Who am I kidding? I love to toy around in Beersmith. I wish I could brew all the recipes I draft up in there, but I just can't drink it fast enough. Anyway, here is my attempt at a 'clone'. Please note its untried and untested, so don't bash me if its way off target. This is close to the IBU, SRM, ABV given by GI and I tried to use ingredients that would give the taste descriptors they used (malty, spicy, etc)... So, definitely do let me know if you brew this though:
Recipe: RBBC Quackers Ale
Style: Special/Best/Premium Bitter
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (40.0) Attempt at clone of GI Honkers Ale...
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 6.20 gal
Estimated OG: 1.045 SG (4.3% ABV Commercial - This OG is close)
Estimated Color: 11.9 SRM (14 SRM Commercial)
Estimated IBU: 34.5 IBU (35 IBU Commercial)
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.00 lb Marris Otter (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 68.57 %
2.00 lb Munich Malt - 20L ('Dark') (20.0 SRM) Grain 22.86 %
0.75 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 8.57 %
0.33 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] (60 min) Hops 10.8 IBU
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (60 min) Hops 9.6 IBU
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (25 min) Hops 6.7 IBU
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (15 min) Hops 4.8 IBU
0.25 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (10 min) Hops 1.7 IBU
0.25 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (5 min) Hops 1.0 IBU
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale
Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 8.75 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 10.94 qt of water at 164.8 F 153.0 F
Notes:
------
My stab at Honkers Ale clone. Close on all the standard measures given by
GooseIsland.com (see above). Also, within the style guidelines for a Special
Bitter. Caramel flavors from the 60L, good malt backbone from the Munich 20L
and MO. (Very) evident hop bitterness, flavor, and aroma for a 4.3% ABV beer.
Use primary EKG hops (although I'm not sure what GI uses) as they are typical
in English Bitter and GI describes the beer as slightly 'spicy', also a descriptor
for EKG hops. I haven't brewed this yet, but if you do LET ME KNOW HOW IT TURNS OUT! Even if its not a dead-on clone, it should be a nice English 'Pale Ale'!
To convert to extract, try to find some John Bull Marris Otter LME and Munich or
Amber LME to replace the Munich, steep the Crystal 60L. For mini-mash, just replace the bulk of the MO malt with extract and mash some MO, all the munich, and the Crystal.