# Dubbel / Chimay Red Clone - too much Special B?



## Adr_0 (17/10/13)

Hi guys,

There are obviously a few variations of this recipe floating around, but I've basically gone around Denny Conn's Chimaybe recipe, with the following:

67.6% Maris Otter (Thomas Fawcett)
13.5% Munich II (Weyermann)
6.8% Pale Wheat (Weyermann)
6.8% Amber Candi Syrup (80 EBC)
4.1% Special B

To 1.069

I will also add 1.4% acidulated malt as I don't want to overdo the gypsum and get too sulphatey (2.9g/kg malt). I will probably also chuck in a touch (0.5% maybe) of RB to push the colour a little darker.

Anyway, is 4% Specal B too much? I have seen a lot of resources that put it a bit lower than this, often in the 1-2% range. Will it be too much for a Chimay Red clone, and should I try to knock it back a touch?


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## slash22000 (17/10/13)

Made a beer recently with about 11% Special B. Was great. I wouldn't worry about 4%.

That said, this is a fairly well received Chimay Red recipe and it doesn't contain any Special B at all. Just throwin that out there, I've never made either recipe personally so I couldn't tell you which is closer.

The same bloke has a recipe for Chimay Blue as well if you're interested.


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## Adr_0 (17/10/13)

Cool, good to know... think I will keep it then.

Those recipes seem to be based on this:
http://www.candisyrup.com/recipes.html

as it's the company that makes the D-45, D180 etc.

You have to ask the question - if you look at those recipes - why people or breweries bother with Special B at all. Rhetorical question, but are they saying that Rochefort make their beers without it? I guess that CSI just make some great candi syrups, and they are challenging themselves to get as close to the recipes as they can using just the syrups and base malts.

I guess all candi syrups are not created equally, and not sure on the stuff I have (definitely not CSI/D-45).


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## slash22000 (17/10/13)

Yeah he owns that store. If you look through the threads though he goes to a ridiculous effort to try and clone the beers. He has a whole tasting panel etc. It's crazy.


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## mje1980 (17/10/13)

The dark candy syrups are seriously flavourful. I reckon you could make a great dubbel with just pils and the dark syrup.


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## NewtownClown (17/10/13)

I think you'll find the Abbey's use just pils and candi syrup, perhaps a touch of Munich. Special B, Aromatic and other spec grains can be used to darken the beer and add the caramel flavours if the real candi syrup can't be sourced. I read that in Graham Wheeler or Stan Hieronymous...
I personally have a love affair with Special B and love it in Belgians...


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## mje1980 (17/10/13)

Hey clown, how much percentage wise do you add to your dubbels? I like spec b but I'm careful not to add too much.


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## Adr_0 (17/10/13)

mje1980 said:


> The dark candy syrups are seriously flavourful. I reckon you could make a great dubbel with just pils and the dark syrup.





NewtownClown said:


> I think you'll find the Abbey's use just pils and candi syrup, perhaps a touch of Munich. Special B, Aromatic and other spec grains can be used to darken the beer and add the caramel flavours if the real candi syrup can't be sourced. I read that in Graham Wheeler or Stan Hieronymous...
> I personally have a love affair with Special B and love it in Belgians...


That's fascinating, there you go.

My understanding is the Trappist breweries are quite secretive about letting people in to see how they make beers. Mystique sells beer, but the reality of economics will always rule. Canned hops and candi syrup seem to be commonplace... just don't tell anyone.


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## manticle (17/10/13)

I don't think they are that secretive. Brew like a monk for example contains loads of info in regards to recipes.

It's also a furphy to suggest most/all trappists and abbeys are just pils and syrup. Some are, some aren't. Recipe in BLAM for rochefort 10 has pils, wheat starch, a belgian crystal malt and white sugar and dark syrup as well as coriander. I remember a Can you brew it episode where, after trying to clone the beer from guesses, Paxton visited the brewery and was given a recipe and mashing/brewing schedule. Very similar to what appears in BLAM.

That said, I don't think Chimay Red is super high with the spec B if it is used at all. At the end of the day, use whatever ingredients will give the flavours you are after though.


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## Adr_0 (17/10/13)

Yeah, fair call manticle.

Looks like a darker candi syrup should have been the pick. I'll have to see where to grab the CSI stuff.

I think I will dilute the grain bill a touch with some more MO and squeeze out some extra volume at the same time. I'm sure it will be delicious regardless.


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