Lower Gravity Dubbel-like Beer

It wouldn't be a dubbel per se, something more akin to Belgian dark ale (that's BA's term for it at least), like Leffe Brune maybe?

Are you doing all grain? If I remember correctly, this was the initial recipe, we may have made some substitutions, but I don't have the final recipe on me.

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10 gallon Batch​

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16 lbs. Belgian Pils​

4 lbs Munich​

2 lbs Biscuit​

1 lb CaraPils​

1 lb. Honey Malt​

.5 lb Special B​

1 lb Dark Candi syrup​

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2 oz. Willamette - 60​

2 oz. Kent Golding - 30​

1 oz. Saaz - 10​

Wyeast 3522 - Belgian Ardennes​

OG was actually a little higher than you want at 1.065. FG was 1.014. For whatever reason, the finished product really reminded me of Yard's Brawler.

 

I make what I call a Singel. I usually partigyle, so I'll use the first runnings to make a Dubbel and with the second runnings I'll make a small beer. Everything is the same (ibu:gu) except there is no candi syrup in the singel. It's one of my favorite drinking beers.

 

Peter,

Firstly let me caveat that I have never brewed a lower gravity (e.g., OG < 1,050) Belgian Ale. I have thought about it a few times but I was always ‘concerned’ that the yeast produced flavors may be impacted by the gravity of the beer.

My ‘house’ Belgian Ale is essentially a Dubbel. I brew this beer twice a year (I bottled this spring’s batch one week ago).

Let me discuss some of your questions:

“Yeast and fermentation temperature?” I have tried a number of Belgian Ale strains to make my ‘house’ Belgian Ale. My absolute favorite strain is Wyeast 3787 fermented in the 70-72°F range. Wyeast 3787 is the most ‘expressive’ yeast that I have ever brewed with and I absolutely love the combination of esters and phenols that this yeast produces. Other strains that I have brewed with are 1787, 1388, 3522 and a number of Saison strains. Yup, 3787 is my personal favorite for a Belgian Ale.

“Would you use dark syrup?” I personally do not have any experience using dark syrup so I can’t comment on this particular topic. The ‘sugars’ that I have used for my Belgian Ales are honey or regular table sugar.

“Would you amp up (or down?) the specialty malts?” I suppose I would ‘alter’ the specialty grains to maintain a given grain ratio. For my ‘house’ Belgian Ale (OG of around 1,068) I use ½ lb. of Special B and ½ lb. of Caravienne. So, maybe using something like 1/3 lb. of each of this Specialty Malts would be a good amount? I find that the Special B adds a subtle raison/plum flavor while the Caravienne adds a little bit of toastiness. In my ‘house’ Belgian Ale the flavors that are produced by 3787 is the dominant flavor (which is yummy for my tastes buds).

Good luck with your low gravity Dubbel.

Cheers!

Jack

 

I may try to make a session Dubbel/"Belgian Amber" this summer (in addition to a regular Dubbel). Here's kind of what I'm thinking:

I'll probably only cut back on the Pilsner Malt, and keep the same amount of specialty grains. In fact, maybe it would be good replace some of the Pilsner with Dingeman's Pale Ale -- to compensate for the lower amount of base malt.

Scaling down the sugar proportionally might make sense. But I don't want to cut it all together, as sugar in Belgian beers doesn't just increase alcohol -- it affects the flavor, too.

I'm thinking I should shoot for the same GU:BU ratio; what do you guys think about that?

 

I'm kinda' doing one of these this weekend. Mine is:

72% 2-Row
14% Rye Malt
7% Special Roast
7% C120

WLP530
TOG 1.052

30 ibu from 60min addition only

May add 12 oz dark candi syrup with sour cherries in secondary to up it to 1.060, but I like the idea of the lower gravity so I might add water to compensate.

Its an American Amber brew day for my father in law, but I'm going to split the wort between WLP007 with some extra hopping for the AAA, and WLP530 for the belgian. Still on the fence about the sugar/ cherries, or whether or not it'll get sour dredges.

Looks like several of us got the same itch for a brown belgian