Blonde Doppelbock

[Madtown Brew]

After posting in the "how often do you brew" thread, I realized that I'm on batch #20, or my 100th gallon of homebrew. So, I thought I ought to brew up something real special to commemorate the occasion.

By far, one of my all-time favorite commercial brews is Capital Brewery's "Blonde Doppelbock." Golden color, very smooth and only slightly sweet with a strong malty presence - this brew is a sleeper that will sneak up and drop you to the floor if your not careful.

So, the question is, how does one brew somthing like this? Anyone got any suggestions for malt bill? I'm thinking mostly pils with perhaps some vienna and/or munich. Anything else? Yeast suggestions?

I'm guessing a triple decoction will also be warranted.

 

[Evan!]

You could toss some melanoidin malt in there to enhance the maltiness. A decoc would be perfect for something like this. Mash high and/or add some carapils for the sweetness. I'm assuming you have the ability to lager it.

The WLP833 would be great. Supposedly it comes from Ayinger, whose Celebrator is one of the best doppelbocks in the world.

 

[Yooper]

That's my all-time favorite beer. I love it. Let us know what you decide for the recipe, and how it comes out. I guess I'll have to wait until spring to hear the verdict, but I'd really like to know!

 

[sause]

I would be thinking of the same type of grain bill. If you do a decoction you wouldn't have to put in any melanoidin malt. This is what I was thinking for a grain bill:

8# 2-Row (Pils would be best but what ever you have on hand)
6# Vienna Malt
2# Munich Malt

That should get you a SG of 1.090 at 75% effiency. It would also get you a SRM of 7.8 so it is pretty pale. Put in 1.5oz. of Spalter at 60 and you are done. If you aren't going with the decoction then add some melanoidin malt.

 

[Brew-boy]

I made a traditional Doppelbock with a double decoction and it turned out great.
A blonde version sounds tasty.

13.5 lbs Pilsner Malt
0.78 lbs Dingemans Cara-pils
0.52 lbs Weyermann LT Munich
0.52 lbs Dingemans Cara Munich
0.3 lbs Chocolate Malt
0.3 lbs Wheat Malt
1.5 oz Hallertau Tradition (3.2%) - added during boil, boiled 90 min
.5 oz Hallertau Tradition (3.2%) - added during boil, boiled 15 min
1.0 ea White Labs WLP830 German Lager

 

[Madtown Brew]

I would be thinking of the same type of grain bill. If you do a decoction you wouldn't have to put in any melanoidin malt. This is what I was thinking for a grain bill:

8# 2-Row (Pils would be best but what ever you have on hand)
6# Vienna Malt
2# Munich Malt

That should get you a SG of 1.090 at 75% effiency. It would also get you a SRM of 7.8 so it is pretty pale. Put in 1.5oz. of Spalter at 60 and you are done. If you aren't going with the decoction then add some melanoidin malt.

Funny, I actually came up w/ almost the exact same grain bill earlier today before checking this thread.

8# pils
6# Vienna
1# Munich

Hallertauer (17-20 IBU)
OG: 1.083

I decided to keep the munich to less than 10%, because in higher quantities it can tend to give an almost fruity character that I want to avoid in this brew. I also wanted to keep it right around 8% ABV since it needs to be quaffable.

No melanoidin because I'm a glutton for punishment actually enjoy decoction mashing.

One question though: Are there any significant flavor differences between Belgian pils and German pils? MY LHBS only carries the Belgian, but I'm willing to order some Durst if someone thinks it warranted.


Here's where it gets messy though. I only have a 5 gallon MLT!

My plan is to split the grains in half, mash, boil, cool and transfer to the carboy. While the first batch is cooling, I immediatly dough in with the second half of the grains, boil, cool, and tranfer it onto the previous wort. Chill to 45*F, aerate, and pitch.

Believe it or not, I've done this once before. That time, I made two brews using the partigyle method. It took around 14 hrs from first dough in to final pitch. This time I'll only make one, but with the decoction, I expect it will take just as long.

Did I mention, I do all of this in my apartment kitchen on the stovetop. Just goes to show that kitchen brewing can be extreme too.

Thanks for all the input, folks.

 

[Madtown Brew]

Arrgh!

I called my LHBS on Wednesday (11/14) to find out if they had WLP833. They told me none in stock but they just ordered more and it'll be there friday. I was busy Friday and Sat., so when I called today to duoble check on the yeast... all gone.

Turns out they only ordered 2 vials!

aarrggh! They won't have more until next friday. Now I don't have time to make a lower grav beer to generate a good primary yeast surry for the doppelbock. Oh well, I guess I'll have to make up some sterile wort for a starter now.

Sorry, rant off now.

Anyone care to chime in RE: any flavor differences between Belgian and German Pils?

 

[Madtown Brew]

Apologies for necrobumping, but I thought some others might be interested.

I just got back from a beer tasting event where I got to talk with Kirby Nelson, brewmaster of Capital Brewery. What a cool dude! I asked for tips on brewing the blonde doppelbock and he gladly spilled the beans.

According to Kirby, they use a combination of 2 different pale 6-row malts (I forget the maltsters) along with about 3-5% crystal 20. "It's a very simple grain bill" he said. Also, a single decoction, removing about 1/4 of the grist and boiling it.

As if that wasn't enough, he even offered to give me some yeast in a couple weeks. "Just give me a call and I'll be glad to give you some of the yeast we use" he said, as he handed me his card.

Awesome!

 

[cactusgarrett]

I just wanted to re-hash this one, since Capital's Bockfest is coming up in a month. Their Blonde Dopplebock is a perennial mainstay on my "to-brew" list. Hopefully someone's had a go with Madtown's recipe clarification back in 2008.

 

[GetSudz]

Bumping an old post...cause I just popped a top and wanted find out how to make this tasty brew.
Uggh...Decoction!! Too much of a noob to go this route.
Any short cuts?

 

[fastricky]

I'd love to try a Blonde Bock or 2Bock... But just 6-row and a bit of 20L crystal is surprising to me - don't you need it to have that very malty character?

 

[GetSudz]

The malty character is probably brought out with the double decoction.

 

[Malticulous]

I recently brewed the Heller Uri-bock from Weyermann's site. It's not much different. Mine is dopplebock strength, a triple decotion, same yeast, and a different hop. I've never had Capital's dopple blond bock but I wonder if this is close.
Hopville . "Heller Uri-Bock" Maibock/Helles Bock Recipe

 

[Roadie]

Talk about raising posts from the long been dead catagory... Gordon Strong in his book Modern Homebrew Recipes has a recipe for a Blonde Dopplebock. Basically 58% Pils, 16% Vienna, 16% Munich and 5% each of Melanoidin (instead of decocting) and Crystal 10. Magnum for bittering and Hallertauer at 5 min. Step mash.

Going to either try it or something similar and use the fast lagering schedule I've been hearing so much about lately.

 

[HomebrewPadawan]

Talk about raising posts from the long been dead catagory... Gordon Strong in his book Modern Homebrew Recipes has a recipe for a Blonde Dopplebock. Basically 58% Pils, 16% Vienna, 16% Munich and 5% each of Melanoidin (instead of decocting) and Crystal 10. Magnum for bittering and Hallertauer at 5 min. Step mash.

Going to either try it or something similar and use the fast lagering schedule I've been hearing so much about lately.

How'd it turn out, Roadie? Sounds nice.

 

[Roadie]

How'd it turn out, Roadie? Sounds nice.

Turned out great, however even though it was within style guidelines judges were looking for darker. Think it averaged 38. Tasted great though.