First crack at a Duvel clone

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Milk-lizard84

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Howdy all,
I'm wanting to have a crack at a Duvel clone. I got this recipe from a link someone put up on here. It's from the candisyrup.com website.
I plan on making my own candi syrup as I aquired a 20kg box of white sugar from a guy at work.
Just curious to know when to add the candi syrup. Is it during the boil or throughout fermentation?
Any help would be awesome. I have attached a pic of the recipe if that helps.

1397537627051.jpg
 
When I was talking to Anthony from CB about my tripel, he advised me to add the candi-sugar 3 or 4 days into the ferment just so the yeast has to munch on the more complex sugars in the wort before being lazy bastards and munching on the simple sugars in the syrup.
 
Firstly I don't think you need to make candi sugar for pale belgians. Moortgaat use dextrose as far as I know. My duvel clone/homage does similarly. Dark Belgiansd are a different story.

Secondly I add large amounts of sugar in stages. If adding 800-1000g to belgian golden strong (got one cold conditioning at the moment), I do 200 to boil and then the remaining amount in 200g lots to the fermenter as primary fermentation is winding down. Add each a few days apart.

My experience of adding too much too quickly is that you can really push the hotter alcohols and get a winey character. Slow and gentle feeding bumps up the abv while retaining a smooth character.
 
What are you using for "Soft Sugar" ?

The internet says it's a grouping-name for brown-sugar like sugars, and includes both light & dark brown sugar.
 
Thanks for the quick response everyone. I'm not sure what I was going to use for the soft sugar. I did find a duvel clone on beersmith that just uses beet/cane sugar. Maybe this may be a better option to try first.
I still would like to have a crack at making the syrup though.
 
Making syrup is fun although I've never managed to get my darks anything near the commercial syrups.
Would love to know the secret.
Dex is the best option for this beer.

Never heard of preminant.
As far as I know duvel is saaz and styrians and slightly different malt: sugar ratio.
 
Thanks for the advice manticle. Yeah that was just the recipe I found. Just wanted a rough guide I guess.
I didnt know what the preminant one was either. I plan on using Saaz and Styrians.
Why would the dex be more beneficial?
 
I'm getting some of that soft sugar mentioned in the first recipe soon. I'll try to remember to post with impressions. I have no idea how it could be that different but was curious.
 
Just because yeast has to produce an enzyme (invertase) to split the sucrose molecules before use. Dextrose/ glucose doesn't require splitting. Candi sugar should be split/inverted by the heat used in manufacture.
I'll link my recipe later - similar and based on stats outlined in brew like a monk.
 
Brew like a monk P87

OG: 1.069
ABV: 8.4%
ADA: 93%
IBU: 30
Malts: Blend of Pilsener varieties
Adjuncts: Dextrose ~17% of fermentables
Hops: Styrian Goldings and Saaz
Yeast: Duvel
Fermentation: Pitched at 16-18, raiss to 26-29, 120 hours
Secondary: Cooled to -3, held below 0 for three weeks
 
Champion. Thanks manticle
Greatly appreciated. I have never done a decoction mash
Would a single infusion with a mashout suffice?
 
You can do it with single infusion but the result will be different.

Decoctions are only hard in the mind when you haven't done one. In reality - piss easy.

Even a single infusion with decoction to mash out would be good.
 
I biab if that helps. So basically I could follow the steps in your recipe but just keep stirring the mash while heat is being applied to reach each mash step? Sorry for the endless questions.
 
I agree on adding during ferment. I got lazy this year and got burnt. No hot alcohols, but a very slow fermentation after most of the yeast needed a post junk food nap.
 
Milk-lizard84 said:
I biab if that helps. So basically I could follow the steps in your recipe but just keep stirring the mash while heat is being applied to reach each mash step? Sorry for the endless questions.
Don't apologise.

The steps and the decoctions serve different functions. Without either, you can still make lovely beer and the fermentation and yeast handling is at least as important.
Don't stress - if single infusion is easiest, make it that way. If it's close to what you want but lacking something, brew it again but try stepping and/or decoction.
 
yeah stepping or decoction is just a bit more work but I've allways found better results - even if I dont get the step temps spot on.

Duvel us a step mash
 
I do step mashing with a pot on the stove and a bucket. It's pretty easy when you've done one or two. Basically mash in at your low temp (62 for me for most), then when it's time to step up, fill a bucket with boiling water ( I weigh how much water goes in the bucket to keep track of how much water is in the mash )from the stove pot ( 8 litre pot is fine for one step), and add to the mash. Check temp and adjust from there, though you'll get used to how much and be able to get pretty close most beers.

Once you've done 2 or 3, you'll work out roughly how much boiling water you'll need for each step, and once you've got it reasonably down pat, 3 mash temp rests is possible. I now do a low 60's, then low 70's very regularly. And if I want to add a mid 50's protein rest, it's no big deal, so 3 rests in total.
 
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