Lower Volume with Duvel Clone Kit

[Northkit]

Hi All,

N00b question here but I brought a Duvel clone kit and wanted to lower the volume to increase the ABV, if I was to do this would I expect to see a higher FG and would I risk bottle bombs?

I made an attempt to use a calculator and it came out @ 10% abv with 10 litres volume but the FG was high and this is what concerned me.

If anyone has made up a full clone kit with 10 - 12 litres please let me know how it works.

Cheers

Rhys

 

[Damn]

From my limited experience the FG should stay the same regardless of the volume of water added to the kit. I would only reduce the volume no more than a few litres to start with. As long as you let it complete fermentation there is no risk of bottle bombs. I'd leave it to the experts but raising the ABV too high will effect the performance of your yeast (there is a limit). What yeast are you using? What volume does the kit recommend? Put up the recipe and others will suggest how to hooch it up.

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

I would expect a higher FG, you may be better to get the thing fermenting and add more sugar as it ferments.
This will add to the ABV give you a better volume and keep the typical Duval dryness.
Nev

 

[Northkit]

Thanks for the responses, I found that you can add extra dextrose to give it a 7% + ABV. The recipe required 250g of honey but I ended up adding 500g by mistake which might boost it a little.

Now that I have had time to read a little more adding more sugar seems to be the ticket but I guess I was trying to reduce the volume as 20 litres is a fair bit for me to get through.

I do want to start brewing smaller batches as I now have 80 litres conditioning and my wife sure as hell won't be helping me drink it

Cheers.

 

[manticle]

Where's the recipe from? Honey in a duvel? The real one has none and a clone/homage/tribute needs none either.

Yeast can only eat so much so increasing the OG can lead to an increase in FG. I would be adding dextrose rather than reducing volume.

What's the full recipe and where is it from (think I know already).
Particularly interested in the yeast recommended.

 

[Northkit]

Hey Mate,

I got this from Brew Craft as one of my first kits but have sat on it for a while as it was $60 and wanted to get a few cheaper ones out of the way. Ingredients below.

INGREDIENTS
" Black Rock Lager 1.5kg
" Black Rock Light Liquid Malt 1.5kg
" 250g Brewing Honey
" 25g Saaz Hops
" Danstar Nottingham Ale yeast

Cheers.

 

[Northkit]

Oh and as I mentioned I assumed you add the whole pot of honey that came with it so 500g went in instead of 250g. Still on a learning curve

 

[manticle]

Thought it sounded like brewcraft.
Will work out a better recipe for you if you're interested.

Yeast is totally wrong in that recipe and belgians rely heavily on yeast character.

 

[Northkit]

A better recipe would be great!

Cheers

 

[manticle]

Sorry for the delay. This is for 23 litres around 8%abv and based on an all grain recipe of mine. Some of the ingredients are expensive but brewcraft kits are not cheap and neither is 23 litres of commercial duvel.

1 x Thomas Coopers heritage lager kit.
2.5kg x Briess Pilsen dried malt extract
1 kg dextrose
15g Czech saaz hops
15g styrian golding or bobek hops
23 L of water

1 pack of Wyeast 1388 European ale yeast*.

Method:

Dissolve 4-500 g of the dried malt extract in 500mL of water. Bring to the boil. When boiling, add the hops and turn off heat.

In a bigger pot, bowl or just in the fermenter, add the remaining DME, 200g of the dextrose and the tin. Top up with cold water to 23 Litres and add your hot hoppy liquid.

When the wort is 18 degrees or less, shake the unopened packet of yeast then cut it open with sanitised scissors and add the full pack to the brew.

Allow to ferment, hopefully starting at 17-18. If you have temperature control, allow to rise to 22 slowly over 5 days - otherwise keep as cool as you can for the first 3 days at least (anywhere from 16-20 is OK)

When you are at terminal gravity, boil 400g of dextrose in 100 mL of water and add gently to the fermenter. Wait 2-3 days and repeat with the last 400g of dex.

Once terminal gravity has been reached again (sugar will kickstart ferment again) allow to sit for 3 days, then refrigerate entire brew for at least 5 days - more if you are patient. If you can't do this, keep the fermenter as cool as possible for 3-5 days - in a bath etc. Prime, bottle, wait 6 weeks minimum before drinking.

* I recommend two packs but being a new brewer and trying to reduce costs you may think that's a bit too much. Again think of the cost of the commercial product and the cost of your ingredients to make the best beer you possibly can. In either case, make sure the yeast is as fresh as you can find.

 

[manticle]

You can get briess and the hops (and probably the heritage lager) from Grain and grape in Yarraville. Online or instore.