A godsend for all of us who brew Belgian style ale!

[Steve973]

Hey, all...

I don't know if anyone already posted about this, but now we can get real Belgian candi syrup, which is supposedly identical to the stuff that brewers use in Belgium. Check out this link, although you can probably also get it elsewhere:

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=7151

I haven't used it yet, but I'm really looking forward to it. I think one of the biggest mistakes that people make while trying to recreate their favorite belgian beer is making the recipe too complex with the grain bill. Most of these are very simple: mostly pale or pils malt with all (or nearly all) of the darkening and around twenty percent of the extraction points coming from this type of syrup.

 

[MarkUsBrew]

I just brewed a dubbel with this stuff last night. It was my first time using the product, and it was much more convenient to use compared with dissolving the rocks before adding to the wort. But it will be awhile before I'll be able to determine the difference in taste between this and the rocks.

 

[cweston]

Cool. Just to pick a nit, my understanding is that candy sugar or syrup, while dark, contributes very little color to the actual beer. So the color in a dubbel or strong dark ale still comes from the roasted and/or kilned grains.

 

[Willie3]

I am getting ready to brew a dubbel. Can't wait. I originally was going with the rocks so I have a # of them. Then I found the syrup and now I am going to use both. I think Begian dubbels are suppose to have somewhat of a grain bill. Maybe not so complex but definately different grains. I can understand getting to involved but you have to have Special B, Munich, Pilsner, Bisquit, and maybe a touch of Chocolate. I also add a touch of Wheat for better head retention.

I think that good dubbels are a bit more than simple beer - IMHO.

- WW


Give a man a beer and he will drink for a night.

Teach a man to brew and he will spend all his money on brewing supplies, become possessed with creating his favorite beer, and be drunk on his own beer forever!!

 

[cweston]

I can understand getting to involved but you have to have Special B, Munich, Pilsner, Bisquit, and maybe a touch of Chocolate. I also add a touch of Wheat for better head retention.

I think the one thing almost all dubbels have, besides the base grain, is caramunich. All of the other things you listed are found in some dubbels and not others.

I used caramunich and a small amount of special B and chocolate. If I did it again, I'd add a little aromatic as well.

 

[chask31]

I didnt know that you were supposed to dissolve the rock sugar before adding to the wort. Is that a rule of thumb or just something some people do. I made a Saison Dupont and just dissolved the rocks in the wort. The beer tasted bad at first but is aging well I think.

 

[MarkUsBrew]

I didnt know that you were supposed to dissolve the rock sugar before adding to the wort. Is that a rule of thumb or just something some people do.

I'm not sure, but maybe the rocks would carmelize while sitting on the bottom of the brewpot as they dissolve? That wouldn't be a problem with a dubbel, but could darken a golden or trippel more than desired.