My first Dubbel recipe - please critique

Looks like you could use more base malt.

 

The recipe I created, but haven't brewed yet, includes Munich @ 14%.

A 1.2L starter seems kind of big for your recipe...but I haven't run the numbers.

 

Oliver,

My house Belgian Ale (that I brew twice a year) is a Dubbel. Below are some comments based upon my Dubbel.

An OG of 1.065 is a good target. For my Dubbel I get an OG of around 1.066.

The specialty grains that I use are Special B and Caravienne (0.5 lbs. of each). Your amounts of 0.25 sounds good but I would suggest Caravienne vs. Carapils (for a bit more malt character).

I am assuming that you meant hop amounts of 0.5 oz. (vs. 0.05). I utilize German Hallertauer for bittering but either East Kent Golding or Styrian Goldings for late hop additions (flavor & aroma).

My preferred yeast is 3787. I recognize why you will be using 3522. It has been a long time since I brewed with 3522 but I suspect that this yeast strain will make a tasty Dubbel. IMHO, the defining ingredient for making a Belgian Ale is yeast strain selection. I would highly encourage you to ‘re-make’ your Dubbel someday using 3787 instead and let the fermentation temperature rise into the low 70’s (e.g., 72-73°F) to encourage the yeast to make Belgiany flavors.

Good luck with your Dubbel!

Cheers!

Jack

 

Some folks purposefully 'underpitch' when they brew beers like Dubbels to encourage ester formation. I would suggest that a slight overpitch is a bad idea for a Dubbel.

Cheers!

 

At 0.25 lbs of Special B you are at ~4% which is probably okay. Munich might work, but I would also consider Aromatic and Caravienne malt. A lot of people will tell you that a complicated grain bill may give a "muddled" taste ... I am not one of them, properly balanced don't be afraid to add additional specialty grains.

Like you said, 3522 would not be my first choice but I understand using what you have. I have had good luck fermenting 3522 in the low 70s. My current Tripel (3522) I dropped ferm temp to 66, beer is still conditioning but gravity-tastings are positive.

It looks like yeastcalc didn't pay their domain fee . . . I find Brewerfriend and Beersmith a good substitute.

 

Oliver,

Utilizing some Munich Malt is entirely appropriate. Permit me to suggest that you replace ½ lb. of Pale Malt with ½ lb. of Munich.

“Also, any issues with using Tradition for late addition in a Dubbel? Why do you prefer Goldings?” There is absolutely no “issue” with using Tradition for a late addition. I prefer EKG/Styrian Goldings simply because I prefer their flavors/aroma: EKG has an earthy flavor/aroma that I like in a Dubbel and Styrian Goldings has a nice spicy flavor/aroma that I like in a Dubbel.

If you have a ‘good’ fermentation with a characterful yeast strain (e.g., 3787 fermented warm and not overpitched) then hop variety is very much a secondary concern since the flavors/aromas of the Dubbel will be dominated by the ester and phenols produced by the yeast.

For the Dubbels that I homebrew the prominent flavor/aroma is the Belgiany yeast produced flavors with the hop flavor/aroma and malt flavor/aroma both playing second string.

Cheers!

P.S. Another comment: the ‘preferred’ base malt for a Dubbel would be Pilsner malt (e.g., Belgian Pilsner Malt) but I think that Belgian Pale Malt will ‘work’ just fine.

 

Would it be advisable to make a starter for 5 gallons of 1.066 wort using 3787? Or just go with the smack pack? Let's assume it's fresh as can be.

 

Ok thanks, I figured as much. I don't brew Belgian styles very often - at least not higher gravity ones so I wasn't exactly sure what's the right amount of "underpitching" to coax out the fermentation byproducts.

 

I would suggest that you just pitch a smack-pack for a 2.5 gallon batch.

Just a ‘reminder’ that you should conduct an extended boil (75-90 minutes) to drive off DMS (Pilsner malt has higher SMM amounts).

Good luck with your Dubbel!

Cheers!

 

If 60 minute boils 'work' for you then please continue your practice. I have always boiled longer when using Pilsner malt due to 'conventional wisdom' but your personal experience trumps what people write about things.

Cheers!