Sam Adams Light clone?
- Thread starter g1976b
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
The problem with light beer is that it is very difficult to do with extract. The fermentability of wort can be controlled when doing all grain brewing through controlling the mash temperatures, when you work with extract you are stuck with the fermentability they give you in the can or bag.
That being said some people have had success (Myself included) making light beer by throwin crushed up beano tablets in the beer as it ferments. Beano contains an enzyme that breaks down the complex carbohydrtes into fermentable sugars, however there are some drawbacks as you can't stop the enzymes once they have begun working leaving a very dry watery beer.
If you wnt to take this option just brew a standard sam adams clone, the recipe is available in the clonebrews book and online, then add beano during fermentation.
That being said some people have had success (Myself included) making light beer by throwin crushed up beano tablets in the beer as it ferments. Beano contains an enzyme that breaks down the complex carbohydrtes into fermentable sugars, however there are some drawbacks as you can't stop the enzymes once they have begun working leaving a very dry watery beer.
If you wnt to take this option just brew a standard sam adams clone, the recipe is available in the clonebrews book and online, then add beano during fermentation.
This might be a good place to start:
5.00 lb Light DME (8.0 SRM)
10 oz Caramel Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM)
1.25 oz Hallertauer Mittelfrueh (4.00%) (60 min)
1.50 oz Hallertauer Mittelfrueh (4.00%) (0 min)
Wyeast 2206 Bavarian Lager Yeast
OG Est 1.044
FG Est 1.011
SRM Est 8.7
ABV Est 4.37
IBUs 20.5
[Edit: I'm by no means a pro at this, so collect more opinions!]
5.00 lb Light DME (8.0 SRM)
10 oz Caramel Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM)
1.25 oz Hallertauer Mittelfrueh (4.00%) (60 min)
1.50 oz Hallertauer Mittelfrueh (4.00%) (0 min)
Wyeast 2206 Bavarian Lager Yeast
OG Est 1.044
FG Est 1.011
SRM Est 8.7
ABV Est 4.37
IBUs 20.5
[Edit: I'm by no means a pro at this, so collect more opinions!]
I am thinking way ahead of a summer brew next year and would like this around. I found this quote on sam adams website regarding ingredients:
Sam Adams brewers create the light beer using only the four classic ingredients of beer: water, yeast, hops and malt. The Spalt Spalter hops used in this brew are among the worlds most expensive and are grown only in the Spalt region of Germany. The brewers of Sam Adams Light use only two-row malt and 100% Noble hops in the recipe. Sam Adams Light uses no adjuncts, is 4% alcohol by volume and has less than 124 calories.
Does this give any better indication on what to use for this AG recipe.
2 row, would that be a light US pale 2 row?
Spalt Spalter hops or noble hops?
Sam Adams brewers create the light beer using only the four classic ingredients of beer: water, yeast, hops and malt. The Spalt Spalter hops used in this brew are among the worlds most expensive and are grown only in the Spalt region of Germany. The brewers of Sam Adams Light use only two-row malt and 100% Noble hops in the recipe. Sam Adams Light uses no adjuncts, is 4% alcohol by volume and has less than 124 calories.
Does this give any better indication on what to use for this AG recipe.
2 row, would that be a light US pale 2 row?
Spalt Spalter hops or noble hops?
More information on the Sam Adams site.
"Sam Adams Light® is brewed using only two row malted barley and the German Noble Hop Spalt-Spalter. Not cutting corners during the brewing process is key to the palate appeal of Sam Adams Light®. A decoction mash as well as a secondary fermentation add time but also flavor."
9 platos for OG or 1.036
119 calories per 12 oz
4.05 ABV, should have a FG of 1.005 to achieve this
2 row pale and Carmel 60 for grains
spalter noble hops
bottom fermenting lager yeast
I tried playing with this info in beersmith and I can get the OG gravity close, but the FG is off (1.008 gives a 3.7 ABV) and the calories are 50% more.
Anyone tried this out?
"Sam Adams Light® is brewed using only two row malted barley and the German Noble Hop Spalt-Spalter. Not cutting corners during the brewing process is key to the palate appeal of Sam Adams Light®. A decoction mash as well as a secondary fermentation add time but also flavor."
9 platos for OG or 1.036
119 calories per 12 oz
4.05 ABV, should have a FG of 1.005 to achieve this
2 row pale and Carmel 60 for grains
spalter noble hops
bottom fermenting lager yeast
I tried playing with this info in beersmith and I can get the OG gravity close, but the FG is off (1.008 gives a 3.7 ABV) and the calories are 50% more.
Anyone tried this out?
If you want to make the clone as close as possible try contacting Sam Adams. I read a clone of Boston larger and they received all their grains from Sam Adams directly. The only thing with this is they don't give you the amounts exactly, eg they will send you xx lb/oz of everything, and they don't give you the yeast. You need to make the recipe yourself but it takes alot of work out of the beer
