Brewing for the easter: Doppelbock

[Kaiser]

In oder to keep up with my seasonal brewing schedule I was looking for something to brew for a party that I will have shortly after easter. Doing some research, I found that the time of lent and easter is the season for Doppelbock in Germany.

So I looked through the clone recipe books that I own and found that Spaten Optimator (from beer captured) will be a prime candidate for this. Even though the notes state that it will peak 6 months after brewing.

But unfortunately I don't really trust Beer Captured to much. So, the first thing I will do, is to go on a quest of finding some Spaten Optimator and try it again. This will give me a better idea of how much to trust the recipe. I will also be doing a partial decoction mash (protein, saccrification, mash-out) for this beer since I don't have the equipment to boil down the run-offs of 8kg worth of grain. And I will also be able to use the yeast from my primary which will help with a SG of 1.078.

Has anybody here already done a Doppelbock like this and has suggestions for me? I also plan to serve a lighter beer (probably Koelsch style) at the party, but I'm not in a rush with this one.

Kai

 

[El Pistolero]

But unfortunately I don't really trust Beer Captured to much.

Why is that? I've found there recipes always get me pretty close to the target.

 

[Kaiser]

Why is that? I've found there recipes always get me pretty close to the target.

The receipe for Spaten Ur-Maerzen doesn't list flavor or aroma hops but I can taste and smell the hops when I have one of these.

And there is wheat in the Reissdorf Koelsch receipe. According Reissdorf's website, there is only barley malt in their beer. But I'm not 100% sure how accurate this is though, as the prurity law allows for wheat in topfermenting beers.

But I'm only telling this by looking at the receipies. But I like to hear that many of these recipies are actually close to their tagret. This will give me some more confidence.

Kai