Porch rocker clone

Hey fellow fermenters! I'm working on a recipe for a Sam Adams porch rocker clone which is a Radler style. It's based on a helles beer mixed with lemonade however I know that this is not what Sam did. I believe their recipe is hops, malt, yeast, lemon purée and high fructose corn syrup.

Heres what ive worked out so far for a 5g batch;

1 lbs briess Pilsen DME, 60m
1 oz hallertauer, 60m
4.75 lbs pilsner LME, 15m
1oz hallertauer hersbrucker, 15m

Now I'd rather not add HFCS to my brew so I was thinking of adding 1lbs candi sugar, clear, right at the end of the boil so it will retain some sweetness.

Here's my questions. Would the sweetness retain or would that diminish during the fermentation?

Also how much lemon purée should I use and should I add it after fermentation, at the end of the boil or during the boil?

Thanks! All opinions, advice & recommendation are much appreciated

Nobody has any thoughts on this?

The base recipe looks pretty good to me, should give you a nice easy drinking beer similar to the porch rocker.

To give my opinion on a couple of your questions:

Candi sugar ferments out almost completely and is mostly used to just up the alcohol content, so I think there wouldn't be much sweetness left over from that after fermentation is complete, you'd have to sweeten with a nonfermentable sugar or kill off your yeast and backsweeten the batch when it's done (only if it's being kegged though).

As far as the lemon puree goes, I would imagine you'd get the most potent flavor and aroma if you treated it like a dry-hopping step, adding it either during fermentation or in a secondary. Lemon has a lot of volatiles that boil off pretty quick, but I think it couldn't hurt to add some at the end of the boil also. But as for an actual amount to add, I have absolutely no idea because I've never tried it so I'd hate to just spout out something because it'd be just a random guess on my part.

Maybe that's why they used HFCS? Is that non fermentable? And yeah I was also thinking of mixing it in a little wort right before kegging sort of like priming

They probably use it for the same reason soda companies do, it's cheap. If it is fermentable, it doesn't matter to them because they remove the yeast before bottling so they don't have to worry about any additional sugars being fermented once it's bottled. I've seen old threads around here where people talk about using HFCS and everyone seems to have mixed results with it, some say it ferments just fine, others that it takes a while, and some that it doesn't go at all. I've never had reason to try it, so I can't say from personal experience. You could always add sweetener like splenda or something like I've heard of people doing, or you could get a less attenuative yeast strain that will leave residual sweetness.

Hmm true. I'll try the purée at the end of the boil and see what the taste is like if it's not what I'm after I'll add some at priming stage

So any success with this? This is an excellent summer beer. I would love to get an extract clone of this going so I can have it in a few months!

moscoeb said:

So any success with this? This is an excellent summer beer. I would love to get an extract clone of this going so I can have it in a few months!

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Sort of. I have a decent recipe base. Just gotta figure out the right lemon mixture to add at bottling

mattyb85 said:

Sort of. I have a decent recipe base. Just gotta figure out the right lemon mixture to add at bottling

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What mixtures have you tried and which one is closest? I'll try some experiments soon too if you don't mind sharing.

moscoeb said:

What mixtures have you tried and which one is closest? I'll try some experiments soon too if you don't mind sharing.

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I've tried lemon pie filling in secondary & I've tried lemon in the boil. I think the key is going to be at bottling. My next attempt will be true lemon mixed with the priming sugar solution or more likely making a priming solution of lemon juice. Corn sugar and a little malto dextrine

mattyb85 said:

I've tried lemon pie filling in secondary & I've tried lemon in the boil. I think the key is going to be at bottling. My next attempt will be true lemon mixed with the priming sugar solution or more likely making a priming solution of lemon juice. Corn sugar and a little malto dextrine

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Have you thought of a really sugary sweet lemonade for your priming solution?

I've read about adding one pack of unsweetened lemon koolade packet per gallon to your priming solution. I plan in doing this for a half batch of citra pale ale to be ready to drink by the pool during the summer.

ForrestWoods said:

I've read about adding one pack of unsweetened lemon koolade packet per gallon to your priming solution. I plan in doing this for a half batch of citra pale ale to be ready to drink by the pool during the summer.

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Hmmm, I'll have to take some ideas to the lhbs and pick some brains. I'll keep y'all updated.

Has anyone had any luck with this clone? I had the porch rocker in a sams variety pack and really like it!

pidass said:

Has anyone had any luck with this clone? I had the porch rocker in a sams variety pack and really like it!

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So I've learned that Sam buys a lemon purée that they add in after they filter out their yeast which is how the get the fresh lemon flavor and residual sweetness

What about popping a campden tab into secondary, then racking onto the puree?

Im hoping to get a good clone recipe here

ForrestWoods said:

I've read about adding one pack of unsweetened lemon koolade packet per gallon to your priming solution. I plan in doing this for a half batch of citra pale ale to be ready to drink by the pool during the summer.

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I am not a fan of the beer but when I tasted it, I thought the Lemon flavor was powdered Country Time Lemonade.