Chimay Grand Reserve Clone?

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Here's one I ran across a while back. I haven't brewed it yet, but I have all the ingredients for it and it's on my to do list.

OG: 1.087
FG: 1.015
SRM: 34 (amber with some red tones)
IBU: 27
ABV: 9.0%

For 5 gal recipe:

13.33lbs Belgian 2-row Pilsner Malt
8 oz Belgian Cara-Munich Malt
6 oz Belgian Aromatic Malt
4 oz Belgian Special B Malt
2.5 oz British Chocolate Malt

Single infusion mash at 149F for 90 minutes, 1.1-1.25 qts water/lb grain. Soften water by diluting with RO or distilled water. 3 parts distilled to 1 part tap recommended. You need a highly fermentable wort.

Hops:
1/2 oz Yakima Magnum - 60 minutes boil
1/2 oz Hallertau Hersbrucker - 15 minutes boil
1/4 oz Hallertau Hersbrucker - 2 min boil

Other Additions:
1.5 lbs Belgian Dark Candi Sugar - 60 minutes boil
1/8 tsp Grains of Paradise - 15 minutes boil
1 tsp Irish Moss - 15 minutes boil
1/8 tsp Grains of Paradise - 2 minutes boil

Ferment at 65F with WLP500 Trapist Ale yeast (or Wyeast 1388 Belgian Strong Ale). Primary for 7 days or until fermentation slows, then siphon to secondary, prime beer in secondary with another dose of the same strain of fresh yeast 3 days before bottling. Bottle when fermentation is complete, target gravity is reached and beer has cleared (approximately 6 weeks) with:

1/2 cup corn sugar and 1/3 cup Belgian candi sugar that has been boiled for 10 minutes in 2 cups of water. Let prime at 70F for approximately 6 weeks until carbonated, then store at cellar temperature.

Love to try this one, but I've got some other beers on deck first.
 
Whatever you do be patient with the yeast. I have found that the WLP Belgian strains I have used take their good old time fermenting out.
 
I apologize for reviving this, but do you think the second shot of yeast in the bottle is actually necassary? I would think that enough yeast would be in suspension to carbonate and condition the beer in the bottle over time.

BTW, thanks for posting this recipe....awesome recipe.
 
I apologize for reviving this, but do you think the second shot of yeast in the bottle is actually necassary? I would think that enough yeast would be in suspension to carbonate and condition the beer in the bottle over time.

BTW, thanks for posting this recipe....awesome recipe.

The real secret to getting a dubbel or tripel right is the attenuation. Such high gravity beers tend to stop fermenting above 1.020. A second yeast addition will get you below 10.015
 
Can anyone dummy this down to an extract version for me? Thanks.

I ran across this extract/steeping grains version on midwest site; http://www.midwestsupplies.com/noble-trappist-ale.html
It also says that saving the yeast from a bottle of Chimay will "perfect this recipe". It's described as a regular strength trappist ale. The Chimay blue label is a trappist,but I think is stronger?...$32.49 for the kit including the candi sugar,etc.
**Dang,didn't look at the dates. Holy necropost!
 
Here's one I ran across a while back. I haven't brewed it yet, but I have all the ingredients for it and it's on my to do list.

OG: 1.087
FG: 1.015
SRM: 34 (amber with some red tones)
IBU: 27
ABV: 9.0%

For 5 gal recipe:

13.33lbs Belgian 2-row Pilsner Malt
8 oz Belgian Cara-Munich Malt
6 oz Belgian Aromatic Malt
4 oz Belgian Special B Malt
2.5 oz British Chocolate Malt

Single infusion mash at 149F for 90 minutes, 1.1-1.25 qts water/lb grain. Soften water by diluting with RO or distilled water. 3 parts distilled to 1 part tap recommended. You need a highly fermentable wort.

Hops:
1/2 oz Yakima Magnum - 60 minutes boil
1/2 oz Hallertau Hersbrucker - 15 minutes boil
1/4 oz Hallertau Hersbrucker - 2 min boil

Other Additions:
1.5 lbs Belgian Dark Candi Sugar - 60 minutes boil
1/8 tsp Grains of Paradise - 15 minutes boil
1 tsp Irish Moss - 15 minutes boil
1/8 tsp Grains of Paradise - 2 minutes boil

Ferment at 65F with WLP500 Trapist Ale yeast (or Wyeast 1388 Belgian Strong Ale). Primary for 7 days or until fermentation slows, then siphon to secondary, prime beer in secondary with another dose of the same strain of fresh yeast 3 days before bottling. Bottle when fermentation is complete, target gravity is reached and beer has cleared (approximately 6 weeks) with:

1/2 cup corn sugar and 1/3 cup Belgian candi sugar that has been boiled for 10 minutes in 2 cups of water. Let prime at 70F for approximately 6 weeks until carbonated, then store at cellar temperature.

Love to try this one, but I've got some other beers on deck first.


Did you ever get around to brewing this? I'm thinking of giving it a go.
 
Racked to secondary last night. S.G. was already at 1.005. Adding additional yeast tonight or tomorrow.

Tasted AWESOME!
 
I'm 3 weeks into fermentation and I reached my FG without needing a second dose of yeast. Tastes great but my color is way off. My 1st brew that the color is off and my first brew using dark candy sugar so I'm thinking I'm not getting 275 SRM from the candy sugar.

I bought my sugar from Northern Brewer and quoted off their site, "Rated at 275°L; actual color contribution is lower." I'm guessing my color of my beer is in the 20 SRM range at best, which would mean I only got approx 75 SRM from the candy sugar. Anyone else experiencing the same results?
 
Here's one I ran across a while back. I haven't brewed it yet, but I have all the ingredients for it and it's on my to do list.

OG: 1.087
FG: 1.015
SRM: 34 (amber with some red tones)
IBU: 27
ABV: 9.0%

For 5 gal recipe:

13.33lbs Belgian 2-row Pilsner Malt
8 oz Belgian Cara-Munich Malt
6 oz Belgian Aromatic Malt
4 oz Belgian Special B Malt
2.5 oz British Chocolate Malt

Single infusion mash at 149F for 90 minutes, 1.1-1.25 qts water/lb grain. Soften water by diluting with RO or distilled water. 3 parts distilled to 1 part tap recommended. You need a highly fermentable wort.

Hops:
1/2 oz Yakima Magnum - 60 minutes boil
1/2 oz Hallertau Hersbrucker - 15 minutes boil
1/4 oz Hallertau Hersbrucker - 2 min boil

Other Additions:
1.5 lbs Belgian Dark Candi Sugar - 60 minutes boil
1/8 tsp Grains of Paradise - 15 minutes boil
1 tsp Irish Moss - 15 minutes boil
1/8 tsp Grains of Paradise - 2 minutes boil

Ferment at 65F with WLP500 Trapist Ale yeast (or Wyeast 1388 Belgian Strong Ale). Primary for 7 days or until fermentation slows, then siphon to secondary, prime beer in secondary with another dose of the same strain of fresh yeast 3 days before bottling. Bottle when fermentation is complete, target gravity is reached and beer has cleared (approximately 6 weeks) with:

1/2 cup corn sugar and 1/3 cup Belgian candi sugar that has been boiled for 10 minutes in 2 cups of water. Let prime at 70F for approximately 6 weeks until carbonated, then store at cellar temperature.

Love to try this one, but I've got some other beers on deck first.

Problem with your recipe is that you need 1lb of Caravienne (better color match and lose the chocolate malt) and 1lb of Torrified Wheat for head retention. Also they use Nugget and Hallertau (hence why your IBU's are off base). You forgot to slowly ramp up your temp to 68* (WLP530 is a better match plus you still need a BIG starter). You should leave in primary til you hit your FG are atleast 90ish% of your target FG before transferring and repitching fresh yeast or wort then let it ride for atleast 6-8weeks before bottling, which to be authentic you should repitch yeast or Candied Syrup instead of corn sugar, and Cellar for 9 months. Grains of Paradise are not necessary but a good addition.
 
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I bought my sugar from Northern Brewer and quoted off their site, "Rated at 275°L; actual color contribution is lower." I'm guessing my color of my beer is in the 20 SRM range at best, which would mean I only got approx 75 SRM from the candy sugar. Anyone else experiencing the same results?

I make my own Candi Sugar, and pretty good at making light or dark; but the Candied Syrup is supposedly the way to go, and after 3 attempts, I still suck at making syrup.
 
I have made this. It's still aging 6-12 months is suggested. My recipe is not the same as posted here. I aged mine for 8 weeks in the carboy on the yeast. Kegged at 8 weeks and aging. Used both D45 and D90 at kegging time. D45 has the taste of Chimay and D90 has the color from what i have read.
 
I aged mine for 8 weeks in the carboy on the yeast. Kegged at 8 weeks and aging. Used both D45 and D90 at kegging time.
depending on how much D45 and D90 you're adding, won't this lead to a very sweet beer? you racked after 8 weeks of aging so most the yeast will have dropped out (the high alcohol doesn't help either). you most probably don't have enough yeast left to ferment the syrups so they'll just stick around as sugars and sweeten the beer.
 
There are some people that actually use the D45 or D90 instead of corn sugar at bottling and then it takes 4-6 months to age out according CSI, but have to agree in regards to possibly oversweetening due to stressed out yeast, for kegging you'd still need to age atleast 3-4 months. Thoses yeasties will be extremely sluggish to carb up, patience will be bugging me to see though how long it would take for the "sweetness' to fall out, hopefully too much wasn't used.
 
I'm interested in the results of those who have brewed this and any variations from the OP recipe. Thanks! Oh, and I'm considering a harvest of yeast from a bottle of Chimay for my attempt.
 
If your patient, this is an excellent brew. 6 months and you wont be disappointed. Brewed to receipe and loved it.
 
If your patient, this is an excellent brew. 6 months and you wont be disappointed. Brewed to receipe and loved it.

Any variations in the recipe posted at the beginning of this thread? Any other tips you would add?

Thanks!
 
I only made what was posted in the beginning so i have no other experience to comment on other then its pretty darn close to the original.
 
Sorry for bumping an old thread, but this COULD have possibly been my best beer ever brewed.....

I aged the heck out of it and finally ran empty right about the 3 year mark. This beer got better and better as time went on. No joke. The last pull was a growler for my buddy helping me move and he STILL goes on about how this beer was great to begin with and only got better and better as time went by. I'm getting back into brewing after 2 years(yes, I brewed, but not REALLY) and this will be one of the first beers I brew. LOVE IT!
 
The Chimay clone I brewed turned out very good. I kegged 2 gallons of it and bottled the rest in belgian bottles. I've got 5 bottles left. I think they're approaching 1 year old. I need to start another batch to always have some on hand and aged.
 
I'm interested in the results of those who have brewed this and any variations from the OP recipe. Thanks! Oh, and I'm considering a harvest of yeast from a bottle of Chimay for my attempt.

I brewed the extract version of this recipe, which seems to be taken straight from "Beer Captured". I used real Chimay Blue yeast. And as one other person commented, it took a LONG time to finish fermentation. Great brew. I do want to try doing all grain soon.

Tony
 
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