New Recipe for Belgian Quad Ale - Please Critique

I’ve been on a recipe kick recently trying to learn the art of brewing.  Btw I greatly appreciate all the help I’ve received on this board so far.  This brew (I’m not sure it’d be classified as a quad) is based on the foods the Israelites found in the promised land : Figs, Honey, Wheat, Barley, Grapes.  This style is new to me. What suggestions would you make -

Malt/Grain:
3 lbs Red wheat malt
1lb Munich malt
.5 Roasted Barley
.2 Chocolate Malt
.25 Special b malt
.33 Aromatic Malt
6 lbs DME (extra light)

Boil:
1 oz Hallertau @ 60 minutes
1 oz Tettnang @ 20 minutes

1lb Buckwheat Honey (added to chilled wort at 110F)

Extras:
2lb Frozen Fig Puree (add to primary after initial fermentation has died down)
Soaked Pinot Noir Oak Cubes added to secondary

Yeast:
Wyeast 3522

Can’t see any reason for the wheat and you definitely need some D-180 candi syrup in there.

+1.  I normally like ~ .5 lb Special B and 20% D180. Of course the fig puree would give you some dark fruit character. Have you used this before, and if so, how did it come out ? Also, I would drop the roasted barley altogether - you’d have more of a Belgian stout.

I agree, I’ll add 1lb of dark belgian candi syrup in there.  I got the wheat idea from Allagash Odyssey.  It’s a great brew. They use both 2 row barley and malted wheat.

I would drop the RB and Chocolate malt for sure, as I think the roast will clash with the fruity Belgian Character. I would use D-180 as Denny recommends for your color contribution. The fig puree sounds tasty, but be careful with using too many “flavor” ingredients. If you have too many flavor contributors, the final beer will taste kind of un-focused or as Drew calls it “Brown.”

How’s this look?

Malt/Grain:
3 lbs Red wheat malt
1lb Munich malt
.25 Roasted Barley
.25 Special b malt
.33 Aromatic Malt
6 lbs DME (extra light)
1lb D-180

Boil:
1 oz Hallertau @ 60 minutes
1 oz Tettnang @ 20 minutes

1lb Buckwheat Honey (added to chilled wort at 110F)

Extras:
2lb Frozen Fig Puree (add to primary after initial fermentation has died down)
Soaked Pinot Noir Oak Cubes added to secondary

Yeast:
Wyeast 3522

For a quad I’d go for more D-180.

Do you think 1.5lbs of D-180 would be enough?

FWIW, I use 3 lbs in a 1.100ish quad.

If I was to add more do you recommend all D-180 or some D-45 as well?  Or would this work better as a dubbel?

For me, it’s all D180 or occasionally D2. It’s all about the dark fruit/ toffee character you get from those IMO.

Do you recommend making it a dubbel instead or do you think the flavors would work best as a quad?

The two styles share a lot of similarities in terms of flavor and color - rich maltiness, dark fruit, yeast character. Either would work. But obviously Dubbel is ~ 1.068ish where Quad is more 1.100ish. Regardless I would totally drop the roasted barley though. You don’t need or want it in either.

I think I’ll try this:

Malt/Grain:
3 lbs Red wheat malt
1lb Munich malt
.25 Roasted Barley
.25 Special b malt
.33 Aromatic Malt
6 lbs DME (extra light)
2lb D-180

Boil:
1 oz Hallertau @ 60 minutes
1 oz Tettnang @ 20 minutes

1lb Buckwheat Honey (added to chilled wort at 110F)

Extras:
2lb Frozen Fig Puree (add to primary after initial fermentation has died down)
Soaked Pinot Noir Oak Cubes added to secondary

Yeast:
Wyeast 3522

Haha I guess maybe sticking too close to a “themed beer” isn’t always best.  I’ll seriously think about removing the roasted barley.  Thank you everyone for all your help.  I’ll let the board know as soon as I pop the top on one of these.

Just for comparison, here’s the quad I did for my 400th batch…http://www.candisyrup.com/uploads/6/0/3/5/6035776/dennys_400th_-_variation_002x.pdf

Thanks Denny, that looks great!  Have you tried this yet?

Have you ever brewed with buckwheat honey?  I have.  I will not do so again.  All of the sweetness ferments out and you’re left with the strong flavors of the buckwheat.  I did not like it, but was able to give it all away to someone who did.  I found the flavor to be overpowering and IIRC somewhat medicinal.  Not at all pleasing to my tastes and it may clash with the fruit flavors you’re looking for.  I’d go with clover, orange blossom or wildflower honey, myself.

I also would recommend against the roasted barley for this style.

I say keep it a quad, not a dubbel, and check out Denny’s 400th.  I brewed that recipe for my 40th (birthday, not batch) and was quite pleased.  Served it on tap and only got to age a small handful of bottles.  It’s on the “brew again” list.

I like buckwheat honey but have never brewed with it.  Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll go with one of your suggestions instead. I’ll remove the barley as well.

The flavor was REALLY strong.  I was surprised.