Botched a Belgian Dubbel, should I add fruit?

[FoundlingOfDollar]

Hey all,

I was making a big belgian dubbel, kind of similar to a Chimay white. Long story short I missed all my targets. The starting SG was way low and it finished pretty dry. It's not nearly flavorful enough, sort of just a nondescript dark brown ale. There's nothing wrong with it, no off flavors, it just doesn't taste like a big Belgian. So, I am wondering, should I just add some fruit flavoring and serve it for my friends that prefer fruit beers or just don't like the fairly dark, heavy, big beers that I tend to make.

Any suggestions on what fruit flavor to add? Real fruit, syrup? Can I still add a flavor? The beer had a month long primary and has been in secondary for two months.

 

[hopsalot]

Personally i would keg/bottle it then try again.

But if your mind is made up on fruit know that extract syrup will be quicker than natural fruit. As far as what fruit you pick the sky is the limit, I have used everything from grapes, apricot, to raspberries, even cantaloupe. Use your best judgment on what would go best whit what your beer taste likes then we can help with the quantities.


What yeast did you use?

 

[jvlpdillon]

I have made more mistakes than I care to admit by mucking with something more than just leaving it.

I also agree bottle it. It it is drinkable, then drink it. Save some for 6 mos. and see if it changes. It likely will.

 

[Spartan1979]

Personally i would keg/bottle it then try again.

But if your mind is made up on fruit know that extract syrup will be quicker than natural fruit. As far as what fruit you pick the sky is the limit, I have used everything from grapes, apricot, to raspberries, even cantaloupe. Use your best judgment on what would go best whit what your beer taste likes then we can help with the quantities.


What yeast did you use?

Yeah, use cantaloupe and call it Listeria Ale.

 

[hopsalot]

Yeah, use cantaloupe and call it Listeria Ale.

Yeah i actually had a Flander red with cantaloupe in it when all that was going on, the cantaloupes were much older, but thats pretty much what people were calling it

 

[beergolf]

What was the recipe?

Chimay White is a Tripel not a Dubbel. Their Dubbel is the Red.

What yeast did you use? Yeast has a lot do do with the flavor profile of Belgians.

Belgians often take a long time to age out and taste good. I usually leave my Belgians in the fermenter for 4-6 weeks and then bottle condition them for at least two months, but they taste even better at 4-6 months.

I learned this when I did my first Belgin. I drank most of it young and it was OK. I had several bottle put away. When I pulled one out at 5 months in the bottle I was so pissed that I drank most of the batch too early, because it was awesome.

 

[buff12db]

I pulled a gallon off of a dubbel I brewed about three weeks ago and racked it on top of 1.5 pounds of frozen raspberries to keep SWMBO happy. I have no idea how it will taste, but it smells great.

 

[FoundlingOfDollar]

I used WPL500. Also, you're right, not Chimay white, not sure what I was thinking there.

I know more aging never hurts, but my problem is that the beer is just too bland for my tastes, doesn't have any of the characteristics of a good Belgian dubbel. I don't think more time for flavors to mellow and mingle is what it needs. On the other hand I was thinking it might make a decent base for a raspberry flavored beer, but I would welcome any other fruit suggestions. Any benefits/downsides of using a flavor syrup rather than frozen fruit?

Not too bad though, if I can keep going at a rate of one moderately unsuccessful batch per year I think I can be happy.

 

[smyrnaquince]

Why not bottle it to see if aging helps, and add syrup to the glass when you pour (if needed)? Best of both worlds.