Brew Day: Simple Hoppy Dubbel

Going by the definition and most recipes, a Dubbel sounds like a boring beer. The all grain version has a malt character contributed by some base malt. Then there’s a good amount of sugar to up the gravity and keep it there. The hop additions should contribute around 25 to 40 IBUs and the Belgian yeast should produce mild fruity notes that complement the high ABV and bitterness.

Going by the review of Dubbel, it sounds to be anything but a boring beer. This is one beer that is bound to get drinkers hammered quickly but its also a beer that can keep the drinker warm if consumed over a long conversation. I had some time over the weekend and it felt good to get back to brewing after a while and decided to brew a Dubbel. The recipe I share below has had its fair share of additions, subtractions, changes, doubts and research. The day before I brewed, I went back to the original recipe and tweaked it a bit.

The grain bill is simple: Pilsner, Munich and sugar. Having already brewed a few recipes with different sugars, I had a fair number of options for the sugar addition: jaggery, cane sugar and Belgian candi. I decided to go with cane sugar as it was probably the easiest of all sugar additions; I would have to go out and buy jaggery and making 500 grams of Belgian candi is no easy task.

Bitterness was kept at 25 IBUs with 5 grams of Horizon, but I was constantly thinking of improving things. It was then that I decided to make this a more interesting Dubbel by adding some finishing hops. I measured out 4 grams each of Triple Perle, Cascade, Lemon Drop and Goldings and added it in the last 15 minutes of the boil and I’m glad I did this.

I do not have Belgian yeast and that is why this beer is not a true Belgian Dubbel. I made a yeast starter a week ago with S-04 and pitched it. Two days after pitching the yeast, I can still hear the fermentation going strong and the aroma is heavenly. And that’s when I thought of a small dry hop regimen. I will decide whether I need to dry hop or not after fermentation and doing an aroma check then.

One thing I decided to do with this beer is to give it some time to mature and mellow. I’m not thinking of ageing this beer like the Eis Stout, but a one month time frame before I open a bottle should have its advantages.

Simple Hoppy Dubbel

Specifics

Batch size (litres): 8 litres
Type: All Grain

IBU: 25

SRM: 9

OG: 1.078

Grains and Sugars

1.5 kg Pilsner
500 grams Munich 20

500 grams sugar

Hops

5 grams Horizon @ 60
4 grams Triple Perle  @ 15
4 grams Cascade @ 15
4 grams Lemon Drop @ 15
4 grams Goldings @ 15

Yeast

Fermentis S-04 Ale Yeast. I made a yeast starter a week ago and pitched it.

Schedules

Mash at 65°C for 60 minutes.

Batch sparged at 80°C.

Boiled for 60 minutes.