# La Chouffe And Other Belgian Beers



## johnno (30/4/06)

I will be brewing some Belgians soon enough.

I was hoping to start with a Rochefort 8 clone.

I have some Wyeast 1762 and that is supposedly the Rochefort strain so I thought that's a good as any place to start even though I have never tasted it.

Anyway, off I went yesterday afternoon to find a Rochefort in my suburb.

First stop Dan Murphys.

I was there last about 3-4 weeks ago. I thought I had seen the Rochefort there when I picked up some Gouden Carolous.

Must have been wrong as there was none there. And it even looked like their Belgian beer selection had less variety that before.

&^^&$^%#*& yuppies have been brainwashed to drink the worst tasting crap whilst paying top dosh for it. 

Another 2 bottle shops later still no Rochefort 8.

Last place I was in had La Chouffe so I decided to get a bottle of that.

75CL is the size of the bottle.

8% Alc.

I will try to describe the tasting as accurately as I can.

Starts with a darkish golden colour.
Aroma is slightly sweet , malty. 
Bouquet is floral with nil odour as far as I can tell.
Medium to fullish mouthfeel with a crisp, bitter hoppiness.
Finish was slightly sweet with no alcohol taste.
Good carbonation overall head lasted a while in the glass but did not leave any lacing in the glass.
A very nice drop. If I had drunk it without knowing it was 8% I would not have picked it till I had a fair bit of it.

Overall it comes across as more of a session beer. This one could easily sneak up on you and give you a very decent kick if not careful.

Apparently it is also non pastuerised, bottle carbonated according to their website. So I have pinched the yeast out of it.

cheers
johnno


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## Malnourished (30/4/06)

You can't get Rochefort 8 in Melbourne, believe me I've tried. The only Rochefort available is the 10, which is available at Purvis, Cloudwine, King & Godfree, Acland Cellars at least off the top of my head.

Anyway in case you haven't seen it, click here for Herman Holtrop's renowned Rochefort 8 clone. I brewed it a while back and it still needs more time but it's pretty close, though next time I'd ditch (or at least reduce) the CaraFa.


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## johnno (30/4/06)

Thanks Malnourished.

Suppose I will have to try the 10 and see how it goes.


cheers
johnno


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## neonmeate (30/4/06)

rochefort and la chouffe are both fucken excellent.


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## Stuster (30/4/06)

Nice article Malnourished. Maybe a beer to brew soon. :chug: 

Cheers


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## bindi (30/4/06)

Anyway in case you haven't seen it, click here for 
[/quote]
THANK YOU, always looking for a Belgian to try.
 next?


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## mhan7073 (30/4/06)

The three best belgians I've had so far are triple karmeliert, delirium tremens and chimay grand reserve (blue). The triple I first tried in ypres when I was sixteen- gotta love their drinking ages. The delirium has the best bottle design, and a cool name (latin for dellusional shaking), and tastes great. If you buy the chimay grand reserve (750ml for 18 bucks is about right), just think you're buying a bottle of wine and you won't even realise you just bought a bottle of beer for the price of a sixpack (mind you it is almost as strong as a sixpack so it kinda works out.) I've got to try the other chimays. Avoid leffe (anything) it tastes like someones blown smoke in your face.

Michael


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## warrenlw63 (30/4/06)

Johnno.

If you want La Chouffe yeast try Wyeast 3522 Belgian Ardennes... Same! Same! :beerbang: 

You should be able to find Rochefort at Acland St. Cellars.

Warren -


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## razz (30/4/06)

neonmeate said:


> rochefort and la chouffe are both fucken excellent.
> [post="123486"][/post]​


Tell us how you really feel Neonmate ! :lol:


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## Mr Bond (30/4/06)

Malnourished you are the man.
Top link, you obviously ferret(google) around the web a bit.

As for that blog, see what can happen when beer geeks unite in the name of research. :beer:


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## monkale (30/4/06)

well up here on good old queensland First choice liquer has both the 8 and the 10 as well as one of the best sources of fine belgian beers I have seen and the chimay grand reserve 750ml is $14.95 that is price of the one I drank yesterday :beerbang:


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## Ross (1/5/06)

monkale said:


> well up here on good old queensland First choice liquer has both the 8 and the 10 as well as one of the best sources of fine belgian beers I have seen and the chimay grand reserve 750ml is $14.95 that is price of the one I drank yesterday :beerbang:
> [post="123520"][/post]​



Where is the store Monkale?
Great link Malnourished, may have decided my first foray into Belgian beers (wits excluded)

cheers Ross


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## berapnopod (1/5/06)

La Chouffe is one of my all time favourites. I've been trying to replicate it for some years. Here's what I have found works pretty well:

OG=1.080
FG=1.020
ABV=8.0%
100% pilsner malt for grist with single step infusion at 65C for 60 minutes.
Hops are a mixture of Saaz and Goldings bittered to about 25IBUs
As previously mentioned, WYeast 3522 is the same as the La Chouffe strain. White Labs also have it (WLP550). I have also had good results with culturing the yeast out of the bottle.

Extras: La Chouffe use candi sugar in the boil, about a kilo's worth in a 20 litre batch, and they use coriander seeds at the end of the boil. Maybe 15 grams per 20 litres.

Ferment at 26C.

I wrote up my recipe once for a homebrew club in Boston, and you can find the details in this pdf file. Sorry about the non-SI units.

Berp.


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## monkale (1/5/06)

Hey Ross first choice are at maroochydoor and chancilerpark on the sun shine coast they are a big chain and should be in most major areas they bought out Theos. but they have the best beer range that I have seen its like a big barn any bottle shopp that has shopping trollys must be good. they might even have a web sight :beer:


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## warrenlw63 (1/5/06)

Here's a Promash printout of a Rochefort clone, most probably based on the one going aorund. Haven't made it yet, however this thread may force me to get my arse into gear.  

Hope this helps ... For 23 litres.

Rochefort Clone

A ProMash Recipe Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

18-E Belgian Strong Ale, Belgian Dark Strong Ale

Min OG: 1.075 Max OG: 1.132
Min IBU: 15 Max IBU: 35
Min Clr: 36 Max Clr: 52 Color in EBC

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (L): 23.00 Wort Size (L): 23.00
Total Grain (kg): 7.59
Anticipated OG: 1.080 Plato: 19.44
Anticipated EBC: 69.5
Anticipated IBU: 32.1
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate: 15.00 Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 29.68 L
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.062 SG 15.29 Plato


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential EBC
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.3 0.40 kg. Candi Sugar (dark) Generic 1.046 500
2.6 0.20 kg. Flaked Corn (Maize) America 1.040 0
2.6 0.20 kg. Weyermann Caraaroma Germany 1.034 470
1.2 0.09 kg. Weyermann Carafa Special I Germany 1.036 800
9.2 0.70 kg. Weyermann Caramunich I Germany 1.036 133
79.1 6.00 kg. Weyermann Pilsner Germany 1.038 4

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
45.00 g. Styrian Goldings Pellet 4.50 26.8 75 min.
15.00 g. Hallertau Hersbrucker Pellet 4.20 4.0 30 min.
15.00 g. Hallertau Hersbrucker Pellet 4.20 1.3 5 min.


Extras

Amount Name Type Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.00 gm Corriander Seed Spice 5 Min.(boil) 


Yeast
-----

WYeast 1762 Belgian Abbey II


Warren -


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## Malnourished (1/5/06)

monkale said:


> Hey Ross first choice are at maroochydoor and chancilerpark on the sun shine coast they are a big chain and should be in most major areas they bought out Theos. but they have the best beer range that I have seen its like a big barn any bottle shopp that has shopping trollys must be good. they might even have a web sight :beer:


Pardon my doubting nature, but are you sure that a large chain store has Rochefort 8? Is there any chance you could pass on the importer's details (should be on the bottle somewhere)? Ta.


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## schoey (1/5/06)

1st choice has a website and a couple of locations in brissy. 

Locations are here.


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## Ross (1/5/06)

Malnourished said:


> Pardon my doubting nature, but are you sure that a large chain store has Rochefort 8? Is there any chance you could pass on the importer's details (should be on the bottle somewhere)? Ta.
> [post="123560"][/post]​



Malnourished,

I popped into the local one here this morning to try & buy some, but only the 10 on sale. Looks like most of their imports come from B.I.D. (Beer Import Distributation) in Sydney.

Cheers Ross


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## sinkas (4/5/06)

Has anyone tried the "McChouff" scotch ale?

I dont know if I was having a bad day, but I tried it a few weeks back, and thought it was really quite average.


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## warrenlw63 (4/5/06)

Sinkas

You were either having a bad day or copped an old batch?

I rather like McChouffe which is basically LaChouffe with a good helping of Dark sugar or syrup.  

Trick is don't open this expecting a Scottish Ale in the stylistic sense. This will lead to disappointment. In reality it's a Belgian Dark Strong Ale and in good form a very nice one. :beerbang: 

Warren -


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## NRB (7/5/06)

I'm always a sucker for good beer and whilst visiting First Choice today I had my arm twisted.

I'm going to head out to Purvis later this afternoon - I'm actually craving Tripel Karmeliet right now, along with some other English strong ales. I must get my butt into gear and brew some English beers as I've never done one.


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## Malnourished (20/7/06)

johnno said:


> Another 2 bottle shops later still no Rochefort 8.


Happy days! :beer: 

Rochefort 8 is now available at Cloud Wine. I'm not sure how much is left at the South Melbourne store though, some shady malnourished-looking guy bought all the stock on the shelves.


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## MObeer (20/7/06)

And, has the LaChouffe been brewn? Or the R'fort 8 (indeed the recipe from my good friend Herman Holtrop is excellent!). My advise: use 15% of sugar in the malt bill for the LaChouffe. Final gravity of the original is 1010, so don't start higher than 1067. Same goes for the R'fort 8: use a lot of suger to reach the FG of 1006.


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## kook (20/7/06)

If you like La Chouffe, then one brew worth hunting down (hell, worth trading for with people if need be) is Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel  

I'd love to see a recipe for it


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## johnno (20/7/06)

Malnourished said:


> johnno said:
> 
> 
> > Another 2 bottle shops later still no Rochefort 8.
> ...



Thanks for the tip Malnourished. I just got back from the Camberwell store. Picked up 2 Stubbies. There are 4 more there if anyone else wants some.

They have a pretty good range of beer.

Finally, I get to try it and compare it to my clone. woohoo




MObeer said:


> And, has the LaChouffe been brewn? Or the R'fort 8 (indeed the recipe from my good friend Herman Holtrop is excellent!). My advise: use 15% of sugar in the malt bill for the LaChouffe. Final gravity of the original is 1010, so don't start higher than 1067. Same goes for the R'fort 8: use a lot of suger to reach the FG of 1006.



Nice brewery MObeer!

Have not attempted a LaChouffe yet. My Rochefort 8 clone started at 1087 and got down to 1018.

cheers
johnno


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## bconnery (20/7/06)

LaChouffe? Rochefort 8? How about some recipes on the site for stabs at these wonderful brews? 

Please?


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## Stuster (21/7/06)

bconnery

Have a look earlier in the thread for several recipes.


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## neonmeate (21/7/06)

kook said:


> If you like La Chouffe, then one brew worth hunting down (hell, worth trading for with people if need be) is Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel
> 
> I'd love to see a recipe for it



well since we can't get it here i might just have to make it myself. fortunately plenty of details are available for the slavishly imitative homebrewer:
http://www.bunitedint.com/Products/achouff...on_chouffe.html

with that OG and ABV the FG would be something like 1020 which seems to indicate all malt.
just need tomahawk (which = columbus?), amarillo and saaz, Ardennes yeast, and you're off and away.


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## bconnery (21/7/06)

Stuster said:


> bconnery
> 
> Have a look earlier in the thread for several recipes.



And so I did, awesome!

Still, perhaps in the recipe section for ease of access?

I normally trawl all over for these things but this site is making me lazy...


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