Rochefort 10 Clone

My favorite beer is Rochefort 10. So much so that I hoard it in my fridge for special occasions. The mix of dark fruit, yeast esters, malt flavors, and alcohol combine into a beer that is beyond words. I decided to do my best to recreate this beer. If end up with anything even a tenth as tasty it will be well worth it.

Grain Bill
1 pound Table Sugar
1 pound Dark Candi Sugar
4.75 pounds Maris-Otter
4.75 pounds Pilsner Malt
1.25 pounds Honey Malt
1.5 pounds CaraMunich
0.5 pounds Special "B"
0.15 pounds Carafa # 1

Mashed with 2 quarts/pound at 154 F for 1 hour
Sparged with 3 gallons of water at 178 F

First Runnings 1.070

Hops
1/2 oz Goldings 60 minutes   6.6% AA
1/2 oz Goldings 45 minutes    6.6% AA
1/4 oz Fuggle 30 minutes       6.7% AA
1/4 oz Mt Hood 5 minutes     7.5% AA
3.5 grams crushed coriander 5 minutes

pitched White Labs 500 WLP

Total 4 gallons at 1.090 gravity

6/8 Gravity 1.022 moved to secondary

6/21 Bottled

7/20 Tasting

Appearance: Deep dark brown, maybe a little bit darker than the original. The carbonation is also a little low but hopefully will increase at least a little bit more. A nice lace does form around the rim.

Aroma: Dark malt, dark druits (plum and fig) and alcohol. My nose is a little off today and I can hardly smell anything so I am sure that I am not doing justice to any hidden aromas.

Taste: The beer is malty to start and moves into a nice dark plum before finishing with a bit of an alcohol bite. I can also taste molasses, sugar, rum, and dark fruits.

Overall: I am very pleased with how this beer turned out. I would like to get it a little bit lower for a final gravity and will aerate with an aeration stone the next time that I brew it. Other than that one item I think this turned out awesome. I will be entering it in the Colorado State Fair if I can manage to hold onto a couple of bottles (you have to enter 3 which is a little ridiculous).

8/30 Results from the Colorado State Fair:
Beer scored a 36/50 which is a ranking of excellent

Judges notes:

Aroma: (1) Dark malt, chocolate, coffee. Nice light spicy character, hint of grass hops clash a bit. (2) Malty sweetness, Dark Caramel, Hint of Alcohol, Bready, Nutty (3) Dried cherry estery maltyness-rich

Appearance: (1) Dark brown, good clarity, moderate head, missing huge rocky head for style. (2) Deep brown, clarity good for a beer this dark, head retention low but present (3) Black, opaque, no head retention

Flavor: (1) Rich and complex malt - toffee, raisin, chocolate, Good attenuation, balance on finis is malt forward but not cloying. Yeast character adds a nice spiciness and hint of fruit. (2) Malty-sweetness-moderately complex, but complexity could be higher - dark, toasty, caramel flavor. Might be a bit underattenuated, sweetness lingers to finish. (3) Full rich fruity maltyness, some complexity in grain bill.

Mouthfeel: (1) Rich and full bodied, a bit more attentuation would be more a classic belgian example, good creaminess mid palatte. (2) Medium body, good carbonation, some warming alcohol. (3) Warming, full body, easy to drink.

Overall Impression: (1) Really nice beer, has great malt complexity, the finish has a hint of harshness, but its not overwhelming. No flaws, well made, thanks! (2) Underattenuation is my big nit - Its not bad, but the malt profile is good and a dryer finish would bring it out more: try making a starter or using a couple of yeasts. (3) Very good, clean brew with some complexity in body, lacking carbonation but not a sig flaw.