Father Stimulo’s Slightly Mad Monk – Abbey Single Ale

Inspired by my Saison Noire and Christmas labels, I coaxed my Father-in-Law into posing as a Trappist Monk for this unusual Abbey Single Ale.  He’s wearing one of the nephew’s Halloween costumes.  My Sister-in-Law shot the picture.  He kind of reminds me of the copy of a copy of a copy clone in Harold Ramis’ film Multiplicity – Michael Keaton’s character duplicates himself until the last copy can only utter words about pizza.

The beer is a clone of Witkap Pater’s Abbey Single, known in Belgium as “Stimulo”.  As far as I know, Witkap Pater is the only Belgian Single available in the U.S.  I liked the simple, golden, spicy and low alcohol characteristics of this style, so I thought I’d give it a try.  Here’s the recipe:

• 6 oz. pale DME (starter)
• 6.6 lbs. Pilsner LME
• 8 oz. sucrose
• 2 oz. Styrian Goldings 2.9% AAU (bittering)
• 1/4 oz. Saaz, 1/2 oz. bitter orange peel, 1/2 oz. coriander, 1/2 of a medium lemon (zest only) (flavoring)
• 1/4 oz. Saaz, 1/2 oz. fresh orange peel, 1/2 medium lemon (aroma phase)
• Wyeast 1762 Belgian Abbey II yeast (Rochefort Abbey)

Fermented at 65° for a week, then added 1 lb. sucrose and additional pack of 1762 and bumped the vessel up to 72° to try to get more ‘funk’.  Next time I would just start the ferment at 68 and let it rise naturally.  Let it lager at 32° for a month to clear and because I wanted a clean, lager-like finish.  Still too sweet at bottling, but hoping it will dry out during the conditioning process (the Belgians usually do for me).  Bottled with 5 oz. corn sugar and 2 oz. sucrose in attempt to achieve Belgian-like high carbonation levels.  Bottled May 2009.