want to brew a belgian but have no idea

[Deebee]

Hi,
i have been tempted to brew a dubbel for a while but never known where to start.

The brewferm kits look an interesting way to go but are expensive.

I do know however that lots of you brew belgian dubbels so am interested in whether some of you are willing to shre a tried and tested recipe with me.. say for 20 litres.

I have now gotten a mill so can buy what i need from almost anywhere and crush it myself.

Also advice on starter size and fermentation temperatures please gents.
thanks

[Swiller]

Dunno if this is any use to you,I have made this one twice now use the metric measures
as the other is US measures. Also I don't use pear flavouring.

Duvel




Moortgat Brewery, Village of Breendonk in Flanders, Belgium




Duvel (Devil) is Belgium's best selling beer. It has a yeast and pear aroma with a complex flavor of malt and hops. This pale colored classic finishes dry and aromatic.





Yield: 5 gallons (18.9 L)




Final gravity: 1.012-1.015




SRM 5





Original gravity: 1.079-1.082




IBU 31




8.5% alcohol by volume







Crush and steep in 150°F (65.5°C) water for 20 minutes:




½ lb. (.23 kg) 2.5°L German light crystal malt
4 oz. (113 g) Belgian aromatic malt




Alternate Methods





Mini-mash Method: Mash 3.25 lb. (1.5 kg) Belgian 2-row Pilsner malt and the specialty grains at 150°F (65.5°C) for 90 minutes. Then follow the extract recipe omitting 2.5 lb. (1.1 kg) DME at the beginning of the boil.





All-grain Method: Mash 9.75 lb. (4.4 kg) Belgian 2-row Pilsner malt with the specialty grains at 150°F (65.5°C) for 90 minutes. Add 6 HBU (40% less than the extract recipe) of bittering hops, the candi sugar, and the corn sugar for 90 minutes of the boil. Add the flavor hops and Irish moss for the last 15 minutes of the boil and the aroma hops for the last 3 minutes.






Strain the grain water into your brew pot. Sparge the grains with ½ gallon (1.9 L) water at 150°F (65.5°C). Add water to the brew pot for 1.5 gallons (5.7 L) total volume. Bring the water to a boil and add:




6.5 lb. (3 kg) M&F extra-light DME
1 lb. (.45 kg) Belgian clear candi sugar
1.33 lb. (.7 kg) corn sugar
2 oz. (57 g) Styrian Goldings @ 5% AA (10 HBU)
(bittering hop)




Add water until total volume in the brew pot is 2.5 gallons (9 L). Boil for 45 minutes then add:




½ oz. (14 g) Styrian Goldings (flavor hop)
½ oz. Czech Saaz (flavor hop)
1 tsp. (5 ml) Irish moss




Boil for 12 minutes then add:




½ oz. (14 g) Styrian Goldings (aroma hop)




Boil for 3 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes. Strain the cooled wort into the primary fermenter and add cold water to obtain 5 gallons (18.9 L). When the wort temperature is under 80°F (26.6°C), pitch yeast.




Recultured yeast from Duvel bottle
(Ferment at 70-75°F [21-24°C])




Ferment in the primary fermenter 5-7 days, then siphon into the secondary fermenter. Add:




1 lb. (.45 kg) corn sugar boiled in 1 pint (460 ml) water
1 oz. (28 g) of pear flavoring




When fermentation is complete cold condition at 35°F (1.6°C) for 4 weeks then bottle with:




¾ cup (180 ml) corn sugar




Mature in bottles for 5 weeks at about 70°F (21.1°C).

[Barley Water]

I have been playing with dubbels for a while now and I finally got something that tastes pretty good (at least to me). Basicly, get hold of Jamil's recipe, you will be very close to the mark if you do that one. One thing different I have been doing is adding raisins to mine, about 6 ounces for a 5 gallon batch. I am looking for a very "rummy" flavor with dark fruit overtones and the raisins really help there. I am also using WLP500 which is the Chimay yeast, it is very fruity and you end with with quite a bit of bananna if you are not careful (which is a flaw by the way). That stuff in not the cheapest beer to make however because you really need some of that Belgian liquid candi sugar and they are pretty proud of it if you know what I mean. Fortunately, I won some at a recent brew club meeting so I have to get off my fat butt and brew up a batch. This is the time of year I do all my specialty stuff, I have alot of normal strenght beer for the keggarator since I was brewing for a contest that just got judged this last weekend so I am not worried about running out of beer. Anyhow I would like to brew a Saison (with brett), at least a couple of Belgian abbey biers (maybe a double and a triple) and perhaps a Berliner Wiess, all that should keep me out of trouble for awhile. Of couse, Octoberfest will be here before we know it, there are so many beers to make and so little time (and cold storage space).

[jmc]

Hi,
i have been tempted to brew a dubbel for a while but never known where to start.

The brewferm kits look an interesting way to go but are expensive.

I do know however that lots of you brew belgian dubbels so am interested in whether some of you are willing to shre a tried and tested recipe with me.. say for 20 litres.

I have now gotten a mill so can buy what i need from almost anywhere and crush it myself.

Also advice on starter size and fermentation temperatures please gents.
thanks

I'd thoroughly recommend the book Brew Like a Monk. Great for ideas and recipies

This is the recipe I used in late March this year.
Samples now are going down very well.

Malts etc from The Malt Miller
Home made Candy Sugar. Not too hard to make.
I used Chimay Yeast harvested from 1or 2 bottles (cant remember) of Chimay Red
I initially did a weaker Abbey Beer 5% to grow yeast then used yeast cake for Chimay clone

I ended up with lower than target OG 1061. It went down to FG 1010 so 6.9% ABV in the end

For 23L

Fermentable Colour lb: oz Grams Ratio
Pale Ale Malt Dingermans 9 EBC 11 lbs. 0.4 oz 5000 grams 72.7%
Belgian Candy Sugar 65 EBC 1 lbs. 5.1 oz 600 grams 8.7%
Aromatic Malt Dingemans 50 EBC 0 lbs. 8.8 oz 250 grams 3.6%
Cara Munich Type 2 Weyerm 120 EBC 0 lbs. 11.6 oz 330 grams 4.8%
Special B Dingermans 300 EBC 0 lbs. 3.5 oz 100 grams 1.5%
Wheat Malt 3.5 EBC 1 lbs. 5.1 oz 600 grams 8.7%

Hop Variety Type Alpha Time lb: oz grams Ratio
Tettnang Whole 4.3 % 90 mins 0 lbs. 1.9 oz 54 grams 76.1%
Styrian Goldings Whole 4.5 % 15 mins 0 lbs. 0.3 oz 9 grams 11.9%
Saaz Whole 3.3 % 15 mins 0 lbs. 0.3 oz 9 grams 11.9%

Final Volume: 23 Litres
Original Gravity: 1.071
Final Gravity: 1.012
Alcohol Content: 7.7% ABV
Total Liquor: 37.2 Litres
Mash Liquor: 15.7 Litres
Mash Efficiency: 75 %
Bitterness: 23.7 EBU
Colour: 59 EBC

[Deebee]

thanks for the replies.
I have come across another dubbel recipe, but even with my very limited knowledge of belgian ales it looks wrong.
It is as follows for a 23 l brew.

4950 g belgian pilsen malt
375 g belgian biscuit malt
275 g belgian aromatic malt.
Yeast either s 33 , wlp 500 or wyeast 1214.
Shouldn't a dubbel have candy sugar in it? Hops are northern brewer or northdown to 21 ibu
Can anyone give any comments?
Again thanks.

[jmc]

thanks for the replies.
I have come across another dubbel recipe, but even with my very limited knowledge of belgian ales it looks wrong.
It is as follows for a 23 l brew.

4950 g belgian pilsen malt
375 g belgian biscuit malt
275 g belgian aromatic malt.
Yeast either s 33 , wlp 500 or wyeast 1214.
Shouldn't a dubbel have candy sugar in it? Hops are northern brewer or northdown to 21 ibu
Can anyone give any comments?
Again thanks.

I think that may be a bit low compared to typical dubbel strength. Recipe also seems a bit low in 'maltiness'
Special B gives a distinctive Belgian malty flavour.
10-15% Candi sugar will up strength and make it more 'digestible' i.e. less cloying.
Northdown may be a bit harsh. Might be safer to stick to 'noble' hops and styrians
BTW: I'm no expert, I've only done a few Belgian brews.

For chapter & verse read
Brew Like a Monk


Stan Hieronymus Blog

[Deebee]

thanks for the replies.
I have come across another dubbel recipe, but even with my very limited knowledge of belgian ales it looks wrong.
It is as follows for a 23 l brew.

4950 g belgian pilsen malt
375 g belgian biscuit malt
275 g belgian aromatic malt.
Yeast either s 33 , wlp 500 or wyeast 1214.
Shouldn't a dubbel have candy sugar in it? Hops are northern brewer or northdown to 21 ibu
Can anyone give any comments?
Again thanks.

I think that may be a bit low compared to typical dubbel strength. Recipe also seems a bit low in 'maltiness'
Special B gives a distinctive Belgian malty flavour.
10-15% Candi sugar will up strength and make it more 'digestible' i.e. less cloying.
Northdown may be a bit harsh. Might be safer to stick to 'noble' hops and styrians
BTW: I'm no expert, I've only done a few Belgian brews.

For chapter & verse read
Brew Like a Monk


Stan Hieronymus Blog

Thanks very much. I have just order the book from fleabay.

in the meantime i have come across this recipe.

any thoughts on this. i am a little unsure as to how high to set the IBU or what is really classified as nobel hops though so once again thoughts are much appreciated. This recipe uses WYEAST 1214 but i would obviously change that if it is the general view.

Here we go again.

Amount Item Type % or IBU
6297,84 gm Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (3,9 EBC) Grain 83,16 %
594,59 gm Caramunich Malt (110,3 EBC) Grain 7,85 %
140,54 gm Special B Malt (354,6 EBC) Grain 1,86 %
23,67 gm Northern brewer [8,50 %] (60 min) Hops 18,4 IBU
14,89 gm Styrian Goldings [5,40 %] (15 min) Hops 3,6 IBU
540,54 gm Candi Sugar, Clear (1,0 EBC) Sugar 7,14 % ( when is this added+ is the hard stuff best when mixed with wort or should i use the caramel)??

1 Pkgs Trappist Ale (White Labs #WLP500) Yeast-Ale

I have also been told that many people add table sugar about half way through the ferment to help the yeast? any thoughts as to how much etc?

[Lewy]

Don't know if this helps but there is some great advice here from lancsteve and Barley Water on Belgians after I posed a similar question;
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=41204
Following their sage advice I finally got round to brewing one on Sat, 4000g Pale, 150g Biscuit (both Dingemans), 700g sugar, 50g Celeia (start), 50g Saaz (10mins) plsu 5g coriander. Used WLP500, which took 30hrs to show any sign of life after pitching, freaking me out a bit. Haven't done a write-up yet as want to make sure this one goes smoothly first...
Cheers,
Lewy

[jmc]

Hi Dave

I believe sugars are added to help reduce FG of Belgian brews, so they taste less sweet & are less cloying / more 'digestible'
They are added later so that yeast forced to do all work on heavy initial malt-load first before eating the easy stuff/ sugars.

I think all your questions will be answered with some research of other posts on the forum.
I'd recommend the following:

AG#27 - Strong Dark Belgian Ale - With Pics (Chimay Yeast)

Chill Dubbel / Chimay Red clone in Secondary?

Ca Plane Belgian Abbey Singel

Externally
Wikipedia - Noble Hops (Hallertau, Tettnanger, Spalt, and Saaz)

ATB John