Belgian Golden Strong Ale Duvel Clone

[The Pol]

Recipe Type

All Grain

Yeast

WLP570

Yeast Starter

YES

Batch Size (Gallons)

5.3

Original Gravity

1.072

Final Gravity

1.006

Boiling Time (Minutes)

90

IBU

31.8

Color

4.4 SRM

Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)

14

Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)

14

Tasting Notes

Light in color, Dry, Dense white head

Duvel Clone

Style Belgian Golden Strong Ale
Efficiency 70.00 %
Pre-boil Volume 7.40 gallons US
OG 1.072
IBU 31.8
Mash Ratio 1.2 qt/l
Post-boil Volume 5.30 gallons US
FG 1.006
SRM 4.4
Mash Time 135 min
Boil Time 90 min
Yeast WLP570 Belgian Golden Ale Yeast
ABV 8.7 %
Evaporation 1.4 gallons
Attenuation 91.00 %

Mash Schedule
Mash in at 100F, ramp temp to 170F over 135 minutes
Mash in with 3.8 gallons US of water at 105.1 F
sparge 170 Sparge with 5.4 gallons US
Collect 7.4 gallons US

Fermentables
Belgian Pils 12 lb 84.2 % 1.035/lb/gal 1.8 Mash
Belgian Carapils 9 oz 3.9 % 1.030/lb/gal 7.9 Mash
Corn Sugar 27 oz 11.8 % 1.046/lb/gal 0 Steep
Totals: 14.25 pounds 100% 1.072 4.4

Hops
Saaz 0.75 oz Pellet 4.0 FWH 90
Styrian Golding 1.2 oz Pellet 5.0 Boil 90
Saaz 1 oz Pellet 4.0 Boil 15
Totals: 2.95 ounces 31.8 IBU

Transfer to secondary after 14 days, add 11oz. corn sugar to secondary and yeast nutrient.

Carbonation
CO2 Volume Pressure Serving Temp
2.5 11.25 psi 38.0F

 

[eschatz]

Nice! have you already brewed this? I'm really interested in some tasting notes. I've always LOVED big belgians but I've never brewed down that road.

 

[The Pol]

I have not, BUT it is next on my list... it is a great recipe.

 

[steelerguy]

I'm curious how this turned out. I was not able to achive the attenuation levels that you are shooting for here when I brewed my Duvel clone. (I was shooting for them too!)

My gravity at bottling was high and I ended up with a sweet beer after 3 weeks in the bottle. After 3 months, it was super carbonated and freaking awesome. Curious how yours came out.

 

[The Pol]

Just finished my control panel upgrade. This is still on my list.

I am going to do the LONG ramp mash on my electric HERMS, use a large starter and yeast nutrient. We will see how it goes, I will post notes when I do it, promise.

 

[rph33]

I want to brew this so bad. I'm thinking about using 6# Belgian Pils and making up for the other half by using 4# Pale DME. Do you think that would work? I feel more comfortable doing partial mash than I do all-grain.

 

[The Pol]

I dunno... I have heard that extract generally creates a less fermentable wort, especially in this case where this recipe calls for a ramp mash to create a HIGHLY fermentable wort, the outcome may not be as desireable.

I have never brewed extract, but I have heard that rumor. And as stated, the ramp mash in this recipe is to help achieve a HIGHLY fermentable wort. Your extract could have been mashed at 156F and wont offer much in the way of fermentability.

 

[rph33]

I dunno... I have heard that extract generally creates a less fermentable wort, especially in this case where this recipe calls for a ramp mash to create a HIGHLY fermentable wort, the outcome may not be as desireable.

I have never brewed extract, but I have heard that rumor. And as stated, the ramp mash in this recipe is to help achieve a HIGHLY fermentable wort. Your extract could have been mashed at 156F and wont offer much in the way of fermentability.

Hmm, all I've ever heard / experienced is that basically all quality extract yields the exact same amount of fermentables per gallon, in about 44 OG points per pound in one gallon of water. I've never heard about extract actually yielding a LESSER fermentable wort! But I could be totally wrong about that, maybe there's some advanced stuff about extract that I don't know.

Anyone chime in on this?

 

[The Pol]

Either way... this recipe calls for a ramp mash, over a 2 hour period to create a highly fermentable wort. If you do not do this, you will probably end up with a higher FG and a much sweeter beer than what is intended in this recipe.
I dont think that there is any extract that will give you a wort that is nearly as fermentable as this mashing schedule will.

And, this is the trick to the this Belgian... getting the LOW FG... it wont be easy to do, even with a 2 hour constant ramp mash.

You will have to achieve nearly 90% attenuation to get close to clone. Normal attenuation with a normal mash/extract brew is what... 70-75? Throw in the fact that after the primary ferment, you are adding almost an additional POUND of sugar and asking the yeast to ferment that out in an environment of about 8% alc/vol.

I have a feeling that an extact or PM of this will come in around 1.018... VERY sweet and not close to being a clone.

 

[s3n8]

Hmm, all I've ever heard / experienced is that basically all quality extract yields the exact same amount of fermentables per gallon, in about 44 OG points per pound in one gallon of water. I've never heard about extract actually yielding a LESSER fermentable wort! But I could be totally wrong about that, maybe there's some advanced stuff about extract that I don't know.

Anyone chime in on this?

The guy at MyLHBS told me that pils DME is more fermentable than the darker DMEs. He recommended it for use in starters for that reason. Not sure what % difference it actually is. I am with The POL on this one, I do not think an extract brew will attenuate enough to hit the nice dry finish like the original. It might still make good beer though.

 

[e lo]

Interesting recipe. I'm trying it this weekend, since the HERMS (modeled after yours The_Pol, but without the fancy-pants control panel) is up and running beautifully.

Question about adding the yeast nutrient to the secondary -- what type of nutrient? I use fermax every batch, but I add it to the boil (per instructions.) Should there be concerns re: contamination from adding it to the secondary? Or would it be advisable to briefly heat the corn sugar and nutrients in a small volume of water to sterilize, then add to the secondary?

 

[The Pol]

I think youd be fine adding it to the corn sugar mixture while boiling it.

 

[e lo]

Mash is ramping right now! I'm excited to see how this will turn out. I'll report back after it's bottled.

 

[BeerPressure]

Ah I love Duvel. But, this seems really difficult to do.

 

[e lo]

Hm. After two weeks in primary, it's stopped at 1.013 from 1.072, an apparent attenuation of 81%. I had some issues with my mash - unbeknownst to me, my HLT/heat exchange tank stirrer stalled midway through the mash, and my ramping speed got all f'd up, so I don't think I got as fermentable a mash as I was hoping for. I'm a little gunshy about adding the corn sugar to the 2ndary, because I don't want to end up with a really sweet beer on my hands.

I may just leave it as is. Any thoughts?

Edit:
Gah! I just tasted my gravity sample, and the phenol/band-aid taste is strong enough to knock me over. How disappointing.

 

[Bjornbrewer]

Since I don't have any means of slowly ramping the mash temp, what's the next best thing? Quadrupole decoction??? 100-120-145-153-170?

Kind of joking there, but any other way of keeping the beer dry without a HERMS?

 

[flyangler18]

Since I don't have any means of slowly ramping the mash temp, what's the next best thing? Quadrupole decoction??? 100-120-145-153-170?

Kind of joking there, but any other way of keeping the beer dry without a HERMS?

A single-infusion mash at 147-149° for 90 minutes will encourage a more fermentable wort. Simple sugar will encourage dry it out as will a hefty starter, good aeration and warm fermentation temperatures.

 

[Bjornbrewer]

I know lower mash temps will help with the fermentability of the wort...will it be enough though? Anyone try a single infusion and get the low FG?


Thanks for the feedback

 

[BeerPressure]

I dont have the means to make this recipe so instead I am going to do the golden strong ale recipe from Jamil's book. It's said that it comes out close to a duvel. I will report back when it's all done.

 

[flyangler18]

I dont have the means to make this recipe so instead I am going to do the golden strong ale recipe from Jamil's book. It's said that it comes out close to a duvel. I will report back when it's all done.

I suspect you'll be thrilled with that recipe; definitely use the yeast recommended (WLP570). I have a BGSA in primary right now using that yeast and it's just awesome. Complex esters and phenols, and it'll finish quite dry with the simple sugar and low mash temp.

 

[BeerPressure]

I suspect you'll be thrilled with that recipe; definitely use the yeast recommended (WLP570). I have a BGSA in primary right now using that yeast and it's just awesome. Complex esters and phenols, and it'll finish quite dry with the simple sugar and low mash temp.

How many volumes are you gonna carb at? Jamil suggests 4, but that will blow up my bottles so I am gonna go with 3 or 3.25.

 

[flyangler18]

How many volumes are you gonna carb at? Jamil suggests 4, but that will blow up my bottles so I am gonna go with 3 or 3.25.

If I can get a hold of some champagne bottles, I'll carb to 4 volumes; otherwise, I'll keg.

 

[s3n8]

I dont have the means to make this recipe so instead I am going to do the golden strong ale recipe from Jamil's book. It's said that it comes out close to a duvel. I will report back when it's all done.

I just did a Leffe clone (from brewing classic styles) missed mash temp and ended up at 147ish and finished at 1.005. Probably try in a week or 2 and will try to update, but I think its gonna be kinda thin.

 

[BeerPressure]

Mine finished up very dry at 1.004. Next time I will add less sugar during ferment.

 

[ghpeel]

Another tip from Jamil: You can increase the fermentability of extract by re-mashing it! So if you are doing a partial mash and want to get the final gravity down beneath 1.010-10.13, then add your extract to the mash and let the base malt enzymes chomp it down some more. 90 min at 147-149F seems to be the recommended temp for this style.

 

[gxm]

Thats an interesting idea ghpeel. Have you tried it?

For those doing AG, I've had good luck getting 89-90% AA using a Hochhurz decoction - Decoction mash - Home Brewing Wiki
I skip the protein rest.

 

[s3n8]

I just did a Leffe clone (from brewing classic styles) missed mash temp and ended up at 147ish and finished at 1.005. Probably try in a week or 2 and will try to update, but I think its gonna be kinda thin.

Actually, its not bad. It does not have a whole lot of body, but it tasted pretty good. Not as much body or spice as the original, but its a crowd pleaser.

 

[Bearto]

Hmm, all I've ever heard / experienced is that basically all quality extract yields the exact same amount of fermentables per gallon, in about 44 OG points per pound in one gallon of water. I've never heard about extract actually yielding a LESSER fermentable wort! But I could be totally wrong about that, maybe there's some advanced stuff about extract that I don't know.

Anyone chime in on this?

As ghpeel states above, Extract can in fact be helped to achieve higher attentions (lower f.g.) by simply adding some base malt to the extract in the mash. Extract is essentially the result of malting at about 155 deg F to be a jack of all trades with modest body and sweetness. This is too high for a bone dry brew like duvel but you can raise (though never lower) the percent fermentable sugars by adding some base malt. Base malts have high concentrations of malting enzymes - enough to share. if you add them to the extract, they will help break the extract down further in the mash. Dont look for specialty grains to help out. Most don't even have enough enzymes to malt themselves, let alone the extract. There are calculators Ive seen online for estimating enzyme content of grains by type. By malting the extract at low mashing temperatures (148 deg F) with a base pilsner malt (say 30 - 50%). the base malt will break the large carbohydrates down into more fermentable simple sugars. The more malt enzyme, the faster the process. Less malt enzyme means you should let it mash longer. I mash my 100% pilsner gain at 148 for 90 - 120 minutes.

Also note that Duvel uses large amounts of pure sugar (beet or cane), which are both 100% fermentable. This will help for the averaged low f.g. It will not make you final brew sweet as someone above feared it might. You will need to experiment with the grains you have available to find a mash schedule that works for you for this beer.

Duvel is a devil of a beer to replicate. It lives up to its name, and is a a puzzler's puzzle. Ive made 5 attempts now, all grain without adding sugar. I found that adding any carapils makes the color too dark and now use 100% pilsner 19 lbs/5 gallon batch, though I vary the percentages of belgian and domestic that I mix. The trick to this beer is not body anyway but high attenuation, which the carapils will mess up anyway.

All of my attempts so far have been too high fg. Too sweet. Ive given up with the 100% grain and the next batch will involve high quantities of sugar. At least now Im confident that I can consistently achive the same final gravity. my advice is experiment, if you have too high fg, add beano. I just added it for the first time to Batch 4 which Ive had in the secondary for about 4 months now. It finished about 1.015. I added two crushed tabs of beano and a day after, it had a small layer of bubbles. Now 4 days alter it has a full head of foam as it ferments the newly broken down sugars. Hey, the batch would have made a great Strong Golden, but it would have been no Duvel, so it had already failed the purpose it was created for. Ive got nothing to lose right? And it looks like I added a new trick to my brewers tool belt.

 

[C4PNJ4ZZ]

I'm looking at ordering a hybrid of this and Jamil's Golden Strong. Austin Homebrew only carries US saaz. Would I be better off subbing the US Saaz (at 6.7% alpha) or going with all styrian goldings.

 

[Clayton]

i am going to be makeing one of these very soon. and was thinking.... what are great style to do some parti-gyle mashing with. use my first runnings to make the duvel and the second and third to make a nice little blond ale