Style Of The Week 16/8/06 - Belgian Dubbel

[manticle]

The yeast will find the sugar if you give it time.

 

[manticle]

Ah, just found this thread. Having a bunch of friends coming down for Christmas in July this year and am hoping to have some kind of tasty belgian style beer in prime drinking condition ready for the celebrations.

I'm just about to pull the trigger on this recipe. Anyone have any thoughts on it? I'll be going for the Belgian Candy Syrup D2, now with that, if I wanted to add that to primary in stages, would I water it down first so it would mix through more thoroughly? I understand that with regular sugar it probably wouldn't be a problem but I can see all of the syrup falling to the bottom and not being incorporated by the yeast? Or should I just add it at the end of the boil?

The other concern I have is with the spice additions, they're added at either 5 or 15 minutes, I'll probably be adding them in a voile bag, should I remove the bag before putting it in the fermenter to reduce off flavours or should they go straight into the primary?

Just grind the spices up and chuck them in the boil with 10 mins to go. No need for a bag. If using a bag, I would remove it.

 

[mje1980]

Logman, let me know how the 1762 goes mate, im keen to try it.

I've only brewed one tripel where i added sugar post fermentation, but the beer attenuated like crazy, which is what its supposed to do.

For mine, i'll have a full fresh yeast cake, and its only 1.067, so i'll just add my syrups to the boil.

I ended up brewing a bitter today, as im playing around with ph strips to see what my "standard" mash ph is. Currently sipping a Fullers london porter, but next up is a red chimay. Num num!!

 

[Nick JD]

1762 is quite unlike most of the other Belgian Ale yeasts.

It doesn't produce much at all in the way of classic "belgian" flavours.

 

[mje1980]

Care to explain further? I picked it because i liked the sound of more esters, and restrained phenolics. I prefer the more estery belgian beers, and not the super dry spicy ones. Just a preference

 

[manticle]

I've got a Rochefort 10 homage in my fridge exploding from the top with 1762. Smells like Raisins and fruit cake.

I've used it a few times before - contributes plenty of Belgian character Mark

 

[Nick JD]

Care to explain further? I picked it because i liked the sound of more esters, and restrained phenolics. I prefer the more estery belgian beers, and not the super dry spicy ones. Just a preference

I've made APAs with it. There's no banana or bubblegum or pear or basically much fruit at all from 1762. A touch of peppery spice and some very background esters, but no more than you'd get from a UK yeast.

Fron Wyeast:
An excellent yeast strain for use in Belgian dark strong ales. This strain has a relatively “clean profile” which allows a rich malt and distinctive ethanol character to shine. Delicate dried fruit esters can be produced when used at higher fermentation temperatures or in a high gravity wort.

If you're looking for Chimay or Leffe type beers you will fall short using 1762. As manticle says, it's Rochefort's strain. It's useful for making Rochefort clones and useless for most other fruity belgians.

 

[mje1980]

Ooooh raisins and fruitcake sound perfect!. I have a uk brown ale that will be the "starter". I reckon that'll work well. WHat ferment temps?

 

[mje1980]

What do yo use for fruity, but low phenols?? I guess ferment temp could come into it as well


I won't be upset if the beer comes out anything like the rochefort beers!

 

[manticle]

I always start Belgians lowish - around 17 then allow to rise over 3 or 4 days to about 21-22 to finish.

 

[mje1980]

Thanks mate, will update.

 

[Nick JD]

What do yo use for fruity, but low phenols??

3522 @ 22C. Beautiful! Or if you want banana to dominate use 1214 in the early 20s.

If you're expecting "fruity" from 1762 prepare for disappontment. Most of manticle's raisins and fruitcake will be from spec malts, dark sugaz and phenols.

 

[Logman]

I thought that number sounded wrong :unsure: - I used Wyeast 3787 - Trappist High Gravity. Man it's going wild in there.

This type of yeast benefits from incremental feeding of sugars during fermentation, making suitable conditions for doubles and triples, to ferment to dryness.

Sounds perfect!

 

[manticle]

While there's a touch of spec B in there Nick, there's no dark sugar yet.

I have to disagree with you on this - this is not my first time using the yeast and I find it has plenty of Belgian character.

 

[Nick JD]

Fair enough, but I still contend it's no 1214 or 3787.

 

[manticle]

They're different yeasts for sure. I used a little spec B in a UK bitter recently because I had run out of heritage crystal and I can say for certain that the aroma of the 1762 with some spec B and the aroma of the bitter with 1469 are very different.

3787 is certainly a beast, 1214 is a banana factory and 1388 (one of my favourites) is different again. Ardennes, FF, Biere de garde - used them all, love them all, different characters for all.

All depends on how you run them, starter size and grist of course.

 

[Josh]

Anyone got any experience using Weyermann Abbey malt in a Dubbel?

I've got two plans of attack to make a Dubbel.

1.
Blend of Pilsner and Abbey malts to the desired colour. Thinking of starting with a 50/50 blend and working from there over time.

2.
All Pilsner malt and making my own dark syrup to add colour and flavour, kinda like the Belgians.

For both.
Ferment with Wyeast 3787 pitch 18C rise to 25C
Single 60 minute addition of Styrian Goldings.

Thoughts?

 

[mje1980]

Not in a dubbed, but I've used it as a sub for biscuit malt. I used 40% of it in a brown ale, and it was wonderfull.

 

[Logman]

This Belgian Choc Wheat Stout has been fermenting for 17 days - I switched from a blow off tube to an airlock about 6 days ago and yesterday it was still bubbling - looks like it's stopped today although it's still producing a bit of pressure. I added the bottle of Candi Sugar in 4 installments starting at about day 7 and at the last addition gave it a very gentle stir on the bottom and it really took off again - can't believe how much grunt the yeast has (haven't done one of these before). I guess it's time to start taking some readings - nice to know it's going to ferment right out.

Can really smell the bubblegum in there. :wub:

 

[iralosavic]

Yum! Grimbergen is very underrated in my opinion. Great dubbel - very easy to drink compared to most too.