Belgian Dubbel Brewday

The goal of this project was to experiment with both style and yeast; we brewed a 10 gallon batch on Jeff Fortney’s system, and split the beer to try two different yeasts. We ended up quite a bit low on the OG, so we’ve already decided to brew a second version to run on the yeast cake of the first batch. We’re gonna double up on that dubbel. Word to that.

80. Belgian Dubbel (brewed with Jeff Fortney)
Mash:
14 lbs. Castle Pils
6 lbs. Weyerman Dark Munich
1.5 lbs. Dingemans Cara 45 (Caramunich)
1 lb. Dingemans Biscuit
1 lb. Dingemans Aromatic
1 lb. Dingemans Cara 8 (Carapils)
1 lb. Dingemans Special B
2 oz. Dingemans Belgian Chocolate

Mashed w/ 8 gallons of RO water (plus chemical additions)
@128° F for 30 minutes
@144° F for 30 minutes
@158° F for 30 minutes
@166° F for 10 minutes

Batch sparged w/8 gallons of RO water (plus chemical additions) @168° F

Added to brew kettle, brought to a boil (90 minute), and added:
w/60 to go: 2.5 oz. Styrian Golding pellet 5.2% AA

w/15 to go: 2 Whirlfloc tablets

w/10 to go: ½ oz. Tettnang pellet 4.5% AA

w/5 to go: 1 lb. Belgian Dark Candi Syrup & 1 lb. Belgian Dark Candi sugar

@ removal from heat: ½ oz. Tettnang pellet 4.5% AA

Chilled to 58° F and split into two 5 gallons batches; I pitched White Labs WLP550, while Jeff pitched Wyeast 3787

Brewed: 1/13/2011 @ 58° F; slow rise to 66° F
Secondary: 2/10/2011 @ 1.016
Bottled: 2/23/2011

OG: 1.057
FG: 1.016 w/ 4.5 oz. table sugar @ 61° F; slightly under 5 gallons

Tasting Notes (10/22/11): It has been a while since I tried a bottle of this, so I guess it is time to type up some notes and see where it is at. Pouring a crystal clear orange-copper, this Belgian Dubbel has a tan head than dissipates slowly, although the active, bright carbonation bleeding off the beer keeps a heavy ring around the beer, as well as a decent sized skiff across the top. As well, a couple of swirls rouses a good head. The nose is Belgian yeast esters mixed with candy malt sweetness and dark fruit; there is also some creaminess, toastiness, and light earthiness. Flavors start rich and sweet; there are toffee and caramel malt flavors along with toast and bread. In the middle, fruit emerges—there is raisin and dried fruit, plus maybe a touch of cherry as the beer turns toward the finish, which is clean and lightly bitter. The body is sweet but dry; the carbonation rounds the mouthfeel, but also cleans it, leaving a light raisin taste as it disappears. The body is a bit light (we were well below the gravity on this one; hence the second version a week later), but the Dubbel flavors are there. We’ll have to settle for calling this a Belgian Single—it is good, and has a touch of that Belgian malt chewiness, but it needs a bit more to sink your teeth into to create the full experience. Woe is me—I’ll have to dispose of the rest.