Belgian Dubbel

[sdrum3@gmail.com]

http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/r ... 26/1st-one

How's it look?

 

[Nosybear]

Is that four ounces of fresh chamomile? If it's four ounces of dried flowers, you're making chewing gum flavored beer. Think Juicy Fruit. On the other hand I think an ounce of fresh zest is going to get lost in this. One way you can save yourself a dollar or two is ditch the candi sugar in favor of turbinado or some other raw sugar you can pick up cheaply at your local grocery. Sucrose is sucrose.

 

[sdrum3@gmail.com]

In this case what would be better lighter or darker raw sugar? Yes, I was thinking fresh chamomile. Would this create any off flavors? Instead of adding the chamomile to the boil I was thinking of French pressing it and adding to the keg?

 

[Nosybear]

With fresh, you're adding vegetal matter with the risk you could extract some vegetal flavors. Should be relatively low, though. Light or dark sugar is your call. Dark sugar or even brown sugar will add some flavor but on balance very little. Taste the sugars if your store will let you - the bulk foods aisle is great for this - and see what you want in your beer. If all you're doing is cutting body, pure cane sugar will work. If you want burnt sugar and dark raisin flavors, use or make your own invert syrup (candi syrup). The candi syrup "rocks" are slightly impure sucrose and not worth the money.