Belgian has bitter after taste

[Hogarthster]

My first Belgian Dubbel which I worry that I've destroyed.

Recipe 6.5 Gal (1.065)
8lb pilsner
4lb munich
8oz aromatic
8oz caramunich III
8oz wheat malt
4oz special B
3oz chocolate
1lb candi sugar (clear), 10 min
0.5oz Magnum 60 min
1.0oz Saaz 5 min

Mash 152F 75min
Water: Poland Spring

Aluminum kettle, igloo cooler mash tun

Yeast:
Carolina Yeasts CYA09 Belgian Ale
1.2L starter 2days stir plate + 1day cold crash (pitched slurry at 75)

Pumped hot wort through counterflow to achieve 80F into 30L speidel fermenter. Placed into chest freezer ( cooling to 67F ) because yeast had not yet dropped out of suspension in starter. Next day aerated with O2 for 2 minutes. SG 1.052. Pitched slurry @ (72F ish). Healthy fermentation kicked in after a few hours.

Temperature controlled chest freezer with light bulb for heating. Fan circulating air. Thermocouple submerged in sanitizer on freezer bottom.

After about a week SG was at 1.030. A lovely odor and still sweet.
At 3 weeks SG down to 1.011 which is target, Slight belgian odor and flat after taste
Was going to bottle this last weekend but hurricane Florence got in my way. Lost power for 4 days and when power came back on freezer was at 80F. SG 1.010 with slight belgian odor and harsh/bitter after taste.

Will this likely mellow out after 30 days of bottle conditioning or have I screwed up? Any suggestions for a second batch?

 

[thehaze]

The beer you taste from the fermenter will unlikely be the final beer. You will have to wait to get it carbonated/conditioned and try a bottle. I recommend tracking any aromas and flavours you get from the beer, once carbonated, every week/10 days or so. Some more complex beers, like a Dubbel, can benefit from ageing.

The recipe itself look fine, so I think there is nothing to worry about. Special B can be assertive and will lend a bit of bitterness on its own, along with the Chocolate malt, but 30 days in the bottle and it will be delicious.

Just give it some time.

As for the second batch, you can take a look at these recipes: http://www.candisyrup.com/recipes.html

I like Special B in Dubbels and Dark Strong ales, along with a bit of Pale Chocolate and / or Roasted Rye/Wheat/Spelt ( de-husked malts, which will impart great cocoa/coffee notes, without the astringency from husks ). Candi Syrup D-90/180 would make a great addition. As for ABV, I like them in the 7% -ish range.

 

[Hogarthster]

Thanks I've been fretting over that for a week.

I managed to get 5-gal out of the fermenter and planned to carb at 3.5 which a hefty 7.8 oz corn sugar. Boiled and cooled the sugar, added to bottling bucket and stirred it in gently. Then I bottled it into sanitized thick bottles. So far so good. Now though I am thinking that I should have added more yeast given the OG of 1.065.

Guess will just have to wait and see.

 

[Hogarthster]

Just popped a cap to check if carbonating. It most definitely is!

And it tastes great, the back end is a changing for the better. Patience now.