The Brewer

Belgian Golden Strong Ale Brewing Guide: The Devil in Disguise

Belgian Golden Strong Ale: The Deceiver

It looks like a Pilsner. It drinks like a Pilsner. It is 8.5% ABV. The Belgian Golden Strong Ale, typified by the legendary Duvel (Devil), is a masterpiece of brewing engineering. The goal is to brew a beer that is incredibly strong but has the body of water. It should be effervescent, dry, and digestible.

1. Style Distinction

  • Tripel: Spicy, phenolic, slightly fuller body, often uses Trappist yeast (chimay/westmalle).
  • Golden Strong: Cleaner, fruitier (pear/apple), drier, uses specific “Duvel” yeast.

2. Ingredients

The Malt: Pilsner Only

  • Base: 100% Pilsner Malt.
  • No Crystal: Absolutely zero Crystal malt. It adds unfermentable sugars and color, both of which we hate in this style.

The Sugar: The Secret Weapon

To get to 8.5% ABV while keeping the body light, you need Sugar.

  • Amount: Up to 20% of the fermentables!
  • Type: Simple Dextrose (Corn Sugar) or Sucrose (Table Sugar). We want it to ferment out completely.

The Hops

  • Varieties: Styrian Goldings and Saaz.
  • Bitterness: Surprisingly high (30-35 IBU) to balance the alcohol sweetness.

The Yeast: The Duvel Strain

  • Strain: WLP570 (Belgian Golden Ale) / Wyeast 1388.
  • Profile: It produces a distinctive Pear ester. It is stubborn and tart.

3. The Process: Step Feeding

High gravity brewing can stress the yeast.

  • Step Feeding: Add the sugar during fermentation, not in the boil.
    1. Brew the beer with just the malt (OG ~1.055).
    2. Pitch yeast.
    3. On Day 3 of fermentation, boil the sugar in a little water, cool it, and add it. This keeps the osmotic pressure low and helps the yeast finish strong.

4. Recipe: “Lucifer’s Gold”

  • Batch Size: 5 Gallons (19 Liters)
  • OG: 1.075
  • FG: 1.006 (Bone Dry!)
  • ABV: 9.1%
  • IBU: 32
  • SRM: 3

Grain Bill

  • 5.0 kg (11 lbs) Belgian Pilsner Malt
  • 1.0 kg (2.2 lbs) Dextrose (Corn Sugar) - Step fed

Hops

  • 45g (1.5 oz) Styrian Goldings (4% AA) @ 60 min
  • 30g (1 oz) Saaz (3% AA) @ 15 min

Yeast

  • Wyeast 1388 Belgian Strong Ale (Duvel) - Make a BIG starter.

Instructions

  1. Mash: 64°C (148°F) for 90 minutes. We need maximum fermentability.
  2. Boil: 90 minutes (Pilsner malt).
  3. Ferment: Start at 18°C (64°F). Ramp slowly to 27°C (80°F) over 5 days. This yeast loves heat at the end to finish the job.
  4. Step Feed: Add sugar on Day 3.
  5. Carbonate: This style needs massive carbonation. 3.5 to 4.0 volumes. You need heavy glass bottles.

5. Serving

  • Glassware: The Tulip.
  • Pour: Slowly. The head will be rocky and massive.
  • Warning: Do not drink three of these.

Conclusion

Belgian Golden Strong Ale is the ultimate wolf in sheep’s clothing. It is elegant, refined, and incredibly dangerous.