SpanishCastleAle
Well-Known Member
I'm about to order the ingredients for a Belgian Dubbel but wanted to clear some things up first.
I plan to bottle-condition it and I'm assuming that I'll need to add yeast at bottling time. What is the easiest/most fool-proof method for bottling a ~7% ABV beer that's been in a secondary @ 50o F for a month? I haven't bottled in...almost forever.
Do I use the same yeast? If I try to use a 'regular' ale yeast at bottling is it just gonna peter out due to the high alcohol?
Is it preferable to add the corn sugar (or dark syrup if I decide to go to the trouble) after fermentation takes off? I realize it's probably not necessary @ ~7% ABV but will it make for healthier yeast? Will it make the yeast tend to ferment the 'more difficult' sugars a little more? I'm wondering if the yeast see all that simple sugar (at pitching time) and decide to take the lazy route and don't fully ferment the more complex sugars...is that even an issue?
Lastly, when reading articles I've read that you can use pale or pils as the base...but then you need Aromatic, Biscuit, Special B, Munich, Caramunich, Crystal and also people use brown malt and even small amounts of roasted barley. Thanks for narrowing it down. I don't think I need every one of those (but some are essential I imagine...like Special B). I've also read that the Crystal might not be the best choice. In any case, which do you consider essential to a dubbel and which if any do you think are not (perhaps even not appropriate)?
Any help appreciated. Thanks!
I plan to bottle-condition it and I'm assuming that I'll need to add yeast at bottling time. What is the easiest/most fool-proof method for bottling a ~7% ABV beer that's been in a secondary @ 50o F for a month? I haven't bottled in...almost forever.
Do I use the same yeast? If I try to use a 'regular' ale yeast at bottling is it just gonna peter out due to the high alcohol?
Is it preferable to add the corn sugar (or dark syrup if I decide to go to the trouble) after fermentation takes off? I realize it's probably not necessary @ ~7% ABV but will it make for healthier yeast? Will it make the yeast tend to ferment the 'more difficult' sugars a little more? I'm wondering if the yeast see all that simple sugar (at pitching time) and decide to take the lazy route and don't fully ferment the more complex sugars...is that even an issue?
Lastly, when reading articles I've read that you can use pale or pils as the base...but then you need Aromatic, Biscuit, Special B, Munich, Caramunich, Crystal and also people use brown malt and even small amounts of roasted barley. Thanks for narrowing it down. I don't think I need every one of those (but some are essential I imagine...like Special B). I've also read that the Crystal might not be the best choice. In any case, which do you consider essential to a dubbel and which if any do you think are not (perhaps even not appropriate)?
Any help appreciated. Thanks!