Recipe

Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat’s Duvel clone

Duvel clone

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.061  FG = 1.007
IBU = 30  SRM = 3  ABV = 8.5%

Duvel is the classic Belgian golden ale. Although it is very strong (8.5% ABV), the beer is extremely light in color and dry in taste. The dense, white head that sits above the beer lasts until the beer is done. In the US, bottles of Duvel often show some oxidation in the aroma. Brewing it fresh at home gives you a glimpse of what it tastes like in Belgium. The yeast will not have an easy job here; they are dealing with a high-gravity, high-adjunct wort. Help them (and yourself) out by making a big yeast starter for a high cell count at pitching.

Ingredients
11.5 lbs. (5.2 kg) Belgian Pilsner malt
8 oz. (0.23 kg) corn sugar (kettle)
1 lb. (0.45 g) corn sugar (dosage)
6 AAU Styrian Goldings hops (60 min.) (1.2 oz./34 g of 5% alpha acids)
3.75 AAU Saaz hops (15 min.) (0.93 oz./27 g of 4% alpha acids)
0.75 oz. (21 g) Saaz hops (0 min.)
1/4 tsp yeast nutrients (kettle)
1/16 tsp (“a pinch”) yeast nutrients (dosage)
1 tsp Irish moss (15 min.)
Wyeast 1388 (Belgian Strong Ale) or White Labs WLP570 (Belgian Golden Ale) yeast (3 qt./3 L yeast starter)
1 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
In your brew kettle, mash in to 131°F (55°C) and heat the mash slowly, over 15 minutes, to 140°F (60°C). Add boiling water to raise the temperature to 148°F (64°C) and hold for 60 minutes. Mash out, vorlauf, and then sparge at 168°F (76°C). (Option: To increase wort fermentablility, mash in at 99°F (37°C) and slowly ramp up the temperature to mash-out temperature. The ramp time can take anywhere from 90 minutes to as long as 3 hours.) Collect enough wort in the brew kettle to compensate for a longer boil. Boil for 90 minutes, adding the hops as indicated in the ingredients list. With 15 minutes left in boil, add the kettle sugar, yeast nutrients, and Irish moss. At the end of the boil, add the last charge of hops, rapidly cool the wort, and transfer it to a sanitized fermenter. The specific gravity reading should be roughly 1.061. The brewers of Duvel pitch at 60°F (16°C) and let the temperature rise to as high as 84°F (29°C) during primary fermentation. If you are not capable of ramping the fermentation temperature, pitch the yeast and then ferment at 68°F (20°C). When primary fermentation is slowing down (3 to 4 days), add the dosage sugar with a pinch of yeast nutrients that have been dissolved in hot water held at 160°F (71°C) for 15 minutes. After final gravity is achieved, rack to a secondary fermenter and allow the beer to condition for 2 to 3 weeks. Bottle or keg when the beer falls clear.

Duvel clone

(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.072 FG = 1.006
IBU = 30  SRM = 4  ABV = 8.5%

Ingredients
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Pilsen dried malt extract
6.6 lbs. (3 kg) Pilsen liquid malt extract
1 lb. 11 oz. (0.77 kg) corn sugar (kettle)
11 oz. (0.31 g) corn sugar (dosage)
6 AAU Styrian Goldings hops (60 mins) (1.2 oz./34 g of 5% alpha acids)
3.75 AAU Saaz hops (15 mins) (0.93 oz./27 g of 4% alpha acids)
0.75 oz. (21 g) Saaz hops (0 mins)
1/4 tsp yeast nutrients (kettle)
1/16 tsp (“a pinch”) yeast nutrients (dosage)
1 tsp Irish moss
Wyeast 1388 (Belgian Strong Ale) or White Labs WLP570 (Belgian Golden Ale) yeast (3 qt./3 L yeast starter)
1 cup corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step
Heat 6 gallons (23 L) liquid in brewpot to a boil, then stir in the malt extracts. Stir well to dissolve extract, then resume heating. Add first charge of hops and begin the 60 minute boil. With 15 minutes left in boil, add kettle sugar, hops and Irish moss, then turn off heat. At the end of the boil, add last charge of hops, cool wort and transfer to fermenter. Ferment as stated above or at 68 °F (20 °C). Rack to secondary and add dosage sugar. Bottle or keg when beer falls clear.

Issue: May-June 2005

Duvel is the classic Belgian golden ale. Although it is very strong (8.5% ABV), the beer is extremely light in color and dry in taste. The dense, white head that sits above the beer lasts until the beer is done. In the US, bottles of Duvel often show some oxidation in the aroma. Brewing it fresh at home gives you a glimpse of what it tastes like in Belgium. The yeast will not have an easy job here; they are dealing with a high-gravity, high-adjunct wort. Help them (and yourself) out by making a big yeast starter for a high cell count at pitching.