Doppelbock is a bock that homebrewers reach for when they want a project worth the extra attention. This version keeps the grain bill built around Pilsner malt, and leans on Perle 8% to shape the finish.
Recipe at a Glance
Recipe at a Glance
| Style | Doppelbock |
| Batch Size | 5 gallons (19L) |
| Boil Time | 60-90 minutes |
| Original Gravity | 1.064-1.080 |
| Final Gravity | 1.014-1.020 |
| ABV | 6.3-7.5% |
| IBU | 20-35 |
| SRM | 14-30 (copper to dark brown) |
| Difficulty | Advanced (lager patience required) |
Brew Day, Step by Step
|
1
|
Mash · ~60 min Mash the grain bill, led by Pilsner malt, at a steady temperature to build the fermentable sugars this style needs. Sparge slowly so you do not lose efficiency. |
|
2
|
Boil · ~60-90 min Bring the wort to a boil and work through the hop schedule, starting with Perle 8%. This is also where you will add any fining agent for a clearer finished beer. |
|
3
|
Ferment · 18C (64F) Pitch Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager once the wort has cooled to fermentation temperature and hold it steady. Primary fermentation is the most active week, do not rush it. |
|
4
|
Condition · 3 weeks at 12C (54F) Rack to secondary (or leave in primary if your recipe calls for it) and let the beer round out at a cool, steady temperature. This step does more for the final flavor than people expect. |
|
5
|
Package · 1 day, then wait Bottle or keg once gravity has held steady for a few days in a row. Give it time to carbonate and, for bigger styles, additional time to mellow before your first taste. |
That’s the shape of brew day and the weeks after it. For the exact grain bill, hop schedule, and full step-by-step instructions with amounts, use the recipe card below.
What You Will Need
Sourcing your own ingredients locally is always fine, but if you want to skip a homebrew store trip, here is what’s in stock in our shop right now:
- Base and specialty grain: Grains & Adjuncts (e.g. Briess 2-Row Brewers Malt – 10 LB, Crushed)
- Bittering and aroma hops: Brewing Hops (e.g. HopUnion 6I-E91H-F8YE RiteBrew – Cascade Pellet Hops – 1 oz)
- Yeast: Brewing Yeast (e.g. LalBrew Verdant IPA Brewing Yeast (2 Pack) – Make Beer at Home)
- Secondary fermenter for conditioning: Fermenters & Carboys (e.g. FastRack 5 Gallon Hedpak with Cap (Pack of 2) | BPA-free)
- Priming sugar for bottling: Priming Sugar (e.g. Brewer’s Best Carbonation Drops 9 oz)
- General kit and tools: Homebrew Equipment (e.g. PERA 4 Pack Bottling Bucket Plastic Spigot)
- Pour it right when it’s ready: a tulip glass shows off the color and holds the aroma better than a straight pint glass
Serve It Right
|
A Doppelbock is best served in a mug or goblet, it fits the body and carbonation of this style better than a straight pint glass. Here is one from our shop: |
Ingredients & Gear for This Batch
Grain / Adjuncts |
Hops |
Yeast |
Fermenter |
Priming Sugar |
Equipment Monster Brew Home Brewing Supplies Home Brew Ohio Complete Beer Equi |
Full Recipe: Grain Bill, Hops, and Instructions
Doppelbock
Equipment
- 1 Large pot for boiling
- 1 Mash tun or large kettle with a false bottom
- 1 Thermometer
- 1 Fermentation vessel (such as a carboy or bucket)
- 1 Airlock
- 1 Bottles or keg for conditioning and serving
Ingredients
For the Mash – Liquor 18.9 Litres (33 Pints) – Mash Time 1 hr – Temperature 65°C (149°F)
- 6 lb Pilsner malt Quantity 2.8 kg
- 9 lb Munich malt Quantity 4.2 kg
- 10 oz Caramunich II Quantity 286 g
- 4 oz Carafa special Il malt Quantity 114 g
For the Boil – 27 Litres (47 1/2 Pints) – Boil Time 1 hr – 15 mins
- 2/3 oz (Hops) Perle 8% When to add – At start of boil (IBU 14.4)
- 2/3 oz (Hops) Tettnang 4.5% When to add – For last 30 mins of boil (IBU 6.0)
- 1 tsp Protofloc Other – When to add – For last 15 mins of boil
To Ferment – X – Conditioning X weeks at X
- 1 Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager yeast
Instructions
- Heat 18.9 liters (33 pints) of water in a large pot to 65°C (149°F).
- Add the 6 pounds of Pilsner malt, 9 pounds of Munich malt, 10 ounces of Caramunich II, and 4 ounces of Carafa special Il malt to the mash tun or large kettle with a false bottom.
- Add the heated water to the mash tun and stir well to combine.
- Allow the mash to rest for 1 hour.
- After the mash has rested, drain the liquid from the mash tun into the large pot and sparge the grains with 27 liters (47.5 pints) of water heated to 77°C (170°F).
- Bring the liquid to a boil and add 2/3 ounce of Perle hops.
- Boil for 45 minutes, then add 2/3 ounce of Tettnang hops and 1 teaspoon of Protofloc.
- Boil for an additional 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and cool the liquid to 10°C (50°F).
- Transfer the liquid to the fermentation vessel and add the Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager yeast.
- Seal the fermentation vessel with an airlock and allow the beer to ferment for 42 days at a temperature of 10°C (50°F).
- After the 42-day fermentation period, transfer the beer to bottles or a keg for conditioning and serving.
- Condition the beer for at least 7 weeks at a temperature of 5°C (41°F) before serving.
Get the fermentation temperature right on Doppelbock and most of the rest of the process takes care of itself.
What Makes Doppelbock the Style It Is
Like most classic beer styles, Doppelbock has a long, slightly tangled history behind it, shaped as much by regional brewing traditions as by any single inventor.
The character of this beer comes down to a beer that leans on pilsner malt and perle 8%, and Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager is doing more of that work than the grain bill gets credit for.
Style Characteristics at a Glance
- ABV: 6.3-7.5%
- Bitterness: 20-35 IBU
- Color: 14-30 (copper to dark brown)
- Serving temp: 45-50F (7-10C)
- Glassware: a mug or goblet
- Food pairings: roast game, dark bread, aged cheese
Common Questions
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes, the grain bill and hop schedule scale linearly with batch size. Just make sure your equipment, mash tun and boil kettle both, can actually handle the volume you are scaling to.
What is the biggest mistake homebrewers make with this style?
Rushing the schedule. Pulling a beer off yeast too early or skipping conditioning time is the most common way to shortchange a recipe like this one.
Can I substitute a different yeast strain?
You can, but expect the flavor profile to shift. Stick close to the same yeast family (English ale, American ale, Belgian, lager, etc.) if you want a result close to what this recipe is aiming for.
Keep Exploring
Once you have this one down, here are a few more homebrew recipes worth trying next:
Browse the full homebrew recipe collection for more styles, or if you are just getting into the hobby, start with one of our homebrewing starter kits for new brewers.
This recipe is for adults of legal drinking age. Please brew and drink responsibly, and always sanitize your equipment thoroughly to avoid infection.
