How long to keep dubbel in the fermenter?

[philly224]

I was planning on brewing this on Saturday:

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/590275/first-belgian-dubbel

My question is how long do you guys usually let dubbels go in your fementation vessel? I have a chest freezer I use for temp control that has a heater in it but I'd rather not keep that tied up for too long. The issue is my basement is about 55 degrees so it might get too cold. If I let it go for about 2 weeks, make sure I hit fg and then transfer it into a keg and let it sits at 55-60 degrees for another 2-3 weeks do you think ill be okay?

Thanks!

 

[JohnSand]

Yes, I think it will be okay. I generally leave my beers 3 weeks fermenting, but they are always finished sooner. Your recipe does not include yeast, but I find that WLP530 and Wyeast 3787 (reputed to be the same) ferment well at a wide range of temperatures. I use it for Dubbels. If you check your gravity before kegging, you can be sure it is finished.

 

[philly224]

I was going to use 3787 and ferment at 72. Does that sound too high?

 

[JohnSand]

No, I like 3787 in the low to mid seventies. It will ferment well in the sixties, but cleaner, with less "Belgian" flavor.

 

[EtchyLives]

I fermented 530 at 72° and had a lot of phenols on my tripel for the first two months and only then did they start to subside. I would keep it under 70° if you want a quick turn around. But if you're willing to wait then turn up the heat and let it sit either in the primary or bottles for a couple months. Sadly just as the fruitiness started to pop and the phenols subsided I emptied the keg.

 

[philly224]

I fermented 530 at 72° and had a lot of phenols on my tripel for the first two months and only then did they start to subside. I would keep it under 70° if you want a quick turn around. But if you're willing to wait then turn up the heat and let it sit either in the primary or bottles for a couple months. Sadly just as the fruitiness started to pop and the phenols subsided I emptied the keg.

Ill probably leave it in the fermenter for 2-3 weeks and then the keg in my 55-60 degree basement for at least 4 weeks. I don't mind waiting if it will produce a better beer.

Pardon my ignorance as this will be my first time brewing a belgian but how do you detect phenols?

 

[EtchyLives]

https://www.winning-homebrew.com/phenolic-flavors.html

Medicinal, clove, smokey type flavors. In mine they overpowered the fruitiness that was also there, at least for the first couple months.

 

[JohnSand]

A search might yield some threads on using those yeasts, collectively referred to as Westmalle.