CS8 - Belgian Dubbel

[Stu H]

Okay folks, I've never brewed a Belgian ale before, so I'm okay with this one not hitting the mark!

I personally find it too sweet - though I REALLY don't have a sweet tooth at all. I'd serve it really darn cold.

Black Scapular Dubbel - from Jamil's Classic Brewing Styles.

 

Size: 22.0 L

Efficiency: 70.0%

 

Original Gravity: 1.063

Terminal Gravity: 1.008

Color: 20.9L

Alcohol: 7.2%

Bitterness: 22.5 IBU

 

4.8 kg Weyermann Pilsner Malt

.5 kg Munich TYPE I

0.2 kg Aromatic Malt

0.2 kg Caramunich® TYPE III

0.2 kg Special B Malt

0.30 kg Candi Sugar Dark (couldn't find dark syrup)

41.25 g Tettnanger (4.8%) - 60.0 m

0.500 kg Golden Promise Malt (ran out of Pils)

2.2 g Wyeast Nutrient - 15.0 m

0.5 g Whirlfloc Tablets - 15.0 m

Ferment @ 18 through to 21 w/ White Labs WLP545 Belgian Strong Ale

Bottle conditioned

 

[Tilt]

Thanks for making the drop off last night Stu - and looking forward now to tasting this one plus the complementary RIS you chucked in the box.  It'll be good to try the three Belgians with three different yeasts to get a feel for what each one brings - thats the beauty of this CS thing I reckon.

[Stu H]

Yeah totally, I'm looking forward to trying all these yeasts.

Thanks for helping to organise the swap!

[Stu H]

Oh yeah, apologies for being the cheap-ass guy swapping some glass bottles.... I'm a broke student living in Auckland, and around the time of bottling I was especially skint!

[Tilt]

Having this one as I wind up work for the day - its been a long week and this is helping me glide over the bumps.

Brown copper colour with a 2 finger tan head that slowly eases to a thin lingering layer lasting to the bottom of the glass.  Not much lacing.  The aroma is big and evident at arms length - bready yeast, lively dried fruit and a touch of boozy spice.  First sip I get more of the peppery spice than fruit, richer malt and what tastes to me like a slight saltiness.  The alcohol is definitely there - on the higher end for me - and a big slightly syrupy mouthfeel.  The bitterness is firm and this plus the spice manage the sweetness well then act to finish off  the beer with a dry pleasant ending but no lingering bitterness. 

Having only had a couple of Dubbels previously to compare with I reckon this one is a pretty good representation and true to style - but for my tastes I'd ease a little on the alcohol flavour (when did you add the candi sugar - during the boil or halfway through fermentation?).  Thanks for sharing Stu and great to see so much use of Belgian yeasts in this swap.

[Stu H]

Hey dude, yeah the sugar went in during the boil... Reckon next time into the fermentor near the end of fermentation?

[Martin Bridges]

Yeah, I noticed that alcohol flavour so I reckon adding the sugar a couple of days into fermentation would be the go. You want those yeasties to get stuck into the malt and then reinvigorate them with a blast of sugar, rather than letting them go wild on the sugar straight up.

[Stu H]

Great tip, cheers Martin. Do you do that with every beer you add sugar too?

[Martin Bridges]

Generally, yes. If you're worried about sanitation you can hold back a small amount of wort and boil this up with the sugar, then cool it before adding to the fermenter.

[John H]

Had this one tonight - out on the chilly deck barbequing some nice thick lamb chops, quietly sipping your dubbel in a tulip Duvel glass. Really hit the spot on a winters evening. Overall peppery, fruity and a great mouthfeel. I gotta brew me a Belgian real soon - thanks for sharing.

[Dan]

For a beer of this strength - it went down smoother than a smooth thing. I've got an itch for belgians at the moment and this certainly scratched it!!

Nice warm copper colour.

Lots of spice on the nose without any noticable alcohol.

Mouthfeel was creamy - almost like I could chew on it. Great carbination level.

Big, spicey, malty, subtle alcohol warmth - well balanced.

Sublime! I wouldn't change anything.

Cheers mate - loved it!

[Stu H]

Hey glad you liked it Dan!

[Adrian Tayler]

Okay, I have to be honest... I just put down a brew and during that time I was putting away an IPA I had made.. then I had one of my CS porters... then I cleaned my palete and tried this beer and at first my mouth turned inside out and made me come directly to the recipie to see why...

At first I did not like it,  it seemed too strong in the malt and not enought freshness in the aroma and flavour or mouthfeel... but after a slow and fair tasting process, I fell in love with this brew extremely..

Beatiful flavours, it wreeks of history, style and perfection... I would love to have another case or two of this and will surely light a fire under my ass to explore this style some more...

thanks for the swap mate. cheers.