Calm Snow session american amber

I was drinking a Snoqualmie PGA the other day and noticed their labels are well suited to homebrewers.

I liked the beer. Easy drinking american amber ale. Playing with my ipod gave me this idea as a clone recipe.

I know the hop bill needs tweaks. For now I just used a pair of hops I know taste good together in AAA's. I'm going to get another bottle and figure out the actual hops by taste. Anyone want to chime in on that?

I think the grains are pretty spot-on...but that might be because the brewery lists them on the label .

Calm Snow A3 (Snoqualmie's PGA Clone)

Batch size 5 gallons
Boil size 5.9 gallons
Boil time 90 minutes
Grain lbs 9.25 pounds
Efficiency 70%
OG 1.047
FG 1.015
ABV 4.2%
IBU 25
SRM 11.2°L
Yeast Wyeast 1968 London ESB Ale

Grains/Extracts/Sugars

6.75 lbs Pale Ale Malt
1.25 lbs Munich
0.50 lbs Aromatic
0.50 lbs Crystal 80L

Mash

Strike: 154°F 3.0 gallons 60 minutes
Sparge 170°F 4.8 gallons @ 181°F

Boil

60 Min- Cascade hops
5.6%, Whole 0.85 ounces

10 Min- Amarillo hops
8%, Whole 1 ounces

00 Min- Cascade hops
5.6%, Whole 0.5 ounces

Thoughts? Comments? Anyone else out there like this brewery too?

Looks good. Why ESB yeast?

Also, I have started using first wort hopping on most of my beers. I'd change the 60 min Cascade addition to 1-1.2 oz FWH (I don't have ready access to my brewing software). FWH makes the bittering smoother IMO.

I want the high floc & clarification that yeast is known for. Plus it's right about the attenuation level I'm looking for.

I was also was thinking of running out to the brewery and getting a nice slurry of what they actually brew with on exchange for a few homebrews

So I have a snoqualmie PGA sitting in front of me right now. It seems like its balanced a shade maltier than I remember...

Sips....

Theres a little american citrus hop in there, but I also get a dull spice and earth flavor...


I'm starting to think centennial or CTZ for bittering, and Willamette at knockout.

as far as flavor goes....maybe EKG? Less floral though...I might just start with more Willamette at 15 min and go from there.

So heres the hopping schedule as it stands
.6 oz Centennial 10 aa 60 min
.75 oz Willamette 5 aa 15 min
.75 oz Willamette 5 aa 0 min
(25 IBU)1

This is harder than I thought

Or I could just ask. thats probably the best idea.

bump

I just brewed the beer today...sort of.

I've been playing off and on with this recipe for a few months now. Kept the grains the same as above but changed out the hops to make the beer more my own.

Went with big charges of late hops, no additions before 20 minutes. Cascade, Willamette and Citra. I'll dry hop with an ounce of citra as well.

25 IBU, got an extra gallon of 1045 wort, very nice. I've pitched some pacman.

I'll update. If this recipe is good it will head into the database.

another bump

Beer is clear in the old primary and has been since day four. Pacman + lowish gravity made for one quick fermentation.