clones

hopsalot · 10-23-2007, 03:27 PM

are clones worth while, do they really get close to the taste of the original?

**Orfy** · 10-23-2007, 03:29 PM

That's a very subjective question.
It totally depends on the recipe, the ingredient, the brewers skill and methods used.

In general I'd say yes.

Alamo_Beer · 10-23-2007, 03:29 PM

Only clone I've done is a Lone Star clone for my friends and it's pretty tastey but a bit dark.

I know lots of folks have done the clone kits from austinhomebrew and liked them so I'd say yes.

krispy d · 10-23-2007, 03:51 PM

IMO the reason for brewing clones is to hone your skills. It's like a sheet of arithmetic problems for a third grader. You brew a clone and then compare it to the original, then go back and make some changes. repeat till perfected. This way you get a firm grasp on what little changes in recipe and technique can do to your brew. I wouldn't brew a Seirra Nevada clone cause I love Seirra Nevada and want to make it cheaper. If I want to drink SN I'll buy SN. I would clone it to perfect the minor tweaks necessary to adjust the color just a hair, or bring up the IBU's to the perfect level, or increase the head retention. After cloning a beer a few times you will be a better brewer at all you brew. I say you should never only clone a brew once. you will learn nothing from that.

mrkristofo · 10-23-2007, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krispy d

IMO the reason for brewing clones is to hone your skills. It's like a sheet of arithmetic problems for a third grader. You brew a clone and then compare it to the original, then go back and make some changes. repeat till perfected. This way you get a firm grasp on what little changes in recipe and technique can do to your brew. I wouldn't brew a Seirra Nevada clone cause I love Seirra Nevada and want to make it cheaper. If I want to drink SN I'll buy SN. I would clone it to perfect the minor tweaks necessary to adjust the color just a hair, or bring up the IBU's to the perfect level, or increase the head retention. After cloning a beer a few times you will be a better brewer at all you brew. I say you should never only clone a brew once. you will learn nothing from that.

Well put. Seeing how minor recipe tweaks change the final brew in comparison to the commercial product is a lot easier for than novice brewer than just tweaking and hoping to tell the difference on its own.

**david_42** · 10-23-2007, 05:34 PM

A clone recipe should be exactly the same as the original, even though it probably has a different recipe. I like to do clones of ales I can't get locally (although I probably could just drive up to Liquid Solutions and buy most of them).

boalpd · 10-24-2007, 06:55 PM

My clones have been very close the 1st time and then tweek some on try no. 2.

I like the book "Clonebrews" by Szamatulski, it has mini mash and all grain recipes.

Phil

**DeathBrewer** · 10-24-2007, 07:00 PM

Beer Captured is even better. The recipes I've brewed from both books, however, have not been very close to the actual commercial examples...but very good brews in a similar style...which is pretty much the point.

brew a clone as a guideline....see what goes into the brews you love. why make a beer that you can just buy at a store? try to make something just as good or better that's all your own!

Ó Flannagáin · 10-24-2007, 07:05 PM

I like to clone beers that are super expensive. I'm working on a Rochefort 10 clone. The beer is amazing and I just can't afford/find it that often. Even if I'm not right on, it's still going to be a great beer.

I also want to do Evan!'s Mephistopheles clone, because I never had the real one, but I've wanted to try it. So this will be close enough that I can try the beer, and have a bunch of it on hand.

I brew 90% personal recipes I create, but it's fun to have 5+ gallons of some hard to get, expensive beer on hand.