutes
.33 oz NZ Motueka Hops @ 15 Minutes
1 tsp Wyeast Yeast Nutrient @ 15 Minutes
1 tsp Irish Moss @ 15 Minutes
.5 oz NZ Nelson Sauvin Hops @ 5 Minutes

Fermentation:
Wyeast 3522 Belgian Ardennes Yeast in primary
3 lbs Belgian Clear Candi Sugar in Primary
Dry hopped with .5 oz Nelson Sauvin Hops in secondary
Primed with 7.4 oz Light Golden DME

Brew Notes:
19/06/13: Brewed
Single infusion mash @ 151F
Added hops too early, removed bag after 45 minutes, boiled for 15 minutes and then replaced and added 15 minute additions as well
Missed boil off volume by 2 quarts
OG 1.060, instead of 1.066 due to underboil
Added an additional lb of candi sugar to fermenter to compensate
Fermented in reflectix and sleeping bag
21/06/13: Krausen falling, added .75 lb of Candi Sugar
22/06/13 AM: Krausen falling, added 1.25 lbs Candi Sugar
22/06/13 PM: High krausen, added 1 lb Candi Sugar
30/06/13: SG of 1.008.  Quite alcoholic
02/07/13:  SG of 1.008, racked to secondary
16/07/13: SG of 1.008, bottled

Tasting Notes:
03/08/13: Still very flat and a touch sweet
19/08/13: Mostly carbonated, a hint of residual sugar, needs time
04/09/13: Pours a clear medium yellow color with a three finger white head that leaves a touch of lace.  Slightly spicy with some fruit on the nose, ripe pear, grape, golden raisin, bubble gum and a hint of clove and ginger.  Dry, yet somehow creamy on the palate with a medium body and full carbonation.  Finish is long with layers of clean malt and hop bitterness.

Overall, I really like the way this beer came out.  A higher pitch rate might have yielded a more complex yeast profile which would certainly be an improvement.  I think I would tone down the Candi Sugar in the next batch and add more malt for a bit more grain flavor and residual sugar.  I'd also like to try the new 5L Candi Sugar instead of the 0L for a more caramelized flavor and richer color.  A touch more hop bitterness would add welcomed dimension; more aroma/dry hop could be added for a 'New Zealand Hopped Belgian India Pale Ale' of sorts.  All in all a good first attempt at a Tripel, I will certainly be referring back to this recipe for next time.