I’m getting ready to start experimenting with some Belgian-style brews. Before I start getting too experimental, I want to get one real basic pale (Tripel) and dark (Dubbel) Belgian-style brew under my belt. Here are the examples I pulled together. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Any suggestions on something I can steep in its place to give a bit of that malty roastiness? I know I won’t get much conversion from steeping the Aromatic, but I wanted to at least get some of the flavor/color contribution from it.
But a tripel shouldn’t have that…at least if you want to stay true to the style. So no, I really can’t suggest anything. My tripels are simply pils malt and table sugar and I love them that way.
I included the Aromatic because I’ve heard some podcasts and seen a few recipes for tripels that call for it. But if it’s not needed, then I’ll definitely take your advice and drop it from the recipe. The simpler, the better AFAIC. Thanks!
I would personally not use any special B in a dubbel and up the amount of Dark candi syrup. I think you might be starting to see there is not really a right or wrong answer here, but personal preference.
That almost makes me want to do two mini-batches, one with Candi Syrup and one with Special B, just to get a good idea of what each one brings to the party. Would you be able to pull off a Dubbel with more Special B and no Candi Syrup, or would the amount of Special B that would be needed be so much that the beer would end up too sweet? Thinking something like:
7 lb Pilsner DME
1 lb Special B
1/2 lb Caramunich
(and maybe 1/2 lb sucrose)
Before we could get access to the dark Belgian candi syrup just about every dubbel recipe you’d see would have special b. but now I personally feel the dark candi syrup gives more authentic results that the same recipe made with sugar and special b. Thats not to say you can’t use any special b but you can make a very authentic dubbel without it as long as you have the dark candi.
Jamil’s tripel recipe calls for 0.25 lb aromatic, so I don’t think it’s out of place at all. I haven’t made it, but I’ve made other light beers that are primarily pils malt and have frequently included some vienna malt, munich malt, or aromatic. Seems like a reasonable thing to add if you want a little more a malt aroma than pils malt gives. It all comes down to what you’re trying to accomplish.
I tried that for a few batches and it just didn’t have the richness of flavor I was looking for. Adding .25 lb. of Special B back in got me to where I wanted to be.
I could go with .25 lb / 5 gallons. Not much more than that though. I do think the dark candi is much more integral to the authenticity aspect of a dubbel than special b.
What is the difference between my Belgian Golden Strong and Tripel? The BGS has more hops and the Tripel has a bit of aromatic malt. Otherwise the grain bills between the two are the same - pils and sugar.
