Recipe Development: Belgian Dubbel w Dried Blueberries

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ophillium

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Hey folks,

I'm working on a recipe and would very much appreciate any comments regarding ingredients, timing, or technique.

Edited 5/26: added a second version of the recipe based on discussion below. Without further ado:


Belgian Dubbel with dried blueberries

Version 1 (trying to get a bit more complexity out of the malts instead of relying solely on the candi sugar. I know this isn't the way it's traditionally done):

Yeast: WY3787 (Trappist High Gravity)
Mash: 148 F
Batch Size: 5.5 gallons
OG: 1.065
FG: 1.016
IBU: 18

Malts
8lb Pilsner
1.5lb Caramunich
1.5lb Caravienna
0.75lb Special B

Adjuncts
0.75lb Dark Candi Sugar (5 min boil)
1.5lb Dried Blueberries (added in secondary)

Hops
1oz East Kent Goldings (60 min)
0.5oz East Kent Goldings (20 min)

Version 2 (based on discussion below, minimizing crystal malts, added aromatic & upped the base malts):

Yeast: WY3787 (Trappist High Gravity)
Mash: 148 F
Batch Size: 5.5 gallons
OG: 1.062
FG: 1.015
IBU: 18

Malts
10 lb Pilsner
0.5 lb Special B
0.25 lb Caramunich
0.25 lb Aromatic Malt

Adjuncts
0.75 lb Dark Candi Sugar (5 min boil)
1.5 lb Dried Blueberries (added in secondary)

Hops
1oz East Kent Goldings (60 min)
0.5oz East Kent Goldings (20 min)

As always, all thoughts are welcome on any version posted here. I'll be brewing this in mid-june to have it ready for winter.
 
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It looks pretty good. I'd consider adding some aromatic malt, and a touch of wheat might be nice.

I think the malt/yeast complexity is the key to making a great one. WY3787 will work well with the malt, sugar, and blueberries.

Good luck with it and we'll be waiting for your results around November.
 
Cheers, Build. I did have aromatic malt in my original recipe but took it out because I thought it might 'clash' or compete with Special B.

Also, do you suggest wheat just for the complexity? My brew partner can't stomach wheat. Think a bit of rye or spelt would serve just as well?
 
Ive had the most success adding frozen packaged fruit directly into asecondary without worrying about sanitation. Blueberries would be super easy to find.

I also think you could at least double the amount of blueberries in there. I made a blackberry sour saison (pale colored) and used 3lbs of berries. The next batch ive got going is using 4. I would think with all those darker malts, the blueberry will defintiely get lost unless you up the amount of blueberries
 
Cheers, Build. I did have aromatic malt in my original recipe but took it out because I thought it might 'clash' or compete with Special B.

Also, do you suggest wheat just for the complexity? My brew partner can't stomach wheat. Think a bit of rye or spelt would serve just as well?

ophillium, I don't think the aromatic will clash with the Special B, only enhance the beer overall. You could also use melanoidin, which is similar to Munich, but more aromatic.

Rye will make a nice Dubbel addition as well. Maybe 1/2 to 1 lb.
 
Ive had the most success adding frozen packaged fruit directly into asecondary without worrying about sanitation. Blueberries would be super easy to find.

I also think you could at least double the amount of blueberries in there. I made a blackberry sour saison (pale colored) and used 3lbs of berries. The next batch ive got going is using 4. I would think with all those darker malts, the blueberry will defintiely get lost unless you up the amount of blueberries

There's a big difference between dried and fresh (frozen) fruits, which might explain the discrepancy in the volume of our additions. Similar to herbs in cooking, the fresh/dry ratio is about 1.5 - 2 to 1 (respectively).

Also, I'd like the blueberry notes to be subtle, though clearly discernible. If you still think my proportions are off please say so.
 
oh right. Didn't consider the difference there

I would cut out either the caravienna or caramunich entirely. Youve got over 30% sweet cara-like malts in there. Best dubbels Ive made were super simple. Enough special B to get aamber-brown color, maybe a few oz of something else, then just pilsner and candi syrup. Worst ones ive done had like a bit more than 10% special B / caramunich and were just way too sweet in the finish
 
I would cut out either the caravienna or caramunich entirely. Youve got over 30% sweet cara-like malts in there. Best dubbels Ive made were super simple. Enough special B to get aamber-brown color, maybe a few oz of something else, then just pilsner and candi syrup. Worst ones ive done had like a bit more than 10% special B / caramunich and were just way too sweet in the finish

That's an excellent point. I am trying to get away from the pilsner/candi syrup combo (despite its proven ability to make great dubbels), but I don't want to end up with a sweet, cloying mess of a beer.

I wonder if, rather than crystal malts, I go with a malt bill similar to a saison: mostly pilsner, but with small amounts of rye, spelt, oats, wheat, etc. to get the desired complexity, plus Special B and a touch of aromatic malts to send it into the stratosphere...
 
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Check the ingredients on the dried blueberries. Some dried fruit like cranberries and cherries have oil added to keep them from clumping and it screws up head retention.
 
A few tweeks. Here's the original:

Belgian Dubbel with dried blueberries
Yeast: WY3787 (Trappist High Gravity)
Mash: 148 F
Batch Size: 5.5 gallons
OG: 1.065
FG: 1.016
IBU: 18

Malts
8lb Pilsner
1.5lb Caramunich
1.5lb Caravienna
0.75lb Special B

Adjuncts
0.75lb Dark Candi Sugar (5 min boil)
1.5lb Dried Blueberries (added in secondary)

Hops
1oz East Kent Goldings (60 min)
0.5oz East Kent Goldings (20 min)

The conversations above have convinced me to simplify my malt bill and reduce the crystal/aromatic/special malts. I think this will give the blueberries a better shot of standing out.

So, revised:

Belgian Dubbel with dried blueberries v2
Yeast: WY3787 (Trappist High Gravity)
Mash: 148 F
Batch Size: 5.5 gallons
OG: 1.062
FG: 1.015
IBU: 18

Malts
10 lb Pilsner
0.5 lb Special B
0.25 lb Caramunich
0.25 lb Aromatic Malt

Adjuncts
0.75 lb Dark Candi Sugar (5 min boil)
1.5 lb Dried Blueberries (added in secondary)

Hops
1oz East Kent Goldings (60 min)
0.5oz East Kent Goldings (20 min)
 
looks great. interested to see your results. m00ps always has great suggestions
 
Quick update -- I added the full pound of candi sugar since that was the packet size and I didn't want to waste the last 1/4. Also f***ed up by mashing at 155 instead of the desired 150. I don't think that's a problem though -- the final product should just be a bit sweeter than I'd intended, which might actually be good for carrying the fruit flavours fuller.

Fermentation was quick and strong -- so strong it blew through the airlock and coated my brew partner's walls with gunk. Didn't anticipate that at all. Next time I'll try the hose-in-a-bucket option to be sure.

Finally, I'm considering using figs growing in my GF's backyard next month rather than blueberries. For one thing, they're free and fresh. And, did I mention they're free and fresh? Mmmmm figs.

I love brewing. Every batch is a new experience. And, like beer itself, it's all good :tank:
 
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