Widmer Brrr Clone

I don't know how many of y'all have had Widmer's BRRR (winter warmer), but to drink it is to love it. I was looking forward to it for months before it hit the shelves – so much so that I had to brew my own in the meantime. I did some research on the brewery's website, which gave most information needed, but it was incomplete. For instance, they list Simcoe and Cascade hops, plus their “alchemy” blend. Through research right here on the forum I found this solution: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/widmer-alchemy-hops-26396/. I based the amounts of grains and hops, as well as the additions, on other red/imperial red ale recipes that I found floating around the web.


In our first brewing of this, we extended the boil to 110 minutes to try to achieve that nice red color. Actual Brrr uses Simcoe, Warrior, and Cascade hops. We had a ****-ton of Nuggets on hand (we had just visited a friend's hop farm in Oregon and he gave us a bunch), so we substituted Nuggets for the Simcoe and Warrior, as they have more or less the same alpha acid rating.
The beer turned out very drinkable, but not quite Brrr. It's lacking that assertive hoppy flavor, and also doesn't have that rich dark red color we were hoping for (as I recall, anyway – it's been awhile since I've had one). Though ProMash said we would come close to the 50 IBUs Widmer's Brrr has, I suspect we should have shot for a higher number. I'm also reckoning our hops substitutions played a part in not achieving the hop flavor of real Brrr (duh). We were spot-on for the target gravity (actually, we got 1.072). I didn't note the yeast we used, but it was either White labs American or California Ale.

I'm posting the recipe here. Hopefully you guys can give me suggestions on things to tweak to get it closer to the real thing next time I make it.


Widmer Brrr Clone

5 gal batch

Malts

13 lb Pale 2-Row
1 lb Munich 2-row
.5 lb Carapils
.25 lb Crystal 10L
.25 lb Crystal 80L
.25 lb Chocolate malt


Hops

.5 oz Nugget (60 min)
1 oz Nugget (15 min)
1 oz Cascade (15 min)
1 oz Nugget (flameout)
1 oz Cascade (flameout)


This was one of our first all-grain-ers, so this recipe is based on an assumed 65% efficiency.
Single-infusion mash at 154F
46.6 IBUs
1.071 SG
17 SRM

I love this beer too, and would love to make something like it. I'll see if I can think of any adjustments.

Hmmm...that recipe looks suspiciously familiar..https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/widmer-brrr-like-hoppy-red-133917/

I'd say you need more crystal. Like at least 15%.

Kilted brewer's thread above has a post with my stab at it. I am still waiting to brew it. I'll get it around to it sometime, but it looks about right to me.

Kilted Brewer said:

Hmmm...that recipe looks suspiciously familiar..https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/widmer-brrr-like-hoppy-red-133917/

Click to expand...

I would guess it's because they used teh same resources: http://www.widmer.com/beer_brrr.aspx. Although the proportions being so close *is* rather uncanny. And man, I thought I was being so creative too!

paint_it_black said:

I would guess it's because they used teh same resources: http://www.widmer.com/beer_brrr.aspx

Click to expand...

I would guess it's more than that...Being that there are no measurements on the Widmer page...

I'm just messing with ya...so no worries. I just went to post my recipe and noticed it was 99% the exact same...It's all good. Also just wanted you to see another thread on the subject.

My recipe actually would have been even more like that other one had I not substituted the Nuggets for the Simcoe and Warrior. Like, exactly the same. Crazy. I ain't no copycat, I swearz!

It's all good bro...that's why we're all here...
I think the key with this one, and something I didn't do, would be to get more of your IBU's from late hop additions. It was a good batch, and something I'll be trying again next year for sure.

That'sss exactly what I was thinking about my batch too.
As for trying next year, I'm think I should do it within the next couple of months. Only thing is there are sooo many other beers I haven't tried to brew yet that are on the docket...

You really need some Simcoe or maybe Amarillo at flameout. I love Nuggett, but it ain't Simcoe.

A couple months back, Rob brought an all-Simcoe IPA to the OBC meeting. Amazing stuff.

I just bought a pack of this for new years as they were out of SN Celebration and the guy recommended I try it. It's nothing like the SN, but hot damn do I like it.

This is by far my favorite winter beer.

Does anyone else know a pretty common beer that uses the Simcoe hops? I want to get an idea of what the flavor profile is and picking up a bottle or getting something on tap could save me some time/money.

I have had this beer and it is very good. I do like Rogue's St. Rogue Red Ale just a little more. Austin homebrew has a clone recipe of the Rogue that I haven't tried yet but am very interested in trying.

I was introduced to Brrr last year at my neighbor's house just before Christmas. She said her husband had gotten a bit experimental and bought this God Awful stuff that he simply couldn't choke down. Since the other BMC options didn't interest me, I said heck let me try it... outstanding! They sent me home with the 4 he had left in the sixer. I savored one a night for the next few days. They went nicely rocking in my chair in front of a hot fire after the kiddos were in bed and the dancing/singing Santa was finally turned off.

Sure hope he gets experimental again this year!