Dogfish Head Raison D'etre recipe

[beekind]

So, I was looking to make a Dogfish Head brew, and I came across this recipe for the Raison D'etre:

• 6.5 lbs amber dried malt extract in 3 gallons water, bring to boil.
• Steep 1 oz. crushed crystal malt, 1 oz. kilned coffee malt, 1.5 oz rye flakes,
2 oz. dark Munich malt.
• After 15 minutes remove steeped grains.
• When boiling add 5 grams Warrior hop pellets (17.4% AAU) and
1 cup pureed green raisins and 4 oz. beet sugar.


I am new to brewing beer (only two batches, both in secondaries), but does this seem like ridiculously low amounts of flavoring grains and hops?
The person who posted it said that this was directly from Sam C's book (the owner of Dogfish Head). Just wondering what y'all thought--I'm thinking about tripling or quadrupling the grains and hops, if I go for it.

 

[akueck]

This is for a 3 gallon batch? How long do they want you to boil it?

Altogether it seems like an odd recipe. Personally I go the light extract + grains route rather than the amber extract (which has some "flavor" grains in it already). And 5 g of hops is quite a tiny amount, even if they are Warrior.

I haven't tried that Raisin beer from Dogfish, though I've had the one that Lost Abbey does. What does it taste like?

 

[Brimminghorn]

Hello Beekind,

Here is a malt extract recipe thats a lot closer to Raison D'Etre

7 lbs. Light DME
8 oz. Dark Munich malt
4 oz. crystal malt 60 Lovibond
8 oz. chocolate malt
4 oz. Kiln coffee
8 oz. Dark Belgian Candi syrup
4 oz. Beet or Brown sugar
6 oz. raisins (pureed)
0.5 oz Warrior pellet hops boil 60 min.
0.5 oz. Vanguard pellet hops end of boil
Wyeast Belgian Abbey II yeast

Cheers,
Jon

 

[akueck]

Jon- how much impact does that Beet sugar have? Is it just there to thin it out slightly?

 

[Brimminghorn]

Akuek,

Yes the beet sugar is used to thin out the body a bit Raison has a huge grain bill and lots of specialty malts.The Belgian dark candi syrup and the pureed raisons contribute more flavor to the beer than the beet/brown sugar. I think when I first started at DFH we were using beet sugar in the recipe and then we switched to an organic light brown sugar since they are pretty much the same chemically.

Jon

 

[beekind]

Wow...thanks.

I didn't expect someone to answer that had an "in" on the recipe would be responding. Thanks, a lot. Yeah, the values did not look like they would be enough to do much, esp. those hops amounts.

Akueck, you really have to try it. Just a bottle of pleasantness...you could never be angry at this beer. My wife on the first sip of the Raison D'etre said, "Damn, they make a fine beer". My wife swears maybe three times a year so you can guess that it is quite palateable.

Again, big thanks.

First toast is to you.ccasion14:

Cheers!

 

[biochemedic]

Here's the actual recipe from Sam's book Extreme Brewing (I'm typing it right from the pages in front of me):

8 lbs light DME
4 oz crystal 60
8 oz light chocolate malt

6 oz pureed raisins - 10 min
8 oz candi sugar - 10 min

1/2 oz Warrior - 60 min
1/2 oz Vanguard - flameout

Wyeast 3522 (the Belgian Ardennes strain)

OG 1.078
Target FG 1.016
Target ABV 8%

As you can see, there are a lot of similarities to the version posted by Brimminghorn, and personally, I'd use his...it seems more complex, which is what that beer is, if nothing else. I'd have to run the numbers, but it looks like his recipe would also come in a bit higher in OG due to the extra beet/brown sugar.

@akueck -- I'd assume the recipe from the OP is just calling for a 3 gallon boil, and intended that you top off to 5 gal final volume at the end.

 

[Brimminghorn]

You are most welcome Beekind...glad I could help and I am glad your wife loves our beer.

Cheers,
Jon

 

[Brimminghorn]

Hi Biochemedic,

Hehehe..yea my recipe is a lot closer to the real Raison D'Etre since its one of the beers I brew weekly at Dogfish Head. I am a brewer there Some of the recipes in the book aren't even close...but you didn't hear that from me...lol

Cheers,
Jon

 

[biochemedic]

Hi Biochemedic,

Hehehe..yea my recipe is a lot closer to the real Raison D'Etre since its one of the beers I brew weekly at Dogfish Head. I am a brewer there Some of the recipes in the book aren't even close...but you didn't hear that from me...lol

Cheers,
Jon

This is interesting...the only DFH clone from that book that I've actually brewed is the Midas Touch recipe. I followed that recipe pretty exactly, using the muscat grape concentrate from www.extremebrewing.com. I thought that recipe came out pretty damn dead on taste wise!

Hope to see you guys later on in July when we head up to vacation in NJ...always stop through DE and stock up on the specials that aren't available down here in NC, and tour the brewery whenever I can talk SWMBO into fitting it into the schedule!

 

[beekind]

Hey, that's really cool of you to pass that on.
It is extremely appreciated.

-dave

 

[wildoates]

Hi Biochemedic,

Hehehe..yea my recipe is a lot closer to the real Raison D'Etre since its one of the beers I brew weekly at Dogfish Head. I am a brewer there Some of the recipes in the book aren't even close...but you didn't hear that from me...lol

Cheers,
Jon

All sorts of awesome in this thread.

 

[Barrel Rider]

Hi Biochemedic,

Hehehe..yea my recipe is a lot closer to the real Raison D'Etre since its one of the beers I brew weekly at Dogfish Head. I am a brewer there Some of the recipes in the book aren't even close...but you didn't hear that from me...lol

Cheers,
Jon

Hello Beekind,

Here is a malt extract recipe thats a lot closer to Raison D'Etre

7 lbs. Light DME
8 oz. Dark Munich malt
4 oz. crystal malt 60 Lovibond
8 oz. chocolate malt
4 oz. Kiln coffee
8 oz. Dark Belgian Candi syrup
4 oz. Beet or Brown sugar
6 oz. raisins (pureed)
0.5 oz Warrior pellet hops boil 60 min.
0.5 oz. Vanguard pellet hops end of boil
Wyeast Belgian Abbey II yeast

Cheers,
Jon


Hi Jon,
I saw this in the archives and wanted to clarify if this recipe was for 3 or 5 gallons. I love Raison and would like to make it.
Thanks

 

[Guinlilly]

Hello Beekind,

Here is a malt extract recipe thats a lot closer to Raison D'Etre

7 lbs. Light DME
8 oz. Dark Munich malt
4 oz. crystal malt 60 Lovibond
8 oz. chocolate malt
4 oz. Kiln coffee
8 oz. Dark Belgian Candi syrup
4 oz. Beet or Brown sugar
6 oz. raisins (pureed)
0.5 oz Warrior pellet hops boil 60 min.
0.5 oz. Vanguard pellet hops end of boil
Wyeast Belgian Abbey II yeast

Cheers,
Jon


Hi Jon,
I saw this in the archives and wanted to clarify if this recipe was for 3 or 5 gallons. I love Raison and would like to make it.
Thanks

It's a 5-gallon recipe. (I'm sitting next to Jon on the couch ;D)

 

[wildoates]

Sounds like we've got us some fraternization going on here tonight.

My daughter wants me to make this, and she also wants me to give Midas Touch a try...doesn't ask for much, does she?! We're out of beer bottles at the moment, but since we have our huge family reunion coming up next weekend, I'm sure we'll be able to pick up a few. I've got 4 batches on deck, so maybe later this summer.

 

[Barrel Rider]

Thanks!

Guinlilly,
Thanks for the clarification on the 3 vs 5 gallon batch. I will give it a shot very soon. Currently have black cherry mead and scottish braggot occupying the primary fermenters, so it will be a week or two. Again, thanks and go Dogfish!
Barrel Rider

 

[BigEbrew]

It's a 5-gallon recipe. (I'm sitting next to Jon on the couch ;D)

Hello , Is there anyway you can give simply instructions on the brewing steps for this AWESOME tasting DFH brew....I love it and Im kinda new to brewing. Ive been looking for this extract recipe and now found it!!!! YESSSSSSS

Im going to brew it asap, Im ordering everything i need right now! Thanks in ADVANCE!

 

[biochemedic]

Hello , Is there anyway you can give simply instructions on the brewing steps for this AWESOME tasting DFH brew....I love it and Im kinda new to brewing. Ive been looking for this extract recipe and now found it!!!! YESSSSSSS
Im going to brew it asap, Im ordering everything i need right now! Thanks in ADVANCE!

This is kind of a broad question, and I'm not really sure it's in the scope of the forum to tutor someone on the specifics of the beer brewing process. If you're not sure how to brew beer, and are really green, you might want to look into a basic brewing text such as Palmer's How to Brew. If you have specific technique questions, perhaps some help can be given, but you may have better bang for your buck on one of the more beer-related forums such as www.brewboard.com or www.homebrewtalk.com.

That being said, you're looking at an extract plus specialty grain scenario. All the grains will be steeped in water as you're heating up to a boil, then removed before getting to the actual boil. You then add your malt extract and other sugars, boil for an hour while adding the hops at the appropriate times. Then you cool down, pitch your yeast and ferment. There's obviously lots more details beyond that, but that's the basic process. Not knowing exactly what your level of experience is, or what equipment you have, it's pretty hard to be more precise than that.