Batch #17: Belgian Dubbel

This was initially intended to be a Rochefort 8° clone, but was a little low on gravity (and big on volume at 5.75-6 gallons). The recipe is adapted from http://www.geocities.com/iluvhops/brouwsel/rochefort8.html.

Recipe

Grain Bill

10 lbs. Durst Pilsener
1.6 lbs. Dingeman's CaraMunich
3 oz. Dingeman's De-bittered Black
8 oz. Dingeman's Special B
8 oz. Flaked Corn
1.4 lbs. Dark Candi Sugar

Hops

1.5 oz. Styrian Goldings (4.4% AA) @ 75 min.
0.7 oz. Hallertau Hersbrucker (4.4% AA) @ 30min
0.3 oz. Hallertau Hersbrucker (4.4% AA) @ 5min
0.3 oz. Cracked Coriander seed

Yeast

Wyeast 1762 Belgian Abbey II (top cropped from previous batch).

Mash

Single infusion, 60 minutes at 152° F

Vitals

OG: 1.070
FG: 1.008
Calculated IBUs: 27
Carbonation: 4 oz corn sugar in 4.9 gallons (about 2.3 volumes).

Timeline

Brew day: March 29, 2003

11:18 am Mash in @152F.
12:18 pm Add 1.75 gal sparge water.
12:43 pm Finish sparging (2nd batch 3.25 gal).
12:48 pm Start heating to boil.
2:00 pm Boil starts.
2:45 pm Add Styrian Goldings.
3:30 pm Add first Hallertau.
3:55 pm Add second Hallertau and Coriander.
4:00 pm Flame-out and chill.
4:22 pm Chilled to 69F, whirlpool.
5:10 pm Begin racking to primary. Collected nearly 6 gallons in two buckets.

Racked to secondary April 5.

Moved secondary to 60F basement May 3. S.G. of 1.008-1.010 (!) might have something to do with the nearly 90F heat wave in April. No infection-like off flavors present, just neutral (for a Belgian) yeast character.

Bottled June 21, 12 22-oz + 30 12 oz bottles, 4 oz corn sugar to prime. Hydrometer sample tasted like a dry, fruity, earthy red wine. Yum.

Tasting notes

9/15/2003

Deep brown-garnet color, translucent to moderately bright lights. Somewhat darker than real Rochefort 8. Carbonation is enough to kick up a medium-sized white head and give a sparkling mouthfeel. Rochefort 8, on the other hand, is almost effervescent.

Aroma of coriander with solventy and red wine notes. Flavor is still quite rough, dominated by an alcoholic harshness accented with coriander. Finishes bone dry and mildly fruity (plum?). Overall, it tastes young even at five and a half months. The flavors are definitely assertive enough to hold up with age, so this is showing promise.

5/5/2004

Preparing to send to Upper Mississippi Mash-Out 2004. Strong fruit/bubblegum aroma laced with coriander and solventy notes. Light, crisp mouthfeel leads to a dry, earthy, complex finish. Very smooth overall, raisins, bubblegum, and spice... classic dubbel.

3/8/2005

Down to 9 bottles, these are getting precious.... Beautiful aroma, warm, fruity (plum/raisin), with a little solventy edge. Dry and crisp, with lightly smoky spicy finish. Light mouthfeel with bold, alcoholic, winey, tart fruity palate with some hints of bubblegum and coriander. Overall a great beer, although not quite up to Rochefort quality. Still closer than it has any right to be. Will need to brew this one again, so I can re-stock my "cellar."

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