Beer taxonimists hate Belgians. No matter how they lump or split, they can’t seem to categorize the diverse spectrum of Belgian beers. Why can’t they all do the same thing? For example, in Germany one can taste a beer and probably identify the style with ease. The Belgians, however, insist on confusing beer pedants with random acts of cardamom and orange peel. Still, beer lovers are most passionate when Belgian ale is in their glass.

Probably more batches of Belgian-style homebrew are dumped each year than any other beer. Secretive Belgian brewers, unusual ingredients, and obscure yeast cultures make Belgian beers rather difficult to reproduce. Furthermore, strange spices and strange yeasts often work symbiotically in Belgian-style homebrew experiments to create downright funky beer. In a more positive light, abbey ale is a Belgian-style beer homebrewers can make with minimal stress. It’s easier than lambic because it doesn’t require Brettanomyces yeast or Pediococcus bacteria.  

Abbey ale is a Belgian commercial style based on beers first brewed by Trappist monks. Today six Trappist breweries remain and have exclusive use of the Trappist designation. It is the desire of brewers to make beers on par with the Trappists that begat abbey-style ale. However, the diverse profiles of the six Trappist breweries raise questions about the style. Still, the brews share a few common denominators. The profile is heavily influenced by yeast. This is expressed in the general estery fruitiness as well as other flavors unique to each yeast. The beers are rather high in alcohol. All of the beers are bottle conditioned. There are two subcategories under the title of Belgian abbey ale, dubbel and tripel. These terms are thought to refer to the sweetness of the wort. Single, the medieval monk’s daily drink, had a low starting gravity and alcohol. The dubbel was stronger, and the tripple stronger still.

Dubbel begins with an original gravity of 1.060 to 1.070. At 10 to 14 SRM, the final product is a reddish-brown beer with an alcohol content of 4.7 to 5.9 percent alcohol by weight and 6 to 7.5 percent alcohol by volume. Hop aroma and bitterness play a background role in the flavor profile. Bitterness levels range from 18 to 25 IBU and aromatic hops are usually added in small quantities. The base malt of choice for abbey ale is the Belgian pilsner malt, but other pale lager malts may do the trick.

Dabblers in dubbel will want to take advantage of Belgian malts, biscuit malt, and Special B. For a five-gallon batch one-half to one pound of biscuit tends to add a toasty character and some color to the beer. Special B, a very dark crystal malt, contributes body, maltiness, and color to the beer. About one-quarter pound per five-gallon batch gives the desired effects without overwhelming the beer. Other crystal malts may also be used to round out the flavor. All grains should be infusion mashed at 155° F. Sugar is a mandatory ingredient for the kettle. Belgians usually add dark candi sugar, a form or crystalized sucrose that resembles rock candy. Many homebrew shops now carry candi sugar. Though by no means the same, regular cane sugar can be substituted.

Noble hops such as Saaz, Hallertauer, and Tettnanger won’t overpower the aroma like high-alpha American varieties can.

The fermentation temperature for abbey ales in general falls at 65° to 80° F. The choice of yeast remains up to the brewer. Yeast with a strong Belgian character is not a requirement. However, the ability of the yeast to finish out a high-gravity fermentation should by considered. Culturing some yeast from the dregs of your favorite abbey ale is always an intriguing option. Grimbergen Dubbel is one of many beers of this style now available to American palates. Michael Jackson describes Grimbergen as “raisiny, chocolatey, and toffeeish.” A Grimbergen recently sampled in the United States had hints of plum and a slightly vinous character. Malt predominated the brew, with no distinct intrusion from hops in aroma or bitterness. Wild-type yeast flavors were not as pronounced in Grimbergen as with other Belgian ales such as the Trappist brew Chimay.

The Grimbergen brand also produces a tripel. This golden-colored brew resembles Champagne not only for its effervescence but for its distinct toasty character from the autolyzed (dead) yeast in the bottle. This beer is surprisingly drinkable considering it has an alcohol content of 7.2 percent  by weight and 9 percent by volume. Light candi sugar plays an important role in creating this effect by diluting the flavor of the malt while still providing fermentables. The original gravity of tripel spans the range of 1.070 to 1.090. The alcohol content is typically 5.6 to 8 percent by weight or 7 to 10 percent by volume. With an SRM of 3.5 to 5.5, tripel is significantly lighter in color than dubbel. Like most bottle-conditioned Belgian ales, the carbonation of tripel runs fairly high, around 3 to 3.5 volumes. The basic ingredients of tripel are Belgian pilsner malt and candi sugar. The hop profile is similar to dubbel, with slightly more emphasis on aroma hops. Wort aeration and a lot of yeast ensure a complete fermentation of this high-alcohol beer. Other aspects of tripel brewing such as mash temperature and fermentation resemble that of dubbel.   

Dubbel Trubbel
(5 gallons, all-grain)

This abbey ale should keep the cloister happy. If you are scared of wild Belgian yeast, try a mixed yeast fermentation using a Belgian strain and a more neutral ale selection. This should put the wild-type yeast character into a more subordinate role.

Ingredients:

• 9.25 lbs. Belgian pilsner malt
• 1 lb. Belgian biscuit malt
• 4 oz. crystal malt, 40° Lovibond
• 4 oz. Special B malt
• 1 lb. dark candi sugar
• 2 oz. Tettnanger hops (4.5% alpha acid), 1.5 oz. for 60 min., 0.5 oz. for 5 min.
• Alcohol-tolerant ale yeast such as Wyeast 1214 (Belgian Abbey)
• 3/4 cup corn sugar for priming

Step by Step:

Mash grains into 3.5 gal. of water to reach a conversion temperature of 155° F for 90 min. Sparge with water at 168° F until a volume of 6 gal. is collected.

Bring to a boil and add candi sugar. Boil 30 min. and add the first hop. Boil 55 min. more and add remainder of the hops. Boil 5 min. more for a total of 90 min. Cool and aerate. Pitch yeast at 75° F.

Ferment at 65° to 80° F. After fermentation rack to secondary. Prime with corn sugar and bottle. Age for at least one month before consuming.

OG = 1.065    FG = 1.013-1.018

Tripel Tippel
(5 gallons, extract)

It has all the flavor and three times the alcohol. This is a caffeine-free beer.

Ingredients:

• 5.5 lbs. light malt extract syrup
• 5 lbs. light only malt extract
• 1.5 lbs. light candi sugar
• 0.8 oz. Perle hops (8% alpha acid), for 60 min.
• 0.75 oz. Saaz hops (3.5% alpha acid), for 5 min.
• Alcohol-tolerant ale yeast such as Wyeast 1214
• 3/4 cup corn sugar for priming

Step by Step:

Bring 4 gal. of water to a boil. Stir in malt extracts and sugar until all are fully dissolved. Return to a boil for 30 min. before adding hops. Add Perle hops and boil 55 min. more. Add Saaz hops and boil 5 min. more for a total boil of 90 min. Add 2.5 to 3 gal. of cold water to help cool the hot wort, thereby bringing the total volume up to 5 gal. Aerate wort and pitch yeast at 75° F.

Ferment at 65° to 80° F. After primary fermentation rack to secondary and age for two to four weeks before bottling. Prime with corn sugar at bottling. Allow bottles to condition for one month before respectfully consuming.

OG = 1.085    FG = 1.018-1.025

Tipsy Trappist
(5 gallons, partial mash)

This recipe is for a Trappist-style ale. It might best be described as a dubbel with the kick of a tripel. Look out tipsy Trappist, here comes the monsignor!

Ingredients:

• 5.5 lbs. light malt extract syrup
• 1 lb. pale lager malt
• 3 lbs. Munich malt, 20° Lovibond
• l lb. wheat malt
• 0.5 lb. biscuit malt
• 1 lb. dark candi sugar
• 2.5 oz. Styrian Goldings (5.5% alpha acid), 1.5 oz. for 60 min., 1 oz. for 5 min.
• Alcohol-tolerant ale yeast such as Wyeast 1214
• 3/4 cup corn sugar for priming

Step by Step:

Mash grains into 2 gal. of water to reach conversion temperature of 155° F for 90 min. Sparge with water at 168° F until a volume of 6 gal. is collected.

Bring to a boil. Add extract and candi sugar. Boil 30 min. and add 1.5 oz. hops. Boil 55 min. more and add 1 oz. hops. Boil  5 min. more for a total boil of 90 min. Cool and aerate. Pitch yeast at 75° F.

Ferment at 65° to 80° F. After fermentation rack to secondary. Prime with corn sugar and bottle. Age for at least one month before consuming.

OG = 1.075    FG = 1.013-1.018