Anyone have a New Belgium Abbey clone recipe?

[Beernip]

I haven't been able to find a clone recipe for this brew and am interested in making a clone. Only info I can find on their website is.

Abbey is a Belgian dubbel (or double) brewed with six different malts and an authentic Belgian yeast strain. Abbey is bottle-conditioned, weighs in at 7.0% alcohol by volume, and pairs well with chocolate (or boldly served by itself) for dessert.

All help appreciated.

 

[Beernip]

Well, still interested in making this clone. I sent an email to New Belgium in hopes of getting some information back to help. My request was sent over to one of the assistant brewmasters. The reply was that much of that info in confidential but here is what he could give me.

The malt bill is Pale, Munich, Caramel (80), and Chocolate malt. Hops are Target, Willamette and Liberty. The 2 step mash takes about an hour. The starting Plato is 17. Sugar is added to the boil. The most important part, of course is the yeast. Our founder acquired ours in Belgium many years ago but you can get pretty close to a flavor match with White Labs WL 500 from a homebrew shop.

A couple of concerns. One is that he only lists 4 grains when the website says 6. Can any of you give some educated guess about the other two? Aromatic & Biscuit?

I have never done a two step mash before but also read an interview with the head brew master in that the majority of their beers are done as a single mash @ 68C. Would a single temp mash still work? What would the concerns doing it this way?

Here is the recipe I came up with. Your comments and criticism would be appreciated.

Type: All Grain
Date: 6/5/2009
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 6.41 gal
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: Brew Pot (7.5 gal) and Igloo Cooler (10 Gal)
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.0

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
9.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 72.3 %
1.50 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 12.0 %
0.50 lb Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 4.0 %
0.25 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 2.0 %
0.10 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 0.8 %
0.10 lb Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 0.8 %
0.45 oz Target [11.00%] (60 min) Hops 16.4 IBU
0.50 oz Liberty [4.30%] (20 min) Hops 4.3 IBU
0.50 oz Williamette [5.50%] (5 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
1.00 lb Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) Sugar 8.0 %
1 Pkgs Trappist Ale (White Labs #WLP500) Yeast-Ale



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.070 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.071 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.016 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.016 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 7.0 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 7.2 %
Bitterness: 20.7 IBU Calories: 322 cal/pint
Est Color: 14.8 SRM Color: Color

 

[pinarphan]

Did you brew this? How was it?

 

[Beernip]

Close.. I did end up brewing a version of this but more closely matches their Abbey Grand Cru if you have tried it. Ended up at a little over 9% and has been in the secondary for two months now. I stole a sip about two weeks ago and tastes really good and not that far off the original. The fruit flavors are more mild with mind but I think that it was because I got busy and didn't raise the temps during the fermentation from 68. Meant to bump it up to 75 after 2 days.

Was thinking about bottling it up this weekend and letting it finish aging there.

 

[Beernip]

I did end up brewing this recipe on Sunday and dumping it on top of the Abbey Grand Cru yeast cake. My total volume ended up only being 4 gallons and had to top off with so my OG ended up at 1.065 and not 1.069. Fermentation kicked off within 10 hours and had it up to 74 this morning and was going like crazy. I may add a little more sugar to bump up the abv to the expected 7% from current 6.5%

 

[surferdrew]

Stumbled across this post a few months late but I've been trying to find a Abbey Grand Cru clone and this is the closest I could find.

I've never done an all-grain before...did you end up doing a two step mash with this?

Anything you would do differently next time around?

Cheers!

 

[Beernip]

Yes, I have a few things that I would change the next time around. Overall I think it is a very good first try. I let the temp creep too high during initial fermentation (hit 70) and has too much banana esters in it compared to the original. It is very slight but I don't remember any in the original.

If I remember right I only did a single step mash. I think I would up the Crystal and Special B in the recipe slightly. I'll try to post my original recipe once I get home late tonight.

Edit: This is directed towards my Abbey Grand Cru clone attempt 1.

 

[surferdrew]

thanks for the quick reply!

If you get a chance, Id love to see your recipe that produced the Abbey Grand Cru clone. I'm newer on the home brew scene and have only done extract but am ready to step it up a notch.

Thanks!

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Regarding the use of 6 malts instead of 4:

I just did the 90-minute tour of the New Belgium brewery in Ft. Collins last week. When we went upstairs to look at the top of the Mash Tun/Lauter Tun/Holding Tank/Kettle I looked over the rail and saw a pallet with several labeled barrels of grain (and took a pic). There were 7 barrels and one partially full blue/plastic bag. The barrels were labeled: Rahr Pale 2-row, Coors Pale 2-row, Carapils, Caramel 80, Briess Victory, Briess Munich, and the last one appears to be labeled: MENA. I have no idea what the MENA is. But in any case, it appears that they use 2 different types of Pale 2-row (at least sometimes). Maybe that's one of the 'extra' malts.

 

[surferdrew]

SpanishCastleAle,

That's some good reconnaissance work! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Beernip]

Thanks SpanishCastleAle! Nice to know the exact malts. From what I hear they use a different base malt in the Fat Tire recipe than all others. Maybe that is it.

Now I didn't get the recipe posted last night but did manage to sit and drink one. Priorities you know. Hard to tell from the picture but I think the color is dead on so maybe I would adjust anything. Hmm, Just seems like it needs more of that cherry taste. Been so long since I had the original that maybe I'm off. They did say they would release it as part of the Lips of Faith bottle release. Hope that happens soon as I would love to do a side by side.

Abbey Grand Cru recipe.

Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU
13.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 74.50 %
2.50 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 14.33 %
0.50 lb Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 2.87 %
0.25 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 1.43 %
0.10 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 0.57 %
0.10 lb Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 0.57 %
0.40 oz Magnum [14.00 %] (60 min) Hops 14.9 IBU
0.50 oz Williamette [5.00 %] (20 min) Hops 4.0 IBU
0.50 oz Liberty [4.30 %] (20 min) Hops 3.5 IBU
1.00 lb Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) Sugar 5.73 %
1 Pkgs Trappist Ale (White Labs #WLP500) [Starter 35 ml] Yeast-Ale

Looks like I did do a double infusion mash.

Step Time Name Description Step Temp
30 min Protein Rest Add 14.81 qt of water at 132.1 F 122.0 F
30 min Saccrification Add 13.16 qt of water at 197.3 F 154.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 11.52 qt of water at 205.6 F 168.0 F

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Thanks SpanishCastleAle! Nice to know the exact malts. From what I hear they use a different base malt in the Fat Tire recipe than all others. Maybe that is it.

Now I didn't get the recipe posted last night but did manage to sit and drink one. Priorities you know. Hard to tell from the picture but I think the color is dead on so maybe I would adjust anything. Hmm, Just seems like it needs more of that cherry taste. Been so long since I had the original that maybe I'm off. They did say they would release it as part of the Lips of Faith bottle release. Hope that happens soon as I would love to do a side by side.

My best guess is that the pallet was for Fat Tire, seems to fit.

If you need more cherry maybe up the Special B a little. When we did the tour, the first beer they served was the regular Abbey and I thought it was good. But we had already done a tasting at NB, then a tasting at ODells, then back to NB so about all I remember was that; 'it was good and the Belgian yeast character was not strong'.

 

[stedtale]

How'd did this turn out?

 

[Beernip]

Turned out good but I let the fermentation get away from me and it left too much banana esters. Will brew it again and not mid summer like last time.

 

[GuldTuborg]

Any chance the "extra malts" from the website are just the sugars (assuming they use two types of sugar)? I kind of doubt the brewmaster would leave out 2 malts from the bill and just neglect to tell you. Looking at those malts, I'd say those 4 are the makings of a good dubbel with some sugar additions. For full disclosure, I can't get New Belgium beers where I'm at, so this is all speculation. Still, I wanted to put forth the idea to those who have had it.

 

[DBear]

BYO December 2010 vol.16, num. 8, did a piece on New Belgium that includes the Dubbel recipe plus other.

 

[Beernip]

Really? I was just thinking of making this again. Anyone have that issue that can post the recipe?

 

[USMCYoder]

Really? I was just thinking of making this again. Anyone have that issue that can post the recipe?

I have the magazine sitting at home. I can scan it and upload it/email it tomorrow or monday if you want.

 

[Beernip]

I have the magazine sitting at home. I can scan it and upload it/email it tomorrow or monday if you want.

Yeah! That would be great. Thanks.

 

[USMCYoder]

I'm having a problem sending the scan to my computer so I am just going to post what was in the mag for now. Here is the AG Recipe, I have an extract one if you want it also...

Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.00 gal

Ingredients

7.00 lb Pale Malt
1.50 lb Munich Malt
2.0 lb Cane Sugar (15 Mins)
.25 lb CaraPils Malt
.5 lb crystal malt (80L)

5.0AAU Target Hops (60 Mins) - .45 oz @ 11% AA
1.3AAu Willamette Hops (10 Mins) - .25 oz @ 5% AA
1.1 AAu Libery Hops (5 Mins) - .25 oz @ 4.5% AA

Wyeast 1214 Belgian Ale or White Labs WLP500 Trappist Ale

Mash @ 150F. Boil for 90 minutes. Ferment @ 70F

 

[USMCYoder]

Here are the scans. Nothing a little driver update can't solve...

http://img524.imageshack.us/i/newbelgium.jpg/

http://img524.imageshack.us/i/newbelgium2.jpg/

 

[Beernip]

The second scan comes up but the first page does not.

I was able to get a couple of bottle of the Abbey Grand Cru the other day. Nice rare find and I've got to say that mine is pretty damn close. I'll have to post the Grand Cru recipe that I came up with.

 

[leviticus]

Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU
13.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 74.50 %
2.50 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 14.33 %
0.50 lb Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 2.87 %
0.25 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 1.43 %
0.10 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 0.57 %
0.10 lb Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 0.57 %
0.40 oz Magnum [14.00 %] (60 min) Hops 14.9 IBU
0.50 oz Williamette [5.00 %] (20 min) Hops 4.0 IBU
0.50 oz Liberty [4.30 %] (20 min) Hops 3.5 IBU
1.00 lb Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) Sugar 5.73 %
1 Pkgs Trappist Ale (White Labs #WLP500) [Starter 35 ml] Yeast-Ale

Looks like I did do a double infusion mash.

Step Time Name Description Step Temp
30 min Protein Rest Add 14.81 qt of water at 132.1 F 122.0 F
30 min Saccrification Add 13.16 qt of water at 197.3 F 154.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 11.52 qt of water at 205.6 F 168.0 F

I brewed this today... turned out beautiful. Can't wait to taste the finished product. The style I used in beersmith indicates a move to secondary in only 4 days... there's a lot to ferment out here, so I'm going to take my time I think.

Anyone else have any experience with this recipe or anything similar?

It's on the right here:

 

[Beernip]

Oh man! Let me know how it turns out. Yeah, ignore what beersmith says. I took me two weeks with wpl500 before it was fully fermented out. I would leave it a month and then transfer to a secondary. This beer really starts to taste great at about 6 months. Just watch the temp and don't let it get over 70*.

Also noticed they NB released Grand Cru in bottles again. I'll pick one up and do a side-by-side.

 

[leviticus]

Just wanted to update that the Abbey Grand Cru came out amazingly, even with a Brett infection! (Yeah... airlock when dry, looked over one day and had a white film, argh) Have to say, it couldn't have happened to a better beer..

It's is a spot on match for the commercial beer (In my pitiful, noob opinion). Thanks for the recipe!

 

[E_mott09]

The second scan comes up but the first page does not.

I was able to get a couple of bottle of the Abbey Grand Cru the other day. Nice rare find and I've got to say that mine is pretty damn close. I'll have to post the Grand Cru recipe that I came up with.

Could you post that recipe? How close to the original poster's is it?

 

[E_mott09]

Thanks SpanishCastleAle! Nice to know the exact malts. From what I hear they use a different base malt in the Fat Tire recipe than all others. Maybe that is it.

Now I didn't get the recipe posted last night but did manage to sit and drink one. Priorities you know. Hard to tell from the picture but I think the color is dead on so maybe I would adjust anything. Hmm, Just seems like it needs more of that cherry taste. Been so long since I had the original that maybe I'm off. They did say they would release it as part of the Lips of Faith bottle release. Hope that happens soon as I would love to do a side by side.

Abbey Grand Cru recipe.

Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU
13.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 74.50 %
2.50 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 14.33 %
0.50 lb Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 2.87 %
0.25 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 1.43 %
0.10 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 0.57 %
0.10 lb Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 0.57 %
0.40 oz Magnum [14.00 %] (60 min) Hops 14.9 IBU
0.50 oz Williamette [5.00 %] (20 min) Hops 4.0 IBU
0.50 oz Liberty [4.30 %] (20 min) Hops 3.5 IBU
1.00 lb Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) Sugar 5.73 %
1 Pkgs Trappist Ale (White Labs #WLP500) [Starter 35 ml] Yeast-Ale

Looks like I did do a double infusion mash.

Step Time Name Description Step Temp
30 min Protein Rest Add 14.81 qt of water at 132.1 F 122.0 F
30 min Saccrification Add 13.16 qt of water at 197.3 F 154.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 11.52 qt of water at 205.6 F 168.0 F

Can you or anyone explain why you only did a 30 min sac rest?

 

[humann_brewing]

I'm having a problem sending the scan to my computer so I am just going to post what was in the mag for now. Here is the AG Recipe, I have an extract one if you want it also...

Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.00 gal

Ingredients

7.00 lb Pale Malt
1.50 lb Munich Malt
2.0 lb Cane Sugar (15 Mins)
.25 lb CaraPils Malt
.5 lb crystal malt (80L)

5.0AAU Target Hops (60 Mins) - .45 oz @ 11% AA
1.3AAu Willamette Hops (10 Mins) - .25 oz @ 5% AA
1.1 AAu Libery Hops (5 Mins) - .25 oz @ 4.5% AA

Wyeast 1214 Belgian Ale or White Labs WLP500 Trappist Ale

Mash @ 150F. Boil for 90 minutes. Ferment @ 70F

Has anyone brewed this or have comments comparing it to New Belgiums actual version?

 

[humann_brewing]

Has anyone brewed this or have comments comparing it to New Belgiums actual version?

bump, looking for anyone that has brewed this or trying to replicate NB Abbey

 

[jhaislip]

I brewed this today... turned out beautiful. Can't wait to taste the finished product. The style I used in beersmith indicates a move to secondary in only 4 days... there's a lot to ferment out here, so I'm going to take my time I think.

Anyone else have any experience with this recipe or anything similar?

It's on the right here:

Hi all,

I would like to make this my first all-grain brew. I apologize in advance for the noob question, but what volume is this recipe intended for? The reason I ask is because when I added it to BeerSmith, it is suggesting that a 5 gallon batch size for the recipe above would yield an OG of 1.091 (efficiency of 70%) and an ABV of 9.8%. Is the volume supposed to be much larger than this? Or do I just have something configured wrong in BeerSmith?

Thanks in advance!

Josh

Happy New Year!