Help with my first Belgian - Abbey Dubbel

Please give me any pointers on the recipe below. I am aiming for a very drinkable dubbel that I will keg instead of bottle.

Recipe: Abbey Dubbel
Brewer: Gonzo Brewer
Asst Brewer:
Style: Belgian Dubbel
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.25 gal
Boil Size: 6.72 gal
Estimated OG: 1.067 SG
Estimated Color: 29.7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 24.7 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 73.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
7.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 55.56 %
3.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 23.81 %
0.75 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 5.95 %
1.25 oz Sterling [6.00 %] (60 min) Hops 23.2 IBU
1.00 oz Williamette [5.50 %] (2 min) Hops 1.4 IBU
1.00 tbsp PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1.00 lb Candi Sugar, Amber (75.0 SRM) Sugar 7.94 %
0.50 lb Brown Sugar, Light (8.0 SRM) Sugar 3.97 %
0.35 lb Molasses (80.0 SRM) Sugar 2.78 %
1 Pkgs Trappist Ale (White Labs #WLP500) [StarterYeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, No Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 10.75 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body, No Mash Out
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 13.44 qt of water at 169.0 F 154.0 F

I plan to primary and secondary at 68 degrees - right?

That is quite a bit of sugar you have. Have you used molasses before? It can easily be overpowering. You have about 5.5 oz. there if I am correct. Might want to cut back or leave it out. You will get plenty of rummy fig like flavors from the use of candi sugar and the nature of the yeast as it is.

You can also ferment a bit warmer to bring out the particular characteristics of the strain of yeast. Start cooler (68F or even a few degrees lower) then let it slowly ramp up to mid 70's F.

Also, you are making a starter for this yes?

For a dubbel-style beer, you need to completely ditch the chocolate malt. You don't want any of the roasted flavors associated with that in the dubbel. Instead, use about half pound of Special B along with some CaraMunich to achieve both the color you're looking for as well as the rummy/raisin-like flavor characteristics. If you can't achieve the color with that, try a small amount of Carafa II special.

You also want to mash lower than 154 in my opinion. I would try around 150. To have an easy drinking beer, you want it fairly dry.

I have to agree. Drop the mole-asses and the choc malt and mash at 145-147.

As the ferment reaches terminal gravity start to bring the temp up to 72 to help it dry out.

Also, boil for 90 min adding the Amber syrup at the 45 min mark.

Are you using Dark Candi? If not you might want to get some.

dark candi, inc.

Disclaimer - these suggestions will get you a lot closer to the dubbel style, but it always boils down to a matter of taste. As is, your recipe won't really be a dubbel, but it probably will be very good. SO if that's what you want, I'd say go for it.

But if you want get closer to the classic dubbel style, I would drop the molasses and the brown sugar (brown sugar is just white sugar with a bit of molasses in it) and go with 1 pound of Dark Candi instead of light.

I'd cut the chocolate at least in half. I generally brew my dubbels with 2-3 ounces of dehusked Carafa I for color with little bitterness. I also think you're a bit heavy on the Munich -- I'd cut that about in half as well . Like pseudo chef said, you probably should get some crystal in there as well -- CaraMunich or Special B are both good choices.

With the hops, I generally use Styrians, Saaz or Hallertau but Sterling looks like an interesting choice. I'd strongly recommend omitting the aroma addition though. If you want a flavor addition at 15 minutes, that's ok, but I'd probably opt for some more Sterling. Definitely not Willamette -- that's not appropriate for the style.

154 is good if you want it sweet (like a Leffe Bruin) but for more drinkability, I'd mash a little lower (150-151).

68 is good for the fermentation temp.

+1 on the Special B. I tasted a very nice dubbel lately that had it in. Awsome.

Thanx all for the help. This original recipe was something I tasted at the So. Cal Homebrewers Assoc. get together at Lake Casitas. It tasted great, but it was late in the evening. I do remember it being quite sweet - hence the high mash temp.

I will add the following and drop the Chocolate - please help with the amounts:

Caramunich 0.5 lb
Special B 0.25 lb
Carafa II 2 oz.

Drop the Munich to 2 lb
Dark Candi Sugar 1 lb
No Molassas or brown sugar

Mash at 150

All Sterling hops

Ferment as suggested.

I would also suggest TIME as the most important ingredient.

I brewed a dubbel a year ago taht was very bland at bottling, something was "missing" didn't have many belgian esters or other flavors I associated with dubbels (grain bill was pils, munich, special B, dark candi syrup, WLP500). However, after 6 mos - 1 year in the bottle it now is quite good and tastes a lot more like a dubbel.

I'm not sure if this is typical, just my experience.

OK, Here is my revised recipe. I made the candi sugar last night - so easy. It is a very dark amber so I upped the amout to 1.25 lb. I will bottle this at about 2.8 vol and wait 4 months at least.

Batch Size: 5.25 gal
Boil Size: 7.27 gal
Estimated OG: 1.063 SG
Estimated Color: 21.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 25.9 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 73.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
8.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 65.95 %
2.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 16.49 %
0.50 lb Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 4.12 %
0.25 lb Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 2.06 %
0.13 lb Carafa II (412.0 SRM) Grain 1.07 %
1.00 oz Sterling [6.00 %] (60 min) Hops 19.9 IBU
0.50 oz Sterling [6.00 %] (20 min) Hops 6.0 IBU
1.00 tbsp PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1.25 lb Candi Sugar, Amber (75.0 SRM) Sugar 10.31 %
1 Pkgs Trappist Ale (White Labs #WLP500) [StarterYeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, No Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 10.88 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body, No Mash Out
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 13.60 qt of water at 164.3 F 150.0 F

I think that's gong to be a really nice dubbel. Good luck and enjoy.

Family guy sucks balls. I guess you'll make some beer. ok.

I like aromatic malt in my dubbels along with the others you added like the special B. good move.

Hey how did this come out for you after all this time?