1st Crack At A Belgian

[DiscoStu]

I'm thinking about having a go at a Belgian Dubbel for my next brew, would appreciate some feedback on the recipe i've come up with

Thanks Stu

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 23.00 L
Boil Size: 28.53 L
Estimated OG: 1.065 SG
Estimated Color: 31.5 EBC
Estimated IBU: 20.0 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
2.20 kg Munich, Light (Joe White) (17.7 EBC) Grain 33.43 %
2.20 kg Pilsner, Malt Craft Export (Joe White) Grain 33.43 %
0.50 kg Brown Malt (128.1 EBC) Grain 7.60 %
0.50 kg Caramunich I (Weyermann) (100.5 EBC) Grain 7.60 %
0.18 kg Melanoidin (Weyermann) (59.1 EBC) Grain 2.74 %
25.00 gm Styrian Goldings [4.60 %] (60 min) Hops 11.8 IBU
15.00 gm Styrian Goldings [4.60 %] (30 min) Hops 5.0 IBU
15.00 gm Styrian Goldings [4.60 %] (15 min) Hops 3.2 IBU
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1.00 kg Candi Sugar, Clear (1.0 EBC) Sugar 15.20 %
1 Pkgs Belgian Abbey II (Wyeast Labs #1762) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 5.58 kg
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 14.55 L of water at 74.4 C 67.8 C

 

[MartinS]

I'd personally simplify the grain bill a little. Half/half Munich/Pilsner as the base is excellent, but I'd knock out the brown and the melanoidin, and up your Caramunich to a about 15%. Especially when doing a style for the first time, less is more.

Oh, and it's Belgian Dubbel. Yeah, don't worry, I'll show myself the door...

edit: grammar

 

[newguy]

Definitely scrap the brown malt. It will lend a harshness that's out of place in a dubbel. I'd be a little leery about replacing the entire 7-odd % of the brown with caramunich though. Maybe 10% caramunich and up the pilsner malt by the difference (about 4%). Dubbels are usually malt driven, so either cut drastically or omit the late hops too. Up the boil addition to compensate for the loss of IBUs.

 

[PostModern]

Oh, and it's Belgian Dubbel.

I edited the topic title too. Pet peeve of mine. Sorry if you already picked this up, DiscoStu, but "Belgium" is a country and "Belgian" refers to things from or of that country. It's like saying "I'm going to brew an Australia". *Bad pun warning* It's a "pet" peeve of mine because I hear a lot of it referring to my dogs as Belgium Shepherds. Drives me nuts!

Anyway, I brewed a great dubbel the other month, which lived all too short a life. I agree with the others, drop the brown malt. Sub a bit of carafa II or III and/or some chocolate malt for the right colour instead. Also, the late hops have no business in there. Let the malt and yeast shine. Also, skip the melanoidin. I don't think the monks use it, but I could be and am often wrong.

Also, don't mash too hot. 64-5 would be good. There's a lot of malt there, you really want it to be dry for the gravity. The yeast should do a lot of that for you too.

 

[DiscoStu]

Thanks guys, I have revised the recipe as follows.

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
2.40 kg Munich, Light (Joe White) (17.7 EBC) Grain 36.81 %
2.40 kg Pilsner, Malt Craft Export (Joe White) Grain 36.81 %
0.65 kg Caramunich I (Weyermann) (100.5 EBC) Grain 9.97 %
0.07 kg Carafa II (Weyermann) (817.6 EBC) Grain 1.07 %
50.00 gm Styrian Goldings [4.60 %] (60 min) Hops 21.5 IBU
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1.00 kg Candi Sugar, Clear (1.0 EBC) Sugar 15.34 %
1 Pkgs Belgian Abbey II (Wyeast Labs #1762) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 5.52 kg
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Batch Sparge
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
75 min Mash In Add 14.41 L of water at 71.2 C 65.0 C


Also will take care with my use of Belgium v Belgian

Thanks again

Stu

 

[Barry]

Please use the malt you have but try to use German malt, pilsner and munich, in the future. I try to keep to the KISS principle, so use the malt from the country from which the beer originates. If you disagree so be it. :beer:

 

[bindi]

Deleted my post.
Note to self: Do not post about Belgian style beers AFTER drinking too many of the said style.

 

[DiscoStu]

Please use the malt you have but try to use German malt, pilsner and munich, in the future. I try to keep to the KISS principle, so use the malt from the country from which the beer originates. If you disagree so be it. :beer:

Haven't bought the grain yet, was planning on buying it this weekend. Just checked my LHBS has Weyermann Pilsner so I'll be getting that but they only have JW Munich.

Thanks for the tip...Stu

 

[DiscoStu]

I can only get White Labs yeast from my LHBS, either Trappist Ale Yeast WLP500 or Abbey Ale Yeast WLP530

Which one should I go for ?

 

[Barry]

I normally use 500 but will try the 530 next time, so either is a good choice (try the other next time).
Also after rereading my post, I do know that German malts do not come from Belgium. However, German malts are used in Belgian brewing at times, and it is not easy to get Belgian malts here.
Good luck with the brew.

 

[newguy]

I'd go for WLP530. According to Mr Malty, it's the same as Wyeast 3787, which is a good yeast for a darker, sweeter Belgian such as a Dubbel. Refer to my notes regarding a bunch of different Wyeast strains here.

 

[muckanic]

Depending on the final yeast choice and whether phenols are desired or not, some wheat could come in handy. One of the things that distinguishes Belgian brewing is that they are really the only country that uses high proportions of unmalted wheat, in the shape of witbiers. As little as 500g per 20L (malted or unmalted) can sometimes add a subtle something, depending on the mashing schedule and depending on the yeast, and of course there are always the head retention benefits. The Brits also use up to 15% brewing flour, but interestingly that practice seems to be more common amongst the big guys.

 

[DiscoStu]

Finally got around to doing this one. Brewed on Xmas eve, no chilled overnight and pitched a 1L starter of WLP500 Trappist on Xmas day.

Just did a gravity test, dropped from 1.070 to 1.024 in 2 days, tasted great too. Sitting right on 22 degrees at the moment.

Looking forward to getting this one into the bottle

 

[goomboogo]

Stu, it's good to hear you got around to brewing this one. It sounds like the ferment is going well. It's at this stage I would allow the temperature to rise a few degrees. This will allow more of the yeast derived character to develop as well as aid in the push to final gravity. How many degrees will depend on how much of the yeast character you want even though I suspect you will end up with a nice clean result after already obtaining the attenuation you have at 22c. I'm assuming you mean 22c wort temp as opposed to 22c ambient. If it is ambient you can disregard much of what I've said. Hey, you can disregard what I have to say anyway.

Keep us informed on how the beer turns out. I've got a dubbel planned for next brew, looking forward to it.

 

[DiscoStu]

Got a digital thermometer with a K-Type thermocouple taped to the side of the fermentor, closest I can get to measuring the wort temp at the moment. Fermentor sits in a busted fridge and I use frozen PET bottles to keep the temp down when it's hot.

When I pitched on Xmas day the temp was around 24, got it down to 22 yesterday, have let it rise a bit this afternoon and it's sitting at 24 again so hopefully will get some of the yeast character to come thru, smells very fruity at the moment.