Simple dubbel with orvel dregs.

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

tankcrash

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2012
Messages
64
Reaction score
4
Location
San Antonio
Recipe as follows :

5.5 gallon to fermenters
10# pale 2 row
1# rolled oats
1# table sugar
1.5 pound Belgian VERY dark candy sugar (self made)
Mash biab 155 down to 149 ish.
Never took an initial gravity reading but guessing around 1.089.

I added a starter from the dregs of an orvel to one gallon of the wort. It took off like a rocket. Huge thick pellicle after 36 hours. My question is after I leave this to sit for about 3 months what would you rack it over fruit wise? I have wild blackberries in my yard so that's my first thought but u guys might have a better idea(s)
 
Anything from the yard is awesome, as opposed to store bought IMO. Just more "crafty" that way.

I would do half and half, see what the differences are.
 
That is a lot of sugar, probably 25% of fermentables. It might be a pretty thin beer with the orval dregs. Or it might be great, a friend just did a beer with stepped up orval dregs that was very nice. I have no idea how what sort of sacc/brett ratio you're working with, but if it's mostly brett, you won't get much glycerol production from the sacc and without some rye/spelt/oats,etc for proteins you'll have a thin beer.

Wild blackberries are the easiest way to make a tasty, complex sour IMO, but they need the right beer to stand up to them. I did a berliner weisse with 2 lbs/gallon and the blackberry is overplayed. For comparison, another portion of the batch had 2lbs/gal of strawberries and 1lb/gal of rhubarb and came out great.

Also, 100% efficiency would only give you about 1.084, 75% would be about 1.067.
 
Ok so after reading thst I realized I also did a pound of rolled oats.

Thanks for all the ideas. Pretty sure in going to do half a gallon with the blackberries. Just gotta figure out what to with the other half.
 
So this was a rocket fermentation at around 70-80 degrees in a spare bedroom, was 1.01 in less than a week and a half. I bottled to 3.0 volumes and put it in my beer storage closet for around a month. Just tested and even though this beer makes my 3rd homebrew ever, I am thinking of entering a contest I think this may be the best beer I have tasted. It was smooth and the mouth feel was amazing. I am sure the rest of it will speak to me every time I look into it to see what I want to add to the fridge. I think I need to redo this so I have more to drink later. Going ot be hard to save the gallon, for more than 6 months to see what aging does to it.
 
Recipe as follows :

5.5 gallon to fermenters
10# pale 2 row
1# rolled oats
1# table sugar
1.5 pound Belgian VERY dark candy sugar (self made)
Mash biab 155 down to 149 ish.
Never took an initial gravity reading but guessing around 1.089.

I added a starter from the dregs of an orvel to one gallon of the wort. It took off like a rocket. Huge thick pellicle after 36 hours. My question is after I leave this to sit for about 3 months what would you rack it over fruit wise? I have wild blackberries in my yard so that's my first thought but u guys might have a better idea(s)

You need to get rid of this beer fast because there's a high likelihood you will get gushers/bottle bombs. If the brett restarts and starts eating unfermentables you could get another 10 points of attenuation which will absolutely blow up, especially since you did 3 volumes. I've done several 100% brett beers, and some with a brett finish, including using Orval dregs. Be very careful. Stick as much of it in the refrigerator ASAP if you already have decent carbonation. Stop the activity ASAP.

That being said, congrats! That sounds tasty. Big ups for creating a very cool beer. If you plan on doing fruit with it next time, keep this in mind: berries are very different. Raspberries: 0.25 lbs per gallon. Blackberries: up to one pound per gallon. Mulberries are similar to blackberries but I would go lower. I also use berries I grow, and I grow a lot of them (elderberries, black and red currants, blackberries, mulberries, and raspberries). Raspberries add a lot of flavor, blackberries add acidity, and mulberries add a vinous quality.
 
rexbanner said:
You need to get rid of this beer fast because there's a high likelihood you will get gushers/bottle bombs. If the brett restarts and starts eating unfermentables you could get another 10 points of attenuation which will absolutely blow up, especially since you did 3 volumes. I've done several 100% brett beers, and some with a brett finish, including using Orval dregs. Be very careful. Stick as much of it in the refrigerator ASAP if you already have decent carbonation. Stop the activity ASAP.

That being said, congrats! That sounds tasty. Big ups for creating a very cool beer. If you plan on doing fruit with it next time, keep this in mind: berries are very different. Raspberries: 0.25 lbs per gallon. Blackberries: up to one pound per gallon. Mulberries are similar to blackberries but I would go lower. I also use berries I grow, and I grow a lot of them (elderberries, black and red currants, blackberries, mulberries, and raspberries). Raspberries add a lot of flavor, blackberries add acidity, and mulberries add a vinous quality.

Can't decide wether this is good or bad news. I like that I have an excuse to drink it, but sad that I can't age it. I am going to brew it again and let it secondary for 6 months in a 5 gallon carboy. I really like this beer.
 
Well done mate. With so few brews under your belt, getting one you want to rebrew is fantastic.
 
Whoah yeah, drink it all now and re-brew another batch ASAP for long-aging. The bugs from the Orval should take that beer down to the 1.005 range within a few months. I would suggest for the re-brew that you rack it to a secondary when you think its 'done', then put it in a closet and leave it alone for another 6-7 months minimum. That will give it all the time it needs to ferment out completely.
 
Back
Top