# Leffe Brune Recipe



## ForkBoy (2/5/07)

Hi, 

Wondering if anyone could offer a starting point for a belgian style brown ale like Leffe Brune - one of my favourite brews from my trip to Belgium last year (on tap!)

found this after a quick google at what looks like a beer merchant - no idea how accurate it is:


Pouring Instructions
1. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours to an ideal temperature of 3-5c
2. Serve in a chilled branded glass
3. Pour into the chilled glass, at an angle, to allow foam to fully develop

Description
Full-bodied, slightly fruity, with a hint of apple

Ingredients
Spring water
Malted barley and corn
Roasted barley
Aromatic malt (special germination and kilning regime)
Unique Leffe yeast (top fermented ale yeast)
Hops

Brewing process
Top fermented at 18c25c for several days
15.6 degree Plato
6.5% alcohol by volume
CO2 saturation: 6.3g CO2/L
Colour:
Dark autumn brown (60 EBC)
Bitterness: 30 EBU


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## Aussie Claret (3/5/07)

ForkBoy,
Sorry can't help with the recipe but I concurr this is a great beer, I presume that the yeast is critical.
Looking forward to other responses regarding the recipe.
AC


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## DJR (3/5/07)

From reading some stuff about Leffe Blonde and assuming they use the same yeast in both, you should try Wyeast 1762 Abbey Ale II. I don't think you can get exactly the same yeast but you could get close.

Other than that leave the corn out (yecch, just use cane sugar), use some roast barley and use some Melanoidin in place of the "aromatic" malt. Not sure about hops, maybe Styrian Goldings or something british like Challenger?

There is an interesting thread about a Leffe Blonde clone at http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...?showtopic=3539 maybe just add some roast barley and up the dark malts


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## Chris (3/5/07)

They have this on tap at the Belgian Beer Bar here in Adelaide.
On their beer menu it says it uses Dark Sugar (not sure what kind). Maybe a bit of Dark Candi.
From looking at the ingredients listed Im not convinced the Aromatic (melanoidin) or roast barley would give the distinctive burt sugar taste.

Ive been meaning to get around to making my own clone of this fantastic beer, to the point where I have home made Amber and Dark rock candi in my freezer.


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## Chris (3/5/07)

Seems I may be wrong.
From here; http://www.belgian-beer-cafe.com.au/default.asp?id=17

Leffe Brune (Dark) 250ml $6.70
Almost black robe, perfectly balanced taste, sweet and bitter, with an after taste of coffee. Leffe dark, also an authentic abbey beer, is brewed with roasted malts to provide its full bodied, slightly fruity taste and its rich deep brown colour. Both Leffe blonde and dark are served with a creamy head in a chalice-type glass, thus continuing the traditions of the abbey monks. Alc.Vol.6.5% 

Then I checked BBB adelaide;

Leffe Brune is 50% more bitter than Leffe Blond but has the same alcohol content. The bitterness is balanced by the brown sugar sweetness of the roasted barley. The rich aroma of roasted caramel matches the strong, bitter roundness of the beer. 
Taste and aroma: - Full bodied, slightly fruity with a hint of apple. This fantastic combination of sweetness and piquancy makes Leffe Brune an excellent accompaniment for country dishes, which are typically sweet and sour. The equivalent wine is a great red Burgundy.

Appearance:- Dark autumn brown.

6.5 % alc/vol 250ml

Facts:- Leffe Brune is brewed with roasted malts, which provides the deep brown colour and unique taste. Also called Leffe Dark.

Now Im confused.
CaraAroma?


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## Stuster (3/5/07)

Chris said:


> The bitterness is balanced by the brown sugar sweetness of the roasted barley.



Not sure I'd read too much into this sort of blurb, Chris. I don't really pick up much brown sugar sweetness from roast barley. :blink: 

Rather than trying to clone Leffe Brune, it might be easier just to make a good dubbel (which is of course very easy :blink: ). Some info to get you started here.


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## Chris (3/5/07)

Thanks Stuster, thats what made me confused. As the amount of roast barley needed to achieve Leffe Brunes colour would make for a very different brew. It just sounds like usual marketing drivel which probably originated in a West Coast USA board room.


Edit: The Roast Barley part that is. I quite often nip in for a Leffe Brune if im in the city and the tasting notes are pretty spot on, it really does taste like dark brown sugar.


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## milpod (4/5/07)

I have come to realize the belgians are more about yeast and simple ingredients to let the yeast shine thru


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## ForkBoy (9/5/07)

Thanks all,

I'll take Stuster's advice and go with Doc's Dubbel recipe  (thanks Doc!  and an Abbey Ale (WLP530) rather than try guess at what's in Leffe Brune - should provide a solid starting point and go from there.

To create the yeast cake for the dubbel I'll be doing a bit of an experiment by using my Amarillo APA recipe and pitching the Abbey Ale yeast.... buckets of Amarillo and a Belgian yeast? it will either be a triumph or a lesson learned


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## animal_man (17/5/07)

sorry to dig up an old thread, but had some news.
If anyone is from adelaide here wanting a leffe brune kit, i found out today the jovial monk shop has a few partial kits. Getting one friday, ill keep you posted with ther results.


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