Belgian Dubbel

Williams 728
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smellysell

smellysell

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Does this look even close? I'm using the 2row because that's what I have. IWould I add the invert sugar at 15 minutes or for the full boil?

13.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 83.93 %
0.50 lb Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 3.23 %
0.50 lb Carared (20.0 SRM) Grain 3.23 %
0.25 lb Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 1.61 %
0.12 lb Carafa II (412.0 SRM) Grain 0.77 %
0.12 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 0.77 %
1.50 oz Fuggles [4.70 %] (60 min) Hops 20.0 IBU
1.00 lb Invert Sugar (0.0 SRM) Sugar 6.46 %
 
I think it looks fine. A bit complex - I'd delete the Chocolate malt, for example - but fine. US 2-row is fine in pretty much any beer; it's the chicken breast, and the specialty malts are the Caribbean Jerk, or Honey Mustard, or Lemon Pepper, or ... you get the picture.

You can add the sugar anytime during the boil. I add it when I remember it, usually about 30 seconds before flameout! :D

The important thing here is the yeast. Which strain are you planning to employ?

Bob
 
NQ3X said:
I think it looks fine. A bit complex - I'd delete the Chocolate malt, for example - but fine. US 2-row is fine in pretty much any beer; it's the chicken breast, and the specialty malts are the Caribbean Jerk, or Honey Mustard, or Lemon Pepper, or ... you get the picture.

You can add the sugar anytime during the boil. I add it when I remember it, usually about 30 seconds before flameout! :D

The important thing here is the yeast. Which strain are you planning to employ?

Bob
Click to expand...

I was thinking 1388 or 1214. 3522 Belgian Ardennes sounds like it might be interesting too though.
 
Actually ended up goin with WLP500. Any other adjustments other than dropping the chocolate you guys would suggest?
 
Not quite sure about all those specialty grains. Carafa II? Why? Color? Carared? Caramunich I can see, but IIWY, I'd up the special B to half a pound and put some aromatic up in there. Also, from my personal experience, if you spend the time making your own candi sugar, you will thank yourself later. It's another hour or so, but the results speak for themselves. I used homemade amber candi sugar in my last dubbel and it really rocked. Sugar, even invert sugar, is just not the same. And if you're making invert sugar, then you're already halfway there anyway...just boil it for longer :D
 
Evan! said:
Not quite sure about all those specialty grains. Carafa II? Why? Color? Carared? Caramunich I can see, but IIWY, I'd up the special B to half a pound and put some aromatic up in there. Also, from my personal experience, if you spend the time making your own candi sugar, you will thank yourself later. It's another hour or so, but the results speak for themselves. I used homemade amber candi sugar in my last dubbel and it really rocked. Sugar, even invert sugar, is just not the same. And if you're making invert sugar, then you're already halfway there anyway...just boil it for longer :D
Click to expand...

I've actually been reading up on it and am planning on making some amber candi sugar instead of using the invert. The reason I started with those grains is because it's what I had left from another batch. So I'll use as much special b as I have left and nix the carafaII and carared?
 
smellysell said:
I've actually been reading up on it and am planning on making some amber candi sugar instead of using the invert. The reason I started with those grains is because it's what I had left from another batch. So I'll use as much special b as I have left and nix the carafaII and carared?
Click to expand...

I've never used carared myself, but in a beer like this, I guess it can't hurt. Might do some of the same things as Aromatic.
 
From what I've read, Dark Candi Syrup is a big part of a Dubbel. That's actually where most of the color is supposed to come from...that and the Special B. You can make your own Dark Candi Syrup with just sugar, here is a thread about my making it. You don't need any acid to make it.

Also, from what else I could gather from reading (the article in the thread linked below) I chose the Roquefort strain which is Wyeast 1762 or White Labs WLP540.

FWIW, my recipe was pretty much just Belgian Pils, Special B, Aromatic, Caramunich and Dark Candi Syrup.

Here's a good thread with a nice article on Dubbels, although it doesn't really agree with my dark candi syrup comment.
 
SpanishCastleAle said:
From what I've read, Dark Candi Syrup is a big part of a Dubbel. That's actually where most of the color is supposed to come from...that and the Special B. You can make your own Dark Candi Syrup with just sugar, here is a thread about my making it. You don't need any acid to make it.

Also, from what else I could gather from reading (the article in the thread linked below) I chose the Roquefort strain which is Wyeast 1762 or White Labs WLP540.

FWIW, my recipe was pretty much just Belgian Pils, Special B, Aromatic, Caramunich and Dark Candi Syrup.

Here's a good thread with a nice article on Dubbels, although it doesn't really agree with my dark candi syrup comment.
Click to expand...

How long can you store the sugar in syrup form for? I was planning on making the hard candi sugar and using that.

If I would have known those were the Rochefort yeast I would have used that instead, Rochefort 10 is one of my favorite beers.
 
I'm not sure how long the syrup lasts but it should be a very long time. The hard dark candi sugar should essentially be the same thing...just with less water in it so it hardens. I thought the syrup would be easier to use so I went with that.

Here is a helpful site that cross-references the Wyeast and White Labs yeasts and also tells you where the strains came from.
 
smellysell said:
I've actually been reading up on it and am planning on making some amber candi sugar instead of using the invert.
Click to expand...

It is rediculously easy. I made 2 lbs of Belgian Dark Candi a few weeks ago and it took me a 1/2 hour. I threw 2 lbs of Dominoe sugar in a pot.. threw in a little water till it was diluted and a splash of lemon juice. Just kept stirring for a 1/2 hour untill it turned brown
 
SpanishCastleAle said:
I'm not sure how long the syrup lasts but it should be a very long time. The hard dark candi sugar should essentially be the same thing...just with less water in it so it hardens. I thought the syrup would be easier to use so I went with that.

Here is a helpful site that cross-references the Wyeast and White Labs yeasts and also tells you where the strains came from.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link. I'm making some candi sugar right now...
 

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