Nosferatu Clone

Recipe: Nosferhino
Brewer: Ryan
Asst Brewer:
Style: American Barleywine
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
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Boil Size: 6.22 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.72 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.081 SG
Estimated Color: 14.5 SRM
Estimated IBU: 70.0 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 95.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 95.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Amt Name Type # %/IBU
11 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 84.6 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 2 7.7 %
1 lbs Special Roast (50.0 SRM) Grain 3 7.7 %
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 4 12.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 5 28.4 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 6 -
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 7 5.7 IBUs
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 8 13.4 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 9 3.1 IBUs
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 10 7.4 IBUs
2.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 11 -
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 12 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 13 0.0 IBUs


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body
Total Grain Weight: 13 lbs
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Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 16.25 qt of water at 163.7 F 152.0 F 60 min
Mash Out Add 9.10 qt of water at 200.7 F 168.0 F 10 min

Sparge: Fly sparge with 1.44 gal water at 168.0 F
Notes:
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Mash went excellent with own milling. Got ~1.080 gravity (19.75+ brix) and 5.5 gallons collected into fermenter.

Almost exactly 5 gallons into keg. Kegged on 7/29.

Excellent beer. Better IMHO than commercial example as it has more hop nose and cleaner taste. Could try different yeast and see if that changes much. Commercial version has slightly darker red - compensate next time with .5 lb more Special Roast.
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This recipe is very close to the commercial example. There are only 3 slight differences. My clone used US-05 yeast that gave it a cleaner taste (preferred unanimously by 6 blind testers). My clone also has a more pronounced hop aroma (which I definitely preferred). The commercial example is slightly darker red. So, if you want the commercial, spot on recipe, you need to make 3 changes:

1. Use WY1968 instead of US-05.
2. Slightly bump up the Special Roast to hit a spot on color match (mine is very close)
3. Skip the dry hop.

That being said, I performed a blind taste test with 6 people and my version was unanimously chosen as the 'real' Nosferatu due to better taste and smell. Mine is on right below.

Looks like a great recipe!! I've fallen in love with this beer over the past few months, and I'd love to give this a go. I like the idea of starting the hop schedule at 30min, i'm sure that is (one of) the reasons for the clean nose and bitterness.

Couple questions though.. how long did you let it age before consumption? I'd imagine with the hops as prominent as they are that it'd be better to drink fresh, but I just thought i'd ask. Also, why nix the dry hops? I can't imagine you'd get too MUCH aroma for a clone of this, but then again, I've been wrong before...

Thanks for the recipe!!

I brewed this on 7/4 (4th of July!) and the FG was 1.005 on 7/16. IIRC, I cold crashed it and then my notes say I kegged it on 7/29. It was sparkling clear, but I don't think I really needed 13 days here until I kegged. I think it took about 7 days to carb up and I was drinking it right away. So, all told, it was just a little over 1 month from grain to glass.

I personally would not nix the dry hop - I loved the aroma (as did most of the testers). However, if you were to sample them side by side, you would definitely notice a hop aroma on mine and not much if any on the real deal. I only mentioned that bit about the dry hops for those folks that want it absolutely spot on with the original.

I will definitely brew this one again - the keg was kicked way too quickly. Very drinkable and hard to believe it was about 8%.

Brewed this again last June and it did not end as dry this time. I hit about 1.018. It was really good. Again, this is close to the real deal, but better IMO. Just change up the yeast and no dry hop and it would be a dead match.