Belgian Dark Strong Ale Dragon Slayer - Gulden Draak "clone"

Amt Name Type # %/IBU

10 lbs 5.6 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 53.4 %
3 lbs 10.4 oz Pilsner (2 Row) UK (1.0 SRM) Grain 2 18.8 %
1 lbs Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 5.2 %
8.0 oz Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain 4 2.6 %
8.0 oz Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 5 2.6 %
4.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 6 1.3 %
4.0 oz Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 7 1.3 %
0.75 oz Northern Brewer [9.50 %] - Boil 90.0 min Hop 10 19.9 IBUs
0.50 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 11 2.9 IBUs
1 lbs 13.9 oz Candi Sugar, Amber (35.0 SRM) Sugar 8 9.7 % **Created using table sugar, lemon juice and boiling at specific temps for 30 mins, cooling, breaking, etc. color very much estimated.
1 lbs Sugar, Table (Sucrose) (1.0 SRM) Sugar 9 5.2 %
1.0 pkg Belgian Strong Ale (Wyeast Labs #1388) [2000.00 ml] Yeast 12 -

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.105 SG Measured Original Gravity: 1.105 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.014 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 12.3 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 12.2 %
Bitterness: 22.9 IBUs Calories: 367.3 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 19.1 SRM

Mashed at 152 for 60 minutes

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I made what I thought would be 2lbs of candi sugar, but it wound up being less because I got some stuck on my wax paper, ugh, next time I use a silicon mat to cool it. So added table sugar to top it up, and it worked fine. All sugars went in during the boil (late in boil).

I pitched at 65f, 7 hours later had a good inch of krausen on it. Let it ramp it's temp up to 72 then held it here in fermentation chamber. Down to 1.050 after 2 days!

Let is stay at 72f until day 12, ramping up to 76f as fermentation was slowing. Stopped and started dropping around day 18, so let the temps go down and then crashed it to 38f for the next week or so.

Kegged and bottled from the kegs, carb level was too low on this unfortunately I should have let it ride longer in the keg.

The taste is awesome, and at 12% it packs a whollop, but so drinkable after only 2.5 months since creation. The color is too light for a Gulden Draak true clone, and this isn't 'fruity' enough to be a true clone, also it's about 2% too strong.

But it's a heck of a beer and I'm happy to put this recipe here as my first contribution to the database.

This looks fantastic, and exactly what I'm looking for in my next brew! You say it's too light and not fruity enough; do you think upping the special B (say, to 12 oz.) would help, or would that make it too sweet? I'm still a new brewer, so I don't have a feel for these things.

Also, I think I'm going to reduce some of the pale malt, as 12% abv is pretty beastly!

haha yeah reduce the malt amount some, it's toooo strong. But on the flavor front some more fruity has come out after 7 months or so and it's pretty close to the original now. Maybe a bit more malty than it should be, but that could just be the extra strength of it all.

I'd say go for a bit more special B, sure, can't hurt! And maybe your candi sugar will be darker, which'll lend a darker color. But taste-wise, this is a gooder, just a gooder you definitely can't have too many of in a night Shoot for the 9% of Gulden Draak and it should be really nice!

Sipping on a Gulden Draak right now following a night shift and REALLY enjoying it. This is now on my short list of 'to brew' once my basement cools down a bit. It does look that the 12% is a bit over the original 10.5%. I'll take your advice Psych and bump up the Special B. This will be nice this coming winter.

I'm brewing this this weekend and I have a couple of questions. What was your boil time and time of hop additions? I'm assuming this is a 5 gal batch. What did you use for a sparge temp?

thetoolmaker said:

I'm brewing this this weekend and I have a couple of questions. What was your boil time and time of hop additions? I'm assuming this is a 5 gal batch. What did you use for a sparge temp?

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My boil time was 90 minutes, the first hop addition was at 90 minutes, .75oz of Northern Brewer, then .5oz of Fuggle at 15 minutes. Honestly any hop additions are fine, IBU was 22.9 on this (probably a bit less). Any type of hops will work, it's such a low flavor compared to the malt side, you barely know there's hops here hehe

Could even go higher on the bittering without issue. Aroma and flavor hops will be all but swallowed up by the malt, at least if yours goes to 12% as well.

But man, one of these at month 8 now, chilled for a couple hours in the fridge, is awesome. Too cold it's too thick for me, just a light chill is amazing.

Sounds great I decided to go with a pound of dark candi sugar I will add the pound of table sugar as well and I upped the special b 1 lbs other than that I'm following your recipe to the t. I will however be priming in bottles for carbonation not sure what route to go yet. Thinking brown sugar. I love strong malty beers, this will be my second all grain batch, stoked for it. Thanks for the help.

O and I'm using white labs Belgian strong ale yeast going to make a starter this afternoon and brew mid day tomorow

Awesome - good luck! Get as much oxygen into the wort when it's cooled, before pitching, as you can

Those cheap Aluminum pie pans work great for pouring and molding your Candi Sugar, I use to use foil, but got tired of picking out the foil pieces. Seems like a good recipe and I love Gulden Draak, might have to try this one next. Will try a couple mods though and let you know how it comes out. Plus WOuldn't using a Belgian 2 Row, be better suited?

Oceantendency said:

Plus WOuldn't using a Belgian 2 Row, be better suited?

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I'm sure it would yeah, I just get lazy on that amount of detail I'm OK with the difference that regular 2row or really any other similar base grain would provide.

Good call on the pie plates!

Oceantendency said:

Those cheap Aluminum pie pans work great for pouring and molding your Candi Sugar, I use to use foil, but got tired of picking out the foil pieces. Seems like a good recipe and I love Gulden Draak, might have to try this one next. Will try a couple mods though and let you know how it comes out. Plus WOuldn't using a Belgian 2 Row, be better suited?

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I've found that if you use Pam cooking spray on AL foil for the candi sugar, it works great. Comes right up. I tried wax paper first, then AL foil with no spray. The third time was the charm using AL foil and cooking spray.

Then you are adding oil to the beer...