Could use some help cloning levitation

hungsolo · 06-07-2006, 11:14 PM

I can't find a levitation ale clone. So I'm going to attempt to clone it. I really have no starting point to draw from.

I emailed Stone to see if they could give any hints as to whats in their levitation ale. For the time being I'm gonna make a WAG and use this as a starting point. I know the IBU is 45 and the SRM is probably around 14-16. I know Stone uses a lot of wheat malt as well as munich so I'll put those in there. I can't remember if there is a buscuit flavor or not but I'll add some because I like it. Then a small bit of chocolate wheat to get the color right.

Using beertools I came up with this for 5.5 gallons with 55% efficiency

6lb pale malt extract
1lb munich
1lb caramel wheat malt
.25 lb buscuit
.1 lb chocolate wheat

American ale II yeast

.6 oz Chinook @ 60
.5 oz summit @ 30
.3 oz summit at flameout
.3 oz chinook at flameout
1 oz cascade dry hop

Even if its not very close I figure this should be pretty malty with a piney, citrus hop flavor.

My questions before I brew this are:

How much chinook is too much? Am I likely to get any harshness with the amounts above?

Does caramel wheat behave like normal caramel malt or is the caramelization just for color? I don't want this to be too sweet.

Can someone recommend a better yeast for this beer? I'm not adept enough at distinguishing differences beyond grain and hop. The yeast flavor to me is either fruity or earthy to me. This one tastes a little fruity I guess.

Also, has anyone ever dry hopped with summit before?

Does the piney-ness from chinook come through after the boil or should I switch the additions and add chinook at 30 instead of summit?

hungsolo · 06-09-2006, 11:20 PM

I heard back from Ken Wright at Stone. Aside from the ABV, IBU and SRM my starting point was way off. I got a very good direction to go in and I'm wondering if anyone is interested in attempting to formulate a clone from the hints I was given.

knuckleball · 06-25-2009, 03:58 AM

I would be interested in seeing what you've come up with.

TIA

Beezer94 · 06-25-2009, 04:19 AM

well stone's webpage says:

'Columbus, Amarillo, Simcoe & Crystal' hops for the boil and dry hopped with 'Amarillo.'

It's 4.4% ABV and 45IBU's and an "American Style Amber Ale"

Can probably just find a nice amber and hop it up with those to give you something more to work with.

skeeordye11 · 07-24-2009, 02:58 AM

I was deeking around tonight and this is what I came up with:
5 gallon batch at 70% efficiency
8.5# 2-row
.5 Crystal 80L
0.5oz Columbus (60min)
.75oz Amarillo (20min)
.5oz Simcoe (10min)
1oz Crystal (5min)
1oz Amarillo (dryhop)
California Ale Yeast
Mash @ 154

Should give me 4.5%ABV
45.6 IBU
7.9 SRM