Pale Moon Clone?
- Thread starter Mojzis
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
bja
Well-Known Member
Never heard of pale moon. Search for blue moon and you'll fine a recipe from someone who once worked at Coors.
35se
Well-Known Member
I just had Blue moon's pale ale today too. It was actually really good and I wouldnt mind making a batch of it if you or anyone else has found a recipe?
OP
OP
Mojzis
Well-Known Member
I am also interested still. Here's what the website says Pale, Imported Caramel, Imported Light Caramel, White Wheat malts, cascade hops, orange peel and hibiscus. 22 ibu's and 5.4%.
I imagine that's enough there to get in the ball park.
Btw here's the link http://www.bluemoonbrewingcompany.com/OurBeers/Product/belgian-style-pale-ale.
I imagine that's enough there to get in the ball park.
Btw here's the link http://www.bluemoonbrewingcompany.com/OurBeers/Product/belgian-style-pale-ale.
shadows69
Well-Known Member
Ingredients and Profile
Malts: Pale, Imported Caramel, Imported Light Caramel, White Wheat
Hops: Cascade
Our Twist: Orange Peel , Hibiscus
IBUs: 22
Original Gravity: 13º Plato
ABV: 5.4%
Looks easy enough to create and come close anyway.
Appearance
The beer will have a brilliant amber color with a thick, creamy, white head.
Aroma
Notes of caramel malt and citrus with an assertive Cascade hop aroma.
Taste
Caramel maltiness balanced with a hint of bitterness.
Mouthfeel
Medium body with a smooth malt character.
Finish
A hint of hops with a slight citrus/floral taste from the orange peel and hibiscus.
Malts: Pale, Imported Caramel, Imported Light Caramel, White Wheat
Hops: Cascade
Our Twist: Orange Peel , Hibiscus
IBUs: 22
Original Gravity: 13º Plato
ABV: 5.4%
Looks easy enough to create and come close anyway.
Appearance
The beer will have a brilliant amber color with a thick, creamy, white head.
Aroma
Notes of caramel malt and citrus with an assertive Cascade hop aroma.
Taste
Caramel maltiness balanced with a hint of bitterness.
Mouthfeel
Medium body with a smooth malt character.
Finish
A hint of hops with a slight citrus/floral taste from the orange peel and hibiscus.
35se
Well-Known Member
yeah you are prolly right. But I am a noob still so maybe a bit more difficult for me to do it then say someone with more knowledge. lol
OP
OP
Mojzis
Well-Known Member
Made a recipe based on this. Cooking right now. I couldn't find hibiscus so I think i'm going to throw grains of paradise in along with a few grams of coriander I had left over. I'm also upping the hops and dry hopping a little. Aiming for about 25 IBU's and using whole fresh cascade. Idk how it will turn out, no idea what kind of acids are in the hops.
Belgian ale for yeast.
Belgian ale for yeast.
shadows69
Well-Known Member
How's this for a starting point? I never had Pale Moon so this is just a guess.
Pale Moon - Belgian Pale Ale (16B)Brewer Shadows69
Date 09/09/2012
Batch Size 7.000 gal Boil Size 7.724 gal
Boil Time 60.000 min Efficiency 75%
OG 1.055 FG 1.013
ABV 5.5% Bitterness 21.5 IBU (Tinseth)
Color 5.2 srm (Morey) Calories (per 12 oz.) 182
Fermentables
Total grain: 13.937 lbName Type Amount Mashed Late Yield Color
Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel Grain 9.000 lb Yes No 80% 3.0 srm
Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L Grain 6.000 oz Yes No 75% 10.0 srm
Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L Grain 1.000 oz Yes No 74% 60.0 srm
Wheat Malt, Bel Grain 4.500 lb Yes No 81% 2.0 srm
Orange Peel .50oz 10Mins (Can sub orange peals from fresh oranges or sold at your local brew store (dried))
Hibiscus .35oz (Found at your local brew store, also found in bagged teas at your local store)
Hops
Name Alpha Amount Use Time Form IBU
Cascade 6% 1.000 oz Boil 60.000 min Pellet 14.3
Cascade 6% 1.000 oz Boil 15.000 min Pellet 7.1
Yeast
Name Type Form Amount Stage
WLP400 - Belgian Wit Ale Yeast Wheat Liquid 2.367 tbsp Primary
Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body (154-156 degrees), Batch Sparge
Pale Moon - Belgian Pale Ale (16B)Brewer Shadows69
Date 09/09/2012
Batch Size 7.000 gal Boil Size 7.724 gal
Boil Time 60.000 min Efficiency 75%
OG 1.055 FG 1.013
ABV 5.5% Bitterness 21.5 IBU (Tinseth)
Color 5.2 srm (Morey) Calories (per 12 oz.) 182
Fermentables
Total grain: 13.937 lbName Type Amount Mashed Late Yield Color
Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel Grain 9.000 lb Yes No 80% 3.0 srm
Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L Grain 6.000 oz Yes No 75% 10.0 srm
Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L Grain 1.000 oz Yes No 74% 60.0 srm
Wheat Malt, Bel Grain 4.500 lb Yes No 81% 2.0 srm
Orange Peel .50oz 10Mins (Can sub orange peals from fresh oranges or sold at your local brew store (dried))
Hibiscus .35oz (Found at your local brew store, also found in bagged teas at your local store)
Hops
Name Alpha Amount Use Time Form IBU
Cascade 6% 1.000 oz Boil 60.000 min Pellet 14.3
Cascade 6% 1.000 oz Boil 15.000 min Pellet 7.1
Yeast
Name Type Form Amount Stage
WLP400 - Belgian Wit Ale Yeast Wheat Liquid 2.367 tbsp Primary
Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body (154-156 degrees), Batch Sparge
35se
Well-Known Member
cool. i will try and convert that to an 5 gallon extract/partial mash recipe. thanks for the help!
OP
OP
Mojzis
Well-Known Member
Here is what I made yesterday, I excluded hibiscus as I couldn't find it. Instead I used typical Belgian pale ale spices:
OG: 1.049
IBU: 26.7
Color: 10.4
ABV: 5.4%
Pale Malt, 2-row US: 6 lb, 4 oz
Caramel Crystal 60L: 1 lb, 5 oz
White Wheat Malt: 1lb, 1 oz
Caramel Crystal 10L: 12.5 oz
1.3 oz cascade @ 60
0.52 oz cascade @ 15
0.75 oz in secondary (idk about this one)
0.75 oz bitter orange peel @ 5
2.0 g seeds of paradise @ 5
0.25 oz sweet orange peel @ 5
7 g corrainder @ 5 (all I had left, you could use more)
WLP 550, Belgian Ale yeast. Fermenting at 64, although 68 would be better.
OG: 1.049
IBU: 26.7
Color: 10.4
ABV: 5.4%
Pale Malt, 2-row US: 6 lb, 4 oz
Caramel Crystal 60L: 1 lb, 5 oz
White Wheat Malt: 1lb, 1 oz
Caramel Crystal 10L: 12.5 oz
1.3 oz cascade @ 60
0.52 oz cascade @ 15
0.75 oz in secondary (idk about this one)
0.75 oz bitter orange peel @ 5
2.0 g seeds of paradise @ 5
0.25 oz sweet orange peel @ 5
7 g corrainder @ 5 (all I had left, you could use more)
WLP 550, Belgian Ale yeast. Fermenting at 64, although 68 would be better.
OP
OP
Mojzis
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't use wlp400, pale moon isn't a white beer and definitely lacks the yeast characteristics that 400 brings to the table. I like the hop additions though, I should have done that instead of what I did.
shadows69
Well-Known Member
Is pale moon dark in color? I threw wlp 400 in there because its the yeast I prefer. Like I said it was a shot in the dark, I never had it or even seen it. We need a pic of this beer in a glass to compare and see what it looks like. Ex. Cloudy or clear?
OP
OP
Mojzis
Well-Known Member
Its pretty dark, deep amber. Not cloudy (why I used around 10% white wheat) and added a bit more caramel/crystal.
Not my picture, but it does it justice. It's more clear normally, looks like there's some condensation on the glass.
shadows69
Well-Known Member
Maybe were both wrong on the yeast then. Clear I would guess an American ale yeast like wlp 001, 1056? Maybe even the same yeast they use in blue moon?
shadows69 said:
Yeah, it's a Belgian style but not a Belgian.. they use a clean neutral yeast in blue moon and shock top.. I use S-05 in mine..
OP
OP
Mojzis
Well-Known Member
Well that sucks. Well the Belgian yeast may make the recipe better at least.
shadows69
Well-Known Member
Well I agree it may come out better. Keep us updated so we can tweak it then post the final in the recipe section. 
Agree. It will be better and more to style but not blue moon.. some BMC drinkers that like blue moon might get turned off but who cares right! We brew what we like 
shadows69
Well-Known Member
Well said!
Did you use wirlfloc or moss in the boil? Just looks like coagulated proteins. How thick is your Krausen after 3 days?
shadows69
Well-Known Member
Does look strange but it should be fine. I would just let it ride for two weeks then take a look.
OP
OP
Mojzis
Well-Known Member
Yeah used moss. Maybe I just never noticed this before. Its about an inch thick. Fermenting pretty slow, but I am at 64, the strain works best between 68 and 78. So i'm guessing its just slow, I don't want to ramp it up in there because I have an Oktoberfest ale just starting out. Maybe when things slow down for the Oktoberfest i'll ramp it up a little to get good attenuation in the Belgian.
Yeah, looked really clear for a wit and bet it's just all the break material that sunk and huddled up together..
OP
OP
Mojzis
Well-Known Member
Took a reading today, 1.012 from 1.049 in 9 days, not too shabby since i started out at 64. Raised it 1 degree at a time until I got to 68. Tasted the hydro sample and it tastes nothing like pale moon lol the yeast character is completely different. That being said it was damn good. I may have found my new favorite Belgian yeast. I couldn't tell if the hops were present in the aroma and taste, but I did just finish an ipa so I bet that's distracting my taste. The color seems close, but it seems to have a more orange glow than pale moon.
I think i'll bottle this weekend and i'll have a better report after then.
I think i'll bottle this weekend and i'll have a better report after then.
shadows69
Well-Known Member
I had a bottle of this. Reminds me of an ipa. I can't say nothing stood out taste wise. It's not bad but over all its an average beer.
shadows69
Well-Known Member
Ever consider cream of 3 crops? That covers all kinds of drinkers and it tastes really good.
OP
OP
Mojzis
Well-Known Member
So it's been 3 weeks, and I must say I don't like it. Not much like pale moon, but this is likely my own fault. The body is too thick and sweet (finished at 1.012). I should have warmed it up to ~72 for a few days, or mashed lower. Also the hops I used were picked with unknown AA content, and it tastes too sweet so I assume not enough were used.
If I were to try again to get Pale moon I would use us-05, mash lower and use more hops than I did, or just buy some.
If I were to try again to get Pale moon I would use us-05, mash lower and use more hops than I did, or just buy some.
shadows69
Well-Known Member
I to can not find hibiscus. I'll sub gains of paradise. Yeast will be wlp008 (Sam Adams yeast). Mash between 150 - 152. I 'm going to call it "pale moon in paradise". Hope to brew this Sunday! Will update on progress.
OP
OP
Mojzis
Well-Known Member
Sweet, glad someone else is going to take a stab at it. I finally (incidentally) found hibiscus in a little organic food mart in Genesee PA.
I think the lower mash will help reduce some of the body the crystal brings.
