flexfit115

Recipes 

This weekend I am doing a belgian double, does anyone have any pointers, and should I do a secondary fermenter? The final gravity of my kit is 1.067, if that helps any. Thanks!

beergolf

Recipes 

Brew it up......Let it sit in the fermenter for about 4 weeks, or more. Don't bother with secondary.

1.067 is your OG. your FG should be about 1.010 to 1.015.

Belgian yeasts like to have some time to work, so do not be in a rush.

g-star

Recipes 

1. Dubbel, not double.
2. 1.067 is your estimated original gravity, not your final gravity.

avidhomebrewer

Recipes 

When it comes time to package, let it age properly and you will like the results. This is a relatively bigger brew so it will take more time to age. If you can swing it, let it sit a few months. Make more smaller beers now so they will be ready sooner and you have some to drink while you are waiting for this one.

slarkin712

Recipes 

When making almost any Belgian style I like to slowly raise the temperature as fermentation goes to completion. This keeps the beer from having a lot of solventy/off-flavors from starting at high temps. And also helps dry the beer out. For example, I brewed a Dubbel 3 weeks ago and fermentation schedule was: 64-66 first 2-3 days, 67-68 2 days, raise to 72 over the course of 4 days. Then hold at 72 until fermentation completes (i.e. same gravity reading over 3-5 days). This was with Wyeast 3787, but I'd probably do a similar schedule for most belgian ale yeast (aside from belgian saison). Also, I would encourage the use of dark candi syrup (~SRM 80) to get flavors in a Belgian Dubbel. Using simple sugars in with Belgian yeasts gives the typical Belgian beer flavors. As far as the secondary goes...you make the call. I moved mine to secondary after 2 weeks and am lagering at 45F for 3-4 weeks, and I normally don't use secondaries. I read in Brew Like A Monk that Westmalle lagers their Dubbel, so why not me. And the recipe in Brewing Classic Styles also recommends a lagering period. Lastly, let the beer age for at least three months, whether in the bottle or in long term bulk aging. This greatly improves the flavor of a Dubbel.

flexfit115

Recipes 

Thanks for the input, I hope it comes out well!

Calder

Recipes 

To me, this seems too slow. The yeast has just about finished working before you get it up to temperatures where it is going to produce lots of flavors. I've had good results with starting and fermenting at 74 F for about 5 days, and then ramping up to 80 F for a week. I've recently started trying to start about 68 for a day, and then ramping up 2 degrees a day to 80 after a week (along the lines of the supposed schedule used by Chimay).

flexfit115

Recipes 

So I should start cooler and ramp up? I'm using a liquid that is good to 78 degrees. That's not to high ?

flexfit115

Recipes 

Yes! My bad I know better

slarkin712

Recipes 

There is no one right way to ferment with belgian ale yeast. Each belgian strain will behave differently, and behave differently in different beer styles. Give "Brew Like a Monk" a read, and you'll see what I'm saying. In fact, 3 trappist breweries use Westmalle's yeast (Wyeast 3787) in the same style (Dubble) and they have quite contrasting flavors. I was going for something like Westmalle, so I kept the temperatures low early on. My hydrometer samples had a very good belgian yeast flavor, but sort of defer to the dark candi syrup for some of the flavors.