Brew Inspirations #1

It is always interesting to me how I land on a particular recipe and the inspiration that lead me to the ingredients I used. When we formulate recipes we always have expectations of what the end product will be. Sometimes we nail it and sometimes we strike out. This will be the first post in what I plan to be an ongoing series of the tales behind my brew recipes. Hopefully this will inspire others to explore new recipe ideas and learn more about brewing at home. If nothing else I hope to provide a few laughs along the way.

This first tale starts on my honeymoon with my beautiful wife and how a chocolate led me down the path a creating a wonderful and unique belgian ale. Enjoy!

Sitting in a tree house high above cocoa trees on the island of Maui, I bit into a chocolate whose delicate flavors danced around my mind like tiny fairies sprinkling my senses with pixie dust. Chocolate with orange! A novelty indeed. Immediately a higher calling sprang forth into my consciousness. “I’m gonna make this into a beer!”, I proudly proclaimed. My new bride rolled her eyes and we continued with the chocolate tasting. However, this combination of flavors would not stray far from my mind the remainder of the trip.

Knowing I had a rye saison and a trappist single already planned I would have plenty of time to explore the idea. Chocolate and orange. A stout? A porter? My initial thoughts said this only made sense, in fact I could taste the dark roasted chocolaty malts and bright orange notes as beer rolled across the hidden palate which exists only in my mind. All of the imaginary beers that this imaginary palate had tasted, certainly this would take the cake! Until one day it happened. Strolling through the local Total Wine there it was staring straight at me; an orange chocolate stout. I gleefully took it home and popped it into the fridge. I could feel the impatience crawling under my skin as I paced around the kitchen… FINALLY! It was time to taste this dream I had fantasized about for so long. Much to my dismay, an overburdened orange screaming for attention only to be drowned out by the thundering dark malts that have so long defined the darkest of beer styles slowly sloshed across my tongue. It was absolutely horrendous! Certainly, the man who thought up this monstrosity was currently enduring the deepest punishment the beer gods had ever unleashed upon a mortal soul.

With such grim punishments at the forefront of my mind I decided to move on but not give up. What could give me those smooth chocolate notes without dispensing such indiscriminate abuse to my poor orange? An English brown perhaps… But certainly there was a code or law somewhere forbidding me from adding fruit to an English beer… a sin, yes, I am pretty sure I have seen that Bible. It was at this moment I knew. A Belgian dubbel, brewed by monks for centuries in STRICT OBSERVENCE of style guidelines under the mindful eye of The Lord himself. Alas, with a dubbel I could add fruit and remain pious in my endeavors. Like the monks inhabiting monasteries across western Europe I knew that through prayer and concentration any beer was possible and only the finest of fermentations would prove me worthy. After months of research, I landed on the recipe below. Is it exactly what I had invisioned when I first tasted that chocolate? Not really. Is it an awesome beer? Aboslutely 100%! It captures the spirit of chocolate and orange that I was searching for without getting too loose with BJCP guidelines. May we consume it as a way to please the beer gods and ask forgiveness for the tortured souls who’s fumbled fermentations led them down a path of treacherous transgression.

https://share.brewfather.app/XF7vLcC1ETazTM

Strict Observance Dubbel:

ABV: 6.2

SRM: 13

IBU: 17

5.5 Gallon batch

60 Min mash @ 158 or something on the higher side, dealers choice.

9 Lbs Pilsner (Mecca Estate Grade if possible)

2 Lbs Opal 22: Graham and Cocoa (Mecca Estate Grade, this is 100% required)

4 oz special B

1 lb D-45 Candi Syrup (Amber Candi Syrup, add at last 5 mins of boil slowly while stirring)

60 Min Boil:

1 oz Styrian Goldings @ 45 Min

1 oz crushed coriander seed @ 5 min

Ferment:

WLP 530 Abbey Ale

2 weeks- 1 month low 70’s or per preference. Not to exceed White Labs recommended temp range.

Special instructions:

Zest two oranges and add 2 shots of vodka and zest into a jar. Seal jar and place in fridge for 2 weeks. Pour orange vodka mix through strainer into keg and transfer finished beer into keg. Carbonate and enjoy.