Squid Juice: Piraat-style tripel

This semester is seriously beating me down so I haven't had the time to make a lot of posts -- or brew, unfortunately. Since I haven't had the opportunity to do anything really exciting recently I wanted to share another recipe that I actually brewed last summer.

This is a very tasty tripel in the Piraat-style of tripel. Most people think of tripels in the Chimay-style, which is very light, highly carbed and very dry. This is undoubtedly the most common style and the most commonly replicated form. However, tripel is actually a broader category and prior to the rise of pilsner and other light lagers in the post-WW2 world, were more akin to Scotch Ales. You can find tripels that are more in this category, such as Piraat. Piraat is a darker (similar to a pale ale) tripel that features the same dryness and high carbonation but with a richer, malty flavor from specialty malts. My tripel recipe was not designed to be a Piraat-style tripel. I actually designed it to be a lighter colored Belgian Dark Strong but accidentally ended up too light and very much a tripel. If you are looking for a Chimay-style tripel, look to a different recipe.

Squid Juice:
ABV: 10.11%
IBUs 26.9
OG: 1.098
FG: 1.021
SRM: 11.3
Batch size: 3 gallons

Grist:
8lb Pilsner
6 oz Caravienne
2 oz Crystal 120L
1 oz Aromatic
1 oz Biscuit
1 oz Special B

Mash:
Triple decoction at 122F, 149F, 158F

Boil time: 90 min

Boil additions:
90 min - .75oz Hallertau; .25oz Fuggles
20 min - .25oz Hallertau; 1oz Fuggles
10 min - 1.25lb table sugar

Ferment with WLP575 for two month primary. Ferment warm to promote esters (low-mid 70Fs).

You may find the hop schedule unusual. Well, I made the recipe to be economical with having to buy some Hallertau and then dipping into my seemingly eternal Fuggles stock. You could easily go all Hallertau or maybe Hallertau for flavor and Northern Brewer for bittering.