Prairie Bomb! Clone

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Hoping someone still keeps an eye on this old thread...

I'm actually looking to do this as a partial mash... (GASP! the Horror!) (I know, but I have my reasons...)

Started a "lab" for experiments recently. I brew 5 gallons at a time of a good beer, split it into a mix of 3-5 separate 1 and 3 gallon carboys, depending on my plans, and then experiment on it with different yeasts and additives. 1 gallon always stays as-is for a good POC, and the other 4 gallons become my Frankenbeers.

In this case, a Russian Imperial Stout is gonna be my base. 3 gallons of it will become either a solid prairie bomb clone or an RIS that tastes a lot like coffee and failure.

Here's the plan...
Steep:
2 lbs CaraMunich III
2 lbs UK Roasted Barley
1 lb Special B
1 lb Chocolate Malt
Boil:
9 lbs Light LME
2 lbs dextrose (don't hate me...it's an underrated staple of brewing)
2 oz of horizon hops go in at 60 min.
1 oz of East Kent Golding at 15 min. and another 1 oz at 10 min.

3 gallons of this will be fermented with 3 proofed US-O5 packets. I've had trouble with smackpacks lately, but I won't name names or point fingers. Good ol' US-05 never seems to fail.

I'm thinking its gonna bubble for 14 or so days. Then rack it to secondary and use the exact same things Ebrews used but in the right amounts (thanks for that all grain recipe!).

I think I have my bases covered. If all goes well this should be about a 12%-12.5% beer that's blacker than my ex-wife's soul. Unlike her, however, I am a bit concerned about the body being thin and not giving enough head.

Thoughts, ideas, and even criticisms of the recipe are welcome. I'll try to remember to let this thread know how it goes...
 
yes, i'll be ordering from nordaggios before i buy the grains. i'm also looking forward to drinking the coffee i won't be using in secondary.
 
Considered pale chocolate and split crystal? I did a very similar recipe without the caramunich and my one complaint was that it lacks complexity. I wonder if it matters with how much stuff you'll throw in the one but the base RIS may be a bit plain.
 
How are you handling the mash? Adding the dark grains to steeping liquor added to boil or just putting all the dark grains into the mash? Didn't see if you'd planned to use any flaked barley. Might consider a blend of base malt English:domestic. I like M.O. For base malt in a stout personally.
DOH! I see you're doing a steep and extract brew. Let us know how this turns out. Hard to get this beer to try a clone.
 
Ebrews said:
Alright guys, here was my first attempt at a Prairie Bomb clone. It's finished aging now and I can say that this is going to be an amazing beer and very close to Prairie Bomb. I will be bottling it this week and preparing it for at least 6 months of aging before I submit it to a competition. Please let me know if you have any questions and I'll be happy to provide you with what I can.


Name: Beanie Bomb!
Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 7.56 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
End of Boil Vol: 6.76 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 5.00 gal


Date: 29 Jul 2014
Brewer: 5 Beanies
Equipment: 15 gal Kettle 10 gal Mash Tun


Ingredients:
1 tbsp - PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Pre-Mash)
1 campden tab (Pre-Mash)
22.1 lbs - Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM)
1.25 lbs - Chocolate (Briess) (350.0 SRM)
1.25 lbs - Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM)
12 oz - Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM)
12 oz - Pale Chocolate (250.0 SRM)
12 oz - Special B Malt (180.0 SRM)
3 oz - Horizon [10.10 %] - Boil 60.0 min
1 tab - Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins)
2 oz - Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min
2 oz - Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 1.0 min
2 vial & 2 Liter starter - California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) ~456 Billion Cells


Mash Profile Total Grain Weight: 26 lbs 13.7 oz
Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Tun Temperature: 100.0 F
Mash PH: 5.20
Mash Water: 30.00 qt of water at 170.0 F (75 Minute mash)
Sparge Water: 3.48 gal Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F


Est Original Gravity: 1.123
Actual Original Gravity 1.093 (Should have mashed longer or in a bigger tun, 10 gal tun didn't cut it for this batch)
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 12.5 %
Actual Alcohol by Vol: 9.6 %
Bitterness: 60.7 IBUs
Calories: 151.6 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 54.8 SRM

Fermented for two weeks at 68 degrees
Racked into big mouth bubbler containing the ingredients below in a cheesecloth bag (Aged for 3 weeks on ingredients)

6oz Cacao Nibs
2 Cups Espresso Beans (Actual bean used in Bomb! is what I used: Espresso Divino - http://nordaggios.com/coffee-shop/blends/espresso-divino)
3 Vanilla Beans (Cut Long ways)
3 Ancho Chili Peppers (Chopped into thirds)

Aged for three weeks and removed cheesecloth bag and ingredients, ready for bottling.

Notes:
Tasted after one week of aging and coffee was overpowering. Tasted again at three weeks, the coffee flavor had died down and the other ingredients were more pronounced, great balance with the coffee.
As it stands right now I'd say it is very close to Prairie Bomb, however bottling, carbing, and aging will change this beer I'm sure. Whatever it turns out to be it is amazing the way it is right now so I have really high hopes.

I'll keep you all in the loop.
Click to expand...

I gave this a shot today with a 1.5 gallon batch size. Got an OG of 1.104 in my stock pot BIAB, so I'm pretty happy. It looks and smells great and hopefully it turns out really well after fermenting!
 
acarter5251 said:
I gave this a shot today with a 1.5 gallon batch size. Got an OG of 1.104 in my stock pot BIAB, so I'm pretty happy. It looks and smells great and hopefully it turns out really well after fermenting!
Click to expand...
keep us updated! i hope you scale back on the coffee, though. the original recipe definitely called for too much. i can't speak to the other adjuncts, though.
 
christobrew said:
keep us updated! i hope you scale back on the coffee, though. the original recipe definitely called for too much. i can't speak to the other adjuncts, though.
Click to expand...


It fermented down to 1.027 after a week. It's sitting on the coffee, nibs, vanilla and peppers now
 
I just bottled mine this weekend after three weeks on coffee, nibs, vanilla and peppers. Tasted a little bit and it was amazing! Can't wait to crack one during the winter
 
Ebrews said:
Name: Beanie Bomb!
Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 7.56 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
End of Boil Vol: 6.76 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 5.00 gal


Date: 29 Jul 2014
Brewer: 5 Beanies
Equipment: 15 gal Kettle 10 gal Mash Tun


Ingredients:
1 tbsp - PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Pre-Mash)
1 campden tab (Pre-Mash)
22.1 lbs - Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM)
1.25 lbs - Chocolate (Briess) (350.0 SRM)
1.25 lbs - Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM)
12 oz - Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM)
12 oz - Pale Chocolate (250.0 SRM)
12 oz - Special B Malt (180.0 SRM)
3 oz - Horizon [10.10 %] - Boil 60.0 min
1 tab - Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins)
2 oz - Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min
2 oz - Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 1.0 min
2 vial & 2 Liter starter - California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) ~456 Billion Cells


Mash Profile Total Grain Weight: 26 lbs 13.7 oz
Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Tun Temperature: 100.0 F
Mash PH: 5.20
Mash Water: 30.00 qt of water at 170.0 F (75 Minute mash)
Sparge Water: 3.48 gal Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F


Est Original Gravity: 1.123
Actual Original Gravity 1.093 (Should have mashed longer or in a bigger tun, 10 gal tun didn't cut it for this batch)
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 12.5 %
Actual Alcohol by Vol: 9.6 %
Bitterness: 60.7 IBUs
Calories: 151.6 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 54.8 SRM

.
Click to expand...

I brewed this Saturday, but I backed off the grain bill to 80%, aiming for a 4 G batch since I only have the 10G cooler mash tun. Then I increased the mash water to 1.25 Q/lb, or 27 Q for the 22 lb mash. For sparge water I also backed off to 80% of what was called for.

I did add 1 lb LME to the boil since I usually get awful conversions on high gravity brews. This is the biggest one I've done yet.

But I must have gotten a pretty good conversion ratio, because I got over 1.11 OG on 4.75 G of final volume (overshot on volume due to the 1.25 Q/lb adjustment I guess?), and there was still nearly a gallon of very dark 2nd runnings from the sparge water that I never added to the boil.
 
Should I be concerned that my gravity is over 1.04 when racking to secondary? Its been 15 days.
 
Just tasted mine after 2 weeks on the coffee/nibs/chili vanilla. Chili is by far the strongest flavor - I only used the 3 dried anchos. And its a bit too spicy at this point. Should I try to pull the chilis out of the carboy early?

How much will the chili flavor moderate after bottling?
 
bbriscoe said:
Just tasted mine after 2 weeks on the coffee/nibs/chili vanilla. Chili is by far the strongest flavor - I only used the 3 dried anchos. And its a bit too spicy at this point. Should I try to pull the chilis out of the carboy early?

How much will the chili flavor moderate after bottling?
Click to expand...


I've found chilies to fade pretty quickly. Beers like this tend to settle into themselves over the course of a few months in my experience. I did a bomb inspired addition and thought I had the chilies spot on at bottling (so a little bit over where we actually wanted) and got about 1/2 our desired chili characteristics at about 4 months of age. If it's too spicy though I'd pull them now.
 
They do fade over time. Mine had moderate chili flavor when I bottled and now it's very subtle
 
Thanks for the recipe, updates, and information. Looking at a 2.5gallon batch this week. Done a few stouts with chilies, just not this one. My challenge is getting past the 10% ABV threshold, but got a plan..
 
Let it age a little and see how it compares to bomb off the shelf that's not super fresh (at least here) and has been exposed to transportation conditions and then retry the taste test. I personally think this is better fresh like an IPA than aged.
 
Glad I ran across this thread. I had Prairie Bomb this Summer while I was in OKC and fell in love with it. Toured the local breweries as well. The tap rooms where fun and as of August 15th they serve and sell the high gravity stuff straight from the breweries. I even shipped a few samples home to myself. This is definitely on for my next brew. I'll brew up 5 gallons and see how it goes.

:ban:
 
PianoMan said:
Yeah, or I can just make 5gal of this again. [emoji6]

Starting to get tired of the $10-12 12oz'ers.
Click to expand...


Totally agree. I was just trying to say that the beer you're buying may not be fresh and if you age yours you may find this clone to be closer than comparing your super fresh brew to the one on a retail shelf.
 
I'm picking up the ingredients for this today and will be brewing it this Sunday. Thanks for posting.

Edit: what is your pre boil gravity reading?

Ebrews said:
Alright guys, here was my first attempt at a Prairie Bomb clone. It's finished aging now and I can say that this is going to be an amazing beer and very close to Prairie Bomb. I will be bottling it this week and preparing it for at least 6 months of aging before I submit it to a competition. Please let me know if you have any questions and I'll be happy to provide you with what I can.


Name: Beanie Bomb!
Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 7.56 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
End of Boil Vol: 6.76 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 5.00 gal


Date: 29 Jul 2014
Brewer: 5 Beanies
Equipment: 15 gal Kettle 10 gal Mash Tun


Ingredients:
1 tbsp - PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Pre-Mash)
1 campden tab (Pre-Mash)
22.1 lbs - Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM)
1.25 lbs - Chocolate (Briess) (350.0 SRM)
1.25 lbs - Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM)
12 oz - Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM)
12 oz - Pale Chocolate (250.0 SRM)
12 oz - Special B Malt (180.0 SRM)
3 oz - Horizon [10.10 %] - Boil 60.0 min
1 tab - Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins)
2 oz - Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min
2 oz - Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 1.0 min
2 vial & 2 Liter starter - California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) ~456 Billion Cells


Mash Profile Total Grain Weight: 26 lbs 13.7 oz
Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Tun Temperature: 100.0 F
Mash PH: 5.20
Mash Water: 30.00 qt of water at 170.0 F (75 Minute mash)
Sparge Water: 3.48 gal Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F


Est Original Gravity: 1.123
Actual Original Gravity 1.093 (Should have mashed longer or in a bigger tun, 10 gal tun didn't cut it for this batch)
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 12.5 %
Actual Alcohol by Vol: 9.6 %
Bitterness: 60.7 IBUs
Calories: 151.6 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 54.8 SRM

Fermented for two weeks at 68 degrees
Racked into big mouth bubbler containing the ingredients below in a cheesecloth bag (Aged for 3 weeks on ingredients)

6oz Cacao Nibs
2 Cups Espresso Beans (Actual bean used in Bomb! is what I used: Espresso Divino - http://nordaggios.com/coffee-shop/blends/espresso-divino)
3 Vanilla Beans (Cut Long ways)
3 Ancho Chili Peppers (Chopped into thirds)

Aged for three weeks and removed cheesecloth bag and ingredients, ready for bottling.

Notes:
Tasted after one week of aging and coffee was overpowering. Tasted again at three weeks, the coffee flavor had died down and the other ingredients were more pronounced, great balance with the coffee.
As it stands right now I'd say it is very close to Prairie Bomb, however bottling, carbing, and aging will change this beer I'm sure. Whatever it turns out to be it is amazing the way it is right now so I have really high hopes.

I'll keep you all in the loop.
Click to expand...
 
skunkfunk said:
Hey as long as I've got another OKC brewer's attention, a couple of questions.

Are you aware of any groups of homebrewers around here? The only person I am at all acquainted with is Gaile at the brew shop, merely because I buy stuff there for that matter.

Does anybody around here do bulk grain buys? Paying 60 bucks a bag sucks.
Click to expand...

The only group I know of in the metro is High Plains Draughters.

Have never heard of anyone putting together a group buy.
 
acarter5251 said:
They do fade over time. Mine had moderate chili flavor when I bottled and now it's very subtle
Click to expand...

Not true in my case. Its been 8 months in bottles and the beer is still way too spicy. Next time I will leave the Anchos in for a day or two only.
 
Just barely finished brewing this. Came out with an OG of 1.110. I'll do an FG in a few months and check back. I think I'm going to scale the chilis and coffee beans back to 1 cup beans and 2 chilis.
 
A little off schedule but I transferred today after about 6 weeks in primary. I used 1 cup Star Bucks Espresso Dark Roast beans, 3 vanilla beans, and 2 ancho chilies. I'll pull the bag of ingredients out in about a month and let it continue to age until about May and check on it.
 
I transferred this to a keg on Monday and started carbonating it. I took a reading with my refractometer and had 1.060. My neighbor told me I should have used the hydrometer but oh well. Is this on par with what other people see or is it off a bit? Last night I had a small sample and it was surprisingly good. I'll let it carbonate till Saturday and have a glass.
 
sillbeer said:
I transferred this to a keg on Monday and started carbonating it. I took a reading with my refractometer and had 1.060. My neighbor told me I should have used the hydrometer but oh well. Is this on par with what other people see or is it off a bit? Last night I had a small sample and it was surprisingly good. I'll let it carbonate till Saturday and have a glass.
Click to expand...


Mine finished down at about 1.027 for the FG
 
Thinking about brewing another batch of this but switching out the adjuncts for something more like hunahpu with a prairie bomb base :ban:
 
I've been drinking mine for a couple days now. I left the ingredients in for two weeks. I will go just over a cup of coffee beans next time, add one more vanilla bean, and maintain the two ancho chilies. I like the taste over all and will be doing this again.
 
I know this is an old thread, but figured I’d resurrect it. I just got all the ingredients for this beer. I’ll be brewing it this coming Monday. I’m excited to see how it turns out. Got the same brand of coffee Prairie uses even. I hoping it’s tasty...even if it’s not an exact clone.

For yeast I’m using the Darkness from Imperial Yeast. A high alcohol tolerance yeast that from the description says it’s good in dark beers.
 
Last edited:
I'm curious to hear your results. I would love to brew this, but would like to see/hear more results on how it turned out.
 
hafmpty said:
I know this is an old thread, but figured I’d resurrect it. I just got all the ingredients for this beer. I’ll be brewing it this coming Monday. I’m excited to see how it turns out. Got the same brand of coffee Prairie uses even. I hoping it’s tasty...even if it’s not an exact clone.

For yeast I’m using the Darkness from Imperial Yeast. A high alcohol tolerance yeast that from the description says it’s good in dark beers.
Click to expand...
Good luck! I will skip the clone process and just go have one at the Prairie tap room:rock:
 

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