Extract Versions of Commercial Beers

Does anybody have experience with extract recipes for versions of commercially brewed beers, such as sold at Austin Homebrew or elsewhere ?

There is a large list of available recipe packages, but I have never tried any of them ?

Austin Homebrew Supply

I've got an AHS Rogue Mocha Porter going on three weeks in primary right now. I altered it some, I added 4oz of unsweetened cocoa for the last 5 minutes of the boil, and I plan to add 16oz of STRONG brewed coffee to the bottling pail. I tasted my hydro sample last week and it was amazing.

AHS Rogue Mocha Porter sounds like it could be very good !!


I am trying to decide between Blue Moon clone or MooseHead lager clone:


Austin Homebrew Supply

Austin Homebrew Supply

Austin Homebrew kits usually get very good reviews.

Regarding your choices, unless you have the ability to ferment very cold (below 50°F), get the Blue Moon kit. Lagers require long, cold fermentation periods.

I think the only AHS commercial clone we've done is the Stella Artrois. We made it for some Stella drinking friends and they all said that it ruined them for real thing because ours was so good. These are not friends that lie to us about the beers we make.

I've made quite a few kits from AHS and never been disappointed!

If Austin Homebrew has a clone of a beer you like, I'd estimate a 95% you'll love the results and a 5% you'll like it. I like buying their kits for beers I can't get locally and when you consider I have over 70 breweries within 50 miles. Jasper Murdock's Whistling Pig Red was great. Admittedly the 'Pig" caught my eye initially, but the keg didn't last very long.

How involved are the AHS extract recipes....

...just liquid extracts or DME?

..boiling hops..yes ?

Yes, they have three different kinds of kits for each recipe. All grain, partial mash, and extract. They come with everything you need, except for a grain bag (I think- double check on the website) for the partial mashes. You'll need to order yeast, too, as one of the options.

The AG kits have the grain you'll need, the PM recipe has the grain and extract, and the extract kit has extract and steeping grains. They require a 60 minute boil, and come with the necessary hops.

I think Forrest (from AHS) said that they have some other kits called "gold" kits which are a little simpler to make. Still, the extract kits in the clone recipe are are not at all difficult, and the instructions are complete and very good. I wouldn't hesitate to try a clone recipe in an extract version for a beginner! (With one caveat- order an ale kit, not a lager kit!)

YooperBrew said:

....I wouldn't hesitate to try a clone recipe in an extract version for a beginner! (With one caveat- order an ale kit, not a lager kit!)

Click to expand...

Thanks for info...I'll try an ale kit first.