Dear Replicator,

On a recent business trip to Portland, Oregon, in addition to stopping by several “big name” microbreweries, I had the opportunity to check out the Salmon Creek Brewery and Pub, a relatively small, unknown brewpub across the river in Vancouver, Washington. What a great find! By far, my favorite beer was a Belgian style called “Brother Larry’s Belgian.” If not the best, definitely one of the best microbrews I have ever tried. I would recommend this to all. Other than growlers to take home I do not believe they sell their beer outside of the establishment. I would really appreciate your assistance in cloning this outstanding beer.

Brian Schaeffer
Boise, Idaho

Thanks for the easy assignment. This is a brewpub that is only 7 miles from my home and I have known the owner and brewer, Larry Pratt, for over 10 years. For your cloning details, I just stopped by the brewery, met with Larry and sampled this beer while we discussed its profile.

In April of 1994, Larry decided to try his hand at homebrewing. After a few successful batches he toured some of the well known microbreweries in Portland and declared “I can do this.” He found used equipment to piece together a 3 barrel system, and in the fall of 1994 began operation in a rented industrial building in Woodland, Washington. Having a full time job with United Airlines, brewing became his evening labor of love.

Since that time the little brewery experienced steady growth. A few years ago it was moved to downtown Vancou-ver, Washington and has become a successful brewpub. Now Larry maintains five or more of his beers on tap and supplies some local keg accounts. These are produced on a much more modern 7 barrel system, just installed this spring. His wife, Ana, presides over the pub with old world German charm.

Brother Larry’s Belgian beer has proved to be one of his best and was awarded gold at the Portland Spring Beerfest in 2005. It is a Belgian Dubbel style that is dark garnet in color with a creamy white head. The flavor profile is clean and somewhat roasty with a sweet, crisp finish. Noble hops provide the balance but allow for a malty nose. I find this beer is very similar to New Belgium’s Abbey Ale — an excellent choice for those cold winter days in Boise!

For further information, visit their Site at www.salmoncreekbrewpub.com or call them at 360-993-1827.

Salmon Creek Brewing
Brother Larry’s Belgian

(5 gallons/ 19 L, extract-with-grain)

OG = 1.082 FG = 1.018
IBU = 26 SRM = 27 ABV = 8.3 %

Ingredients

• 6.6 lbs. (3.0 kg) Coopers light, unhopped malt extract
• 23 oz. (0.64 kg) Munich malt
• 23 oz. (0.64 kg) aromatic malt
• 23 oz. (0.64 kg) special B malt
• 21 oz. (0.6 kg) biscuit malt
• 14 oz. (0.4 kg) dark Belgian candy sugar
• 9 oz. (0.25 kg) Carapils® dextrin malt
• 0.5 tsp. yeast nutrient (15 min.)
• 4.25 AAU Northern Brewer hop pellets
• (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 8.5%
• alpha acid)
• 1.2 AAU Hallertauer hop pellets
• (60 min.) (0.3 oz./8.5 g of 4.0% alpha acid)
• 1 AAU Hallertauer hop pellets (30 min.)
• (0.25 oz./7 g of 4.0% alpha acid)
  
• .2 AAU U.S. Goldings hop pellets
• (10 min.) (.25 oz./7 g of 4.75alpha acid)
• White Labs WLP 530 (Belgian Abbey) or Wyeast 1762 (Belgian Abbey II)
• 0.75 cup (150g) of corn sugar for priming (if bottling)

Step by Step

Steep the crushed grain in 3 gallons (11.4 L) of water at 156 ºF (69 ºC) for 30 minutes. Remove grains from the wort, add the liquid extract and bring to a boil. While boiling, add the hops as per the hopping schedule. During the boil, use this time to thoroughly sanitize a fermenter. Add the yeast nutrient after 45 minutes of boiling. Now add the wort to 2 gallons (7.6 L) of cold water in the sanitized fermenter and top off with cold water up to 5 gallons (19 L).

Cool the wort to 75 ºF (24 ºC). Pitch your yeast and aerate the wort heavily. Allow the beer to cool to 68 ºF (20 ºC). Hold at that temperature until fermentation is complete. Transfer to a carboy, avoiding any splashing to prevent aerating the beer. Let the beer condition for 1 week and then bottle or keg. Allow to carbonate and condition for 4 additional weeks and enjoy your Belgian Dubbel!

All-grain option:

This is a single step infusion mash. Replace the malt syrup with 10 lbs. (4.5 kg) Pilsener malt grain. The other grains remain the same. Mix the crushed grain with 4 gallons (15.2 L) of 172 °F (77 °C) water to stabilize at 156 ºF (69 ºC) for 60 minutes. Sparge slowly with 175 ºF (79 ºC) water. Collect approximately 6 gallons (23 L) of wort runoff to boil for 60 minutes. The remainder of this recipe is the same as the extract-with-grain recipe.