Floreffe Dubbel, please help me brew this

[Remos112]

So today I tasted this amazing brew called Floreffe Dubbel, it's a real taste bomb and quite low abv too, seems like a perfect session ale. However I am totally stuck in how to brew this amazing beer, only things I could pick up were, caramalts (maybe caramunich?) and some anise. It has something special over it though, probably the yeast? Anybody ever tasted this delicous brew, and so could you point me in the right direction?
Much thanks in advance
Remi

 

[Remos112]

Nobody any clue?

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

I googled it and the description said as you noted, licorice notes with anise they say it is a “light” brown abbey ale, so maybe use a yeast like fermentis BE-256 Abbaye. Just guessing because I’ve never brewed a Belgian beer but I think they tend to use Candi-sugar. That’s probably where some of the color comes from.

 

[Remos112]

I googled it and the description said as you noted, licorice notes with anise they say it is a “light” brown abbey ale, so maybe use a yeast like fermentis BE-256 Abbaye. Just guessing because I’ve never brewed a Belgian beer but I think they tend to use Candi-sugar. That’s probably where some of the color comes from.

I almost exclusively brew Belgians and you are right, most of them use some sort of candi sugar/syrup.

Here's a link from their official website:
https://www.brasserielefebvre.be/beer/floreffe-double-export/

 

[thehaze]

BE-256 is not very estery. I have had relative success with T-58, which is fruity, but mostly peppery and spicy. It makes pleasent, albeit not very complex Belgian style beers. I believe the description of the beer does hint a bit to some of the malts: Chocolate malt and / or something like Carafa Special ( the de-bittered variation, which is mildly roasted in flavour ), which lends enough coffee, subtle roasted notes. They say " biscuit ", so maybe use a bit of that as well. Liqorice and aniseed - my thoughts go to something like Crystal Rye: http://www.fawcett-maltsters.co.uk/uploads/2/0/2/6/20260333/spec_table_iob.pdf

I know that Roasted Rye / Chocolate Rye is also very nice, mildly roasted, coffee, dry biscuity.

 

[snowtiger1987]

How about this for 5 gallons (all grain) ?
.25 lbs Belgian aromatic malt
.25 lbs Belgian special B
10 lbs Belgian Pale Malt
1 lb Belgian candi syrup (80L) added to boil
.5 oz Magnum hops (boiled for 75 minutes)
1 Star anise pod (added at knockout)
Wyeast 3787 (Trappist High Gravity)

This puts you in about the appropriate color, ibu, and alcohol range. The amount of Star Anise is a guess, but it is powerful stuff in homebrew so I suggest to go light. You can always add more later in the process.

I have had the Floreffe Dubbel in Belgium. Not being one of the "high end" producers I thing it cost something like 4 Euros per 4-pack.

 

[Remos112]

How about this for 5 gallons (all grain) ?
.25 lbs Belgian aromatic malt
.25 lbs Belgian special B
10 lbs Belgian Pale Malt
1 lb Belgian candi syrup (80L) added to boil
.5 oz Magnum hops (boiled for 75 minutes)
1 Star anise pod (added at knockout)
Wyeast 3787 (Trappist High Gravity)

This puts you in about the appropriate color, ibu, and alcohol range. The amount of Star Anise is a guess, but it is powerful stuff in homebrew so I suggest to go light. You can always add more later in the process.

I have had the Floreffe Dubbel in Belgium. Not being one of the "high end" producers I thing it cost something like 4 Euros per 4-pack.

Thanks for the recipe, I will load it into Beersmith and see what I come up with. Quite right about the Star anise I think. I've used half a star in a previous brew last 5 minutes, and it was noticable but barely. Next time I would go for one star 5 minutes, or half a star 10 minutes.
About the yeast, it kinda reminded me of a previous brew done with Wyeast 1214 wich I think is the Chimay strain. Might give this a go unless you are sure the 3787 is the strain they use at Floreffe.

 

[Remos112]

Amt Name Type # %/IBU
4454.55 g Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (3.9 EBC) Grain 1 79.0 %
545.45 g Aromatic Malt (51.2 EBC) Grain 2 9.7 %
227.27 g Caramunich Malt (110.3 EBC) Grain 3 4.0 %
13.59 g Magnum [12.00 %] - Boil 75.0 min Hop 4 18.3 IBUs
1 Items Anise, Star (Boil 5.0 mins) Spice 5 -
411.82 g Candi Syrup, D-90 [Boil for 5 min](177.3 EBC) Extract 6 7.3 %
2.7 pkg Belgian Ale Yeast (Wyeast Labs #1214) [124.21 ml] Yeast 7

Gravity, Alcohol Content and Color
Est Original Gravity: 1.065 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.017 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.3 %
Bitterness: 18.3 IBUs
Est Color: 30.6 EBC

I think this is what I'm going to try.

 

[snowtiger1987]

If you leave out the Special B you won't get the dark fruit/plumb elements in the beer. Maybe a little from the candi syrup but not much. I would consider a FG or 1.017 for this beer to be very high and expect it to finish too sweet to the taste. I am not sure of the yeast Floreffe uses. I just like the 3787 because it is not one of wheat beer yeast (i.e. banana ester producing) decsendants.