Midnight Sun: "M" Recipe Clone... anyone?

Greetings. I'm a little unaware if this is the correct place to launch such a question to the boards here, but I was just wondering if anyone could equip me with a recipe for M, an Imperial Stout from Midnight Sun. (11.6 abv? Damn! ) Any information would be very respected and appreciated.
Mike, the one from the Mad Fermentationalist, maybe you could jump in; have you ever made a recreation/replication for such a beer? I've only gone through a third of your clones so I'm not sure whether or not you're already tackled it before. But if you have yet to replicate, maybe this would be a good project for you to try and achieve?

Thank you. :fro:

Best,

Peets,
junior member.

Bottles of this are pretty much impossible to get so any kind of clone would probably need to be built upon and compared to reviews of the beer found here or here. It is also describe by Midnight Sun as a Belgian-style Barleywine.

Any bottles at this point are a bit over 5 years old (it was bottled on 05/05/05) so looking at the oldest reviews would probably be best to see how the beer was fresh.

Here is a clone I worked up a few years back, but never brewed. The real issue with recipe formulation is that the math 37 P 11.6% ABV suggests that the FG should be around 1.080 (and while I have heard Dark Lord finished around 1.060 a couple years back an FG this high seems pretty unlikely.) I have to assume they meant 27 P (or the typed out label info is off), which would be a much more manageable with an FG ~1.030.

Try shooting the brewery an email, maybe they'll give you a few tips.

I screwed around with the recipe this morning and I'm still not especially happy with it, although the idea of this recipe is just so over the top. Hope this sends you in the right direction, good luck.

Midnight Sun M

Recipe Specifics
----------------
Batch Size (Gal): 5.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 22.50
Anticipated OG: 1.114 (Plato: 26.76)
Anticipated SRM: 42.5
Anticipated IBU: 109.2
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Grain/Sugar
-----------
44.4 10.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row)
22.2 5.00 lbs. German Munich Malt
8.9 2.00 lbs. Smoked(Bamberg)
6.7 1.50 lbs. Candi Sugar Syrup (dark)
6.7 1.50 lbs. Crystal 90L
4.4 1.00 lbs. Special B Malt
4.4 1.00 lbs. Victory Malt
2.2 0.50 lbs. Carafa Special II

Hops
-----
3.00 oz. Magnum (Pellet 14.00% AA) @ 85 min.

Extras
------
2.00 Oz Oak cubes soaked in Bourbon 90 Days

Yeast
-----
530/550/001/002 or 3787/3522/1056/1968 ("Four completely fabulous yeast strains, two of Belgian origin.")

Mash Schedule
-------------
Saccharification Rest Temp : 152 Time: 60

Notes
-----
Bourbon oak

Final Gravity around 1.079 (If 37 P and only 11.6% ABV can be believed)

Commercial Description:
On this 10-year mark, Midnight Sun Brewing Company proudly releases its 1000th batch of beer - a larger-than-life Belgian-style Barley Wine (if such a style exists) simply called M - in commemoration of the enduring spirit that founded and sustains this little brewery in the extreme Northwest. Making M required a massive grain bill - seven seductive malts - boosted by strength-inducing Belgian candi sugar. Once original gravity hit 37 Plato, a frenzied fermentation ensued: four completely fabulous yeast strains, two of Belgian origin, transformed this sweet concoction into all that is beer. But not just any beer. A beer of madcap magnitude - 11.6% ABV. Character and complexity increased exponentially while M meddled and mellowed for several months in all-American bourbon oak barrels. Blending the aged beer before bottling ascertained smoothness. M is mesmerizing, pouring dark and silky. Caramel and spice waft up from the glass; bourbon, molasses, leather and vanilla follow. The first taste proffers tobacco, burnt sugar and raisin with a sublime port-like finish, but bourbon - smooth, sensuous, brooding bourbon - is ever-present. The finish, a bit edgy like an American take on barley wine, provides the necessary leap toward overall balance. M is a precious gift to ourselves as well as you, seekers of beer-that-is-beyond-beer adventures... We are but mere mortals in the presence of M.

Oldsock said:

Here is a clone I worked up a few years back, but never brewed. The real issue with recipe formulation is that the math 37 P 11.6% ABV suggests that the FG should be around 1.080 (and while I have heard Dark Lord finished around 1.060 a couple years back an FG this high seems pretty unlikely.) I have to assume they meant 27 P (or the typed out label info is off), which would be a much more manageable with an FG ~1.030.

Try shooting the brewery an email, maybe they'll give you a few tips.

I screwed around with the recipe this morning and I'm still not especially happy with it, although the idea of this recipe is just so over the top. Hope this sends you in the right direction, good luck.

Midnight Sun M

Recipe Specifics
----------------
Batch Size (Gal): 5.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 22.50
Anticipated OG: 1.114 (Plato: 26.76)
Anticipated SRM: 42.5
Anticipated IBU: 109.2
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Grain/Sugar
-----------
44.4 10.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row)
22.2 5.00 lbs. German Munich Malt
8.9 2.00 lbs. Smoked(Bamberg)
6.7 1.50 lbs. Candi Sugar Syrup (dark)
6.7 1.50 lbs. Crystal 90L
4.4 1.00 lbs. Special B Malt
4.4 1.00 lbs. Victory Malt
2.2 0.50 lbs. Carafa Special II

Hops
-----
3.00 oz. Magnum (Pellet 14.00% AA) @ 85 min.

Extras
------
2.00 Oz Oak cubes soaked in Bourbon 90 Days

Yeast
-----
530/550/001/002 or 3787/3522/1056/1968 ("Four completely fabulous yeast strains, two of Belgian origin.")

Mash Schedule
-------------
Saccharification Rest Temp : 152 Time: 60

Notes
-----
Bourbon oak

Final Gravity around 1.079 (If 37 P and only 11.6% ABV can be believed)

Commercial Description:
On this 10-year mark, Midnight Sun Brewing Company proudly releases its 1000th batch of beer - a larger-than-life Belgian-style Barley Wine (if such a style exists) simply called M - in commemoration of the enduring spirit that founded and sustains this little brewery in the extreme Northwest. Making M required a massive grain bill - seven seductive malts - boosted by strength-inducing Belgian candi sugar. Once original gravity hit 37 Plato, a frenzied fermentation ensued: four completely fabulous yeast strains, two of Belgian origin, transformed this sweet concoction into all that is beer. But not just any beer. A beer of madcap magnitude - 11.6% ABV. Character and complexity increased exponentially while M meddled and mellowed for several months in all-American bourbon oak barrels. Blending the aged beer before bottling ascertained smoothness. M is mesmerizing, pouring dark and silky. Caramel and spice waft up from the glass; bourbon, molasses, leather and vanilla follow. The first taste proffers tobacco, burnt sugar and raisin with a sublime port-like finish, but bourbon - smooth, sensuous, brooding bourbon - is ever-present. The finish, a bit edgy like an American take on barley wine, provides the necessary leap toward overall balance. M is a precious gift to ourselves as well as you, seekers of beer-that-is-beyond-beer adventures... We are but mere mortals in the presence of M.

Click to expand...

That we are, Mike - and thanks for writing that up for us; I enjoyed reading your input very much. I may just have to email the brewery and ask them about it and hope out of the goodness in their hearts they'll get back with me on it. The Livery, I remember, were nothing but happy to help you out on their Trippelbock recipe, which I look forward to trying one-of-these days based on your conclusions, of course.

Holy...****e... four yeasts utilized?? That is heavy duty, for sure. The malt-grain seems easy enough, as do the pelleted hops (Magnum), but all those Wyeast strains may be a little harder to get a hold of... White Labs are more widely available here than Wyeast, but they both make some of the same products for sale. I think I'd use the White Labs' Abbey Ale, and the Wyeast's Belgian Ardennes. Although, I can't possibly pass on the opportunity to use Wyeast's High Trappist Ale! I prefer the regular Trappist Ale yeast for just above-average Stouts and Belgian Specialties.

It is odd, some brewers are more than happy to send out info, some you never hear back from. Maybe the ones who started as homebrewers are the ones who are more helpful to homebrewers. See if you can find a direct email for the brewer and not just an info@ or whatever. That Trippelbock recipe is one of my favorites, Extra Dark Crystal has made its way into a few more of my batches since then as well (might not be a bad addition to this one instead of Special B).

Yeah, four yeasts is pretty crazy. 530/3787 is my favorite (minimal banana). As much as some of the Belgian strains like it warm I'd keep the temeprature under 70, better for keeping the alchol bite in check, and reviews don't make it sound like there was a huge yeast character.

Hey Peets, did Midnight Sun ever get back with you?

I emailed them but haven't received a response yet.

tmains said:

Hey Peets, did Midnight Sun ever get back with you?

I emailed them but haven't received a response yet.

Click to expand...

I emailed them about 2 months back about TREAT and never got a response back from them. Not too sure how helpful they will be, but there is always hope!