My Belgian Dubbel

[NonHopHead]

I've never posted a recipe or brew-log for anything on this forum before, but I've learned so much over time by Googling other people's topics that I thought I would try with this one, which I am very excited about. If there is interest in the topic, I will continue to post updates as this beer moves through its life.

I am brewing a Belgian Dubbel from the following 5.5 gallon recipe:

10.0 lbs. Belgian Pilsner Malt
2.0 lbs. Vienna Malt
1/4 lbs. Special B Malt
2.0 lbs. Caramelized Cane Sugar Syrup (280°F)
1.0 lbs. Inverted Cane Sugar
2.0 oz. Styrian Goldings Hop Pellets (4.0% AA)
1.0 oz. Czech Saaz Hop Pellets (2.9% AA)
WLP500 Trappist Ale Yeast (slurry from 1500 mL starter)

OG: 1.078 (at 65F by hydrometer)

Quick rundown of the procedure:

1) All brew water was carbon-filtered and then treated with calcium hydroxide (pickling lime) plus 1/2 tsp calcium chloride, 1/2 tsp calcium sulfate. After racking off the sediment, water was adjusted to pH 5.5 with phosphoric acid.

2) Grain was mashed at 146F for 45 minutes, followed by step infusion to 156F for an additional 45 minutes. During the second rest a thin decoction was pulled for mash-out. Transfer to brew kettle with continuous sparging.

3) 90 minute boil with hop additions at 60 minutes (1.5 oz Styrian, 0.5 oz Saaz) and 20 minutes (0.5 oz Styrian, 0.5 oz Saaz).

4) Dark candi syrup was made from the 280F #4 recipe in this thread:
http://https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/20-lb-sugar-jar-yeast-nutrient-114837/ and then added to the kettle before flameout.

5) Wort was cooled with an immersion chiller (after whirlfloc addition) to 65F and 5.0 gallons were transferred to a 6.5 gallon fermenter. Temperature rose naturally to 68F by the time ferment was active about 12 hours after pitching. I held 68F from that point with my fermwrap.

6) After two days krausen began receding and I added the remaining 1 lb of cane sugar (inverted in 1/2 gallon of water with a splash of acid), bringing the total fermenter volume to 5.5 gallons.

7) One day later I began slowly raising the temperature on the fermwrap (I have it on a temperature controller) with the goal of reaching ~75F by the end of the ramp.

This beer has been in the fermenter for 6 days and is starting to slow down. The smell from the airlock is glorious. I'll keep you posted on its progress as we go. Please feel free to ask questions if you have them. Again, I've benefited very much from reading about other's brews on this forum and I hope this helps!

 

[NonHopHead]

Here's an update on how this is progressing.

After two weeks the ferment reached 78F and come to a stop as indicated by the yeast starting to drop out. I pulled the temperature control and allowed the fermenter to drop to my basement temperature of ~56F; by the end of three days the yeast had completely dropped, leaving a dark but clear beer.

Today I racked to secondary because I need the fermenter to be clean in time for a Scottish 80/ this weekend and this was my best chance. Hydrometer reading was 1.005, indicating >90% apparent attenuation and 9.4% alcohol. Flavor was a mixture of fire from the young alcohol and great Belgian notes. Not banana at all, but definitely a complex fruity mix that is very consistent with my expectations, given that I used WLP500. Color looks like it will be a bit less intense than a Chimay Red, but close enough that I'm not complaining.

Needless to say, it is going to be very difficult waiting on this one...