N'ice Chouffe

Does anyone happen to have a clone recipe for N'ice Chouffe (http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/321/2269/) from the Achouffe Brewery in Belgium? I've done some internet searching and haven't found anything in regards to a clone recipe of any kind. From the Achouffe website (http://www.achouffe.be/en), they give a vague description:

N'ICE CHOUFFE Dark Winter Beer

Description :
The N’ICE CHOUFFE is a strong dark beer that will warm you up during the winter months. It is spiced (with thyme and curaçao) and a light hop taste, a well-balanced beer. The N’ICE CHOUFFE is unfiltered, and re-fermented in the bottle as well as in the keg.
Packaging : 750ml bottles and 20 litre kegs
Alcohol : 10% alc./vol.
Original extract : 20 °Plato
Serving temperature : 4 to 10°C (bottle)

If my math is correct, 20 °Plato works out to an estimated OG of 1.083 and with a 10% ABV, that would make an estimated FG of 1.008 and an attenuation of almost 90%! I'm sure some of that alcohol would come from the use of candi sugar. I can guess at the grain bill, but could definitely use some help. According to a review of the beer in DRAFT Magazine (http://www.draftmag.com/beerreviews/detail/548), the beer is listed as having 37 IBUs. I'm not sure where they got that info, but it seems to be plausible. I would probably go with Styrian Goldings and/or Saaz. The most important part, in my mind, is the yeast selection. I'm thinking of using WLP550 Belgian Ale Yeast, Wyeast 3522 Belgian Ardennes, or even WLP575 Belgian Style Ale Yeast Blend, but I'm open to suggestions. WLP550 and Wyeast 3522 are supposed to be the same yeast originally from the Achouffe Brewery, so either one of those would probably be a good selection.

Does anyone have any suggestions for me in terms of recipe formulation?

Cheers!
Gabi

I brewed up a partial mash dubbel back around the 1st of August.

This was my ingredient list:

3 lbs. Belgian 2-row
1 lb. Carabelge (CaraVienne)
.25 lb. Belgian Aromatic
.25 lb. Belgian Caramel Pils

6 lb. LME
1 lb. Amber DME
1 lb. Candi sugar (rocks)
1/2 lb. Dark Candi sugar (rocks)

1 oz. Hallertau Mittelfruh (60 min.)
1/2 oz. Styrian Goldings (30 min)
1/2 oz. Saaz (15 min)

I used 1 vial WLP 500 and a smack pack of Wyeast 3522 Belgian Ardennes (smack pack)

My OG 1.081 was in a 5.5 gallon batch

I went pretty easy on the hops because I really wanted a showcase for the yeast.

When we bottled it up on Monday it tasted pretty darn good. My picky BMC drinker boyfriend even liked it (and it's not even carbed yet).

This particular yeast blend turned out really yummy. I can't wait to see what it does as it ages. It's got hints of apple and clove, but also a nice warm winter fruit quality to it.

To answer your questions then, since I am no expert in recipe building I would suggest to start with a recipe for a Belgian strong dark, the noble hops are your friend (I love the Hallertau), sweet orange peel vs. bitter, a sprig of fresh thyme at flameout, not sure what other spice I would use - perhaps a tiny amount of coriander but it's easy to overdo it.

One of the things I love most about Belgian styles is how the yeast can provide all sorts of wonderful, warm, spicy fruit qualities to a rather simple grain bill.

I'll have to keep an eye out for this one again, I know I saw a bottle or two on the shelf of one store - just didn't pick it up because it was the dead of summer

AG batch, according to Beer Captured:
8 oz of 60 crystal
8 oz of belgian cara-munich
6 oz of belgian aromatic
4 oz of belgian special b

16.33# 2-row pilsner
1# candi sugar - clear
1.25 oz Styrian goldings - boil

1 oz S. Goldings - flavor
1/2 oz saaz - aroma

ferment with Wyeast 1388 or Wyeast 1214

after 7 days in fermenter, add 1/2 inch vanilla bean, 1/4 tsp thyme, 1/4 oz belgian bitter orange peel.

Or, instead of the base malt, add 10.75# of extra light dme.

avidhomebrewer said:

AG batch, according to Beer Captured:
8 oz of 60 crystal
8 oz of belgian cara-munich
6 oz of belgian aromatic
4 oz of belgian special b

16.33# 2-row pilsner
1# candi sugar - clear
1.25 oz Styrian goldings - boil

1 oz S. Goldings - flavor
1/2 oz saaz - aroma

ferment with Wyeast 1388 or Wyeast 1214

after 7 days in fermenter, add 1/2 inch vanilla bean, 1/4 tsp thyme, 1/4 oz belgian bitter orange peel.

Or, instead of the base malt, add 10.75# of extra light dme.

Click to expand...

I have some Parisian friends coming in for the holidays. I'll be brewing this soon. Thank you for the info.

Achouffe uses Wyeast 3522. Does anyone have a N'Ice Chouffe recipe using this yeast?

I see 2-row is suggested above... Is that really appropriate for a Belgian, or is it less important given the flavor profile + adjuncts?

I'd love to brew this up for next winter..

luckybeagle said:

I'd love to brew this up for next winter..

Click to expand...

Me too...