If you have brewed a few batches already and want to try Belgian Tripel, this is a straightforward, all-grain route to it. The backbone is Belgian Pilsner malt, with Saaz 4.2% doing most of the work in the boil.
Recipe at a Glance
Recipe at a Glance
| Style | Belgian Tripel |
| Batch Size | 5 gallons (19L) |
| Boil Time | 60-90 minutes |
| Original Gravity | 1.070-1.095 |
| Final Gravity | 1.008-1.016 |
| ABV | 7.5-10.5% |
| IBU | 20-35 |
| SRM | 4-18 (pale gold to amber) |
| Difficulty | Advanced (yeast-driven) |
Brew Day, Step by Step
|
1
|
Mash · ~60 min Mash the grain bill, led by Belgian Pilsner malt, at a steady temperature to build the fermentable sugars this style needs. Sparge slowly so you do not lose efficiency. |
|
2
|
Boil · ~60-90 min Bring the wort to a boil and work through the hop schedule, starting with Saaz 4.2%. This is also where you will add any fining agent for a clearer finished beer. |
|
3
|
Ferment · 24C (75F) Pitch Wyeast 1388 Belgian Strong Ale once the wort has cooled to fermentation temperature and hold it steady. Primary fermentation is the most active week, do not rush it. |
|
4
|
Condition · 11 weeks at 12C (54F) Rack to secondary (or leave in primary if your recipe calls for it) and let the beer round out at a cool, steady temperature. This step does more for the final flavor than people expect. |
|
5
|
Package · 1 day, then wait Bottle or keg once gravity has held steady for a few days in a row. Give it time to carbonate and, for bigger styles, additional time to mellow before your first taste. |
That’s the shape of brew day and the weeks after it. For the exact grain bill, hop schedule, and full step-by-step instructions with amounts, use the recipe card below.
What You Will Need
Sourcing your own ingredients locally is always fine, but if you want to skip a homebrew store trip, here is what’s in stock in our shop right now:
- Base and specialty grain: Grains & Adjuncts (e.g. Briess BJ-5U8M-8RRM Chocolate Malt 1 lb., Brown)
- Bittering and aroma hops: Brewing Hops (e.g. Magnum Hop Pellets 1 oz)
- Yeast: Brewing Yeast (e.g. Safbrew T-58 (3 Count 11.5 g Packs))
- Secondary fermenter for conditioning: Fermenters & Carboys (e.g. FASTFERMENT Floor Stand for FastFerment 7.9 Gallon Conical Fermenter)
- Priming sugar for bottling: Priming Sugar (e.g. Mr Beer Homebrewing Carbonation Drops)
- General kit and tools: Homebrew Equipment (e.g. Monster Brew Home Brewing Supplies Home Brew Ohio Complete Beer Equi)
- Pour it right when it’s ready: a tulip glass shows off the color and holds the aroma better than a straight pint glass
Serve It Right
|
A Belgian Tripel is best served in a tulip or goblet, it fits the body and carbonation of this style better than a straight pint glass. Here is one from our shop: |
Ingredients & Gear for This Batch
Grain / Adjuncts |
Hops |
Yeast |
Fermenter |
Priming Sugar |
Equipment Monster Brew Home Brewing Supplies Home Brew Ohio Complete Beer Equi |
Full Recipe: Grain Bill, Hops, and Instructions
Belgian Tripel
Equipment
- 1 Mash tun
- 1 Kettle
- 1 Fermentation vessel
- 1 Secondary fermenter
- 1 Airlock and stopper
- 1 Thermometer
- 1 Hydrometer
- 1 Auto-siphon and tubing
- 1 Bottling bucket
- 1 Bottle capper
- 1 Bottles and caps
- 1 Cleaning and sanitizing solution
Ingredients
For the Mash – Liquor 16.3 Litres (28⅔ Pints) – Mash Time 1 hr – Temperature 65°c/149 °F
- 14 lb Belgian Pilsner malt Quantity 6.3kg
- 9 oz Caramunich I malt Quantity 250g
For the Boil – 27 Litres (47½ Pints) – Boil Time 1 hr – 10 mins
- 1¾ oz (Hops) Saaz 4.2% When to add – At start of boil (IBU 18.6)
- 1¾ oz (Hops) Styrian Golding 5.5% When to add – For last 15 mins of boil (IBU 11.7)
- 1 tsp Protofloc Other – When to add – For last 15 mins of boil
- 2¼ lb Belgian light candi crystals Other – When to add – For last 5 mins of boil
To Ferment – 24°C (75°F) – Conditioning 11 weeks at 12°C (54°F)
- 1 Wyeast 1388 Belgian Strong Ale
Instructions
- Heat 16.3 liters (28 2/3 pints) of water in a mash tun to a temperature of 65°C/149°F.
- Add 14 lbs of Belgian Pilsner malt and 9 oz of Caramunich I malt to the mash tun and stir to ensure that all of the grains are thoroughly wetted.
- Allow the mash to sit for 1 hour, maintaining the temperature at 65°C/149°F.
- After 1 hour, drain the liquid (called wort) from the mash tun into a kettle.
- In the kettle, add 1 3/4 oz of Saaz hops and bring the wort to a boil.
- Boil the wort for 1 hour, adding 1 tsp of Protofloc at the 15 minute mark.
- After 45 minutes of boiling, add 1 3/4 oz of Styrian Golding hops to the kettle.
- After 55 minutes of boiling, add 2 1/4 lbs of Belgian light candi crystals to the kettle.
- Boil for another 5 minutes.
- After boiling is complete, cool the wort to 24°C/75°F.
- Transfer the cooled wort to a fermentation vessel and add 1 packet of Wyeast 1388 Belgian Strong Ale yeast.
- Ferment the beer at 24°C/75°F for 28 days.
- After 28 days, transfer the beer to a secondary fermenter and condition for 11 weeks at 12°C/54°F.
- After 11 weeks, the beer should be ready to drink.
Get the fermentation temperature right on Belgian Tripel and most of the rest of the process takes care of itself.
What Makes Belgian Tripel the Style It Is
Belgian Tripel sits in a well-established style family, and the version most homebrewers land on today reflects decades of small adjustments by brewers chasing balance rather than novelty.
Expect a beer that leans on belgian pilsner malt and saaz 4.2% once it is finished conditioning. Wyeast 1388 Belgian Strong Ale is the yeast strain behind that profile, so keep an eye on your fermentation temperature.
Style Characteristics at a Glance
- ABV: 7.5-10.5%
- Bitterness: 20-35 IBU
- Color: 4-18 (pale gold to amber)
- Serving temp: 45-50F (7-10C)
- Glassware: a tulip or goblet
- Food pairings: mussels, soft cheese, spiced desserts
Common Questions
Why does fermentation temperature matter so much here?
Belgian yeast strains produce a lot of their signature fruit and spice character based on how warm they run. A few degrees can be the difference between a balanced beer and one that tastes like bubblegum.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes, the grain bill and hop schedule scale linearly with batch size. Just make sure your equipment, mash tun and boil kettle both, can actually handle the volume you are scaling to.
What is the biggest mistake homebrewers make with this style?
Rushing the schedule. Pulling a beer off yeast too early or skipping conditioning time is the most common way to shortchange a recipe like this one.
Can I substitute a different yeast strain?
You can, but expect the flavor profile to shift. Stick close to the same yeast family (English ale, American ale, Belgian, lager, etc.) if you want a result close to what this recipe is aiming for.
Keep Exploring
Once you have this one down, here are a few more homebrew recipes worth trying next:
Browse the full homebrew recipe collection for more styles, or if you are just getting into the hobby, start with one of our homebrewing starter kits for new brewers.
This recipe is for adults of legal drinking age. Please brew and drink responsibly, and always sanitize your equipment thoroughly to avoid infection.
