Magic Hat Clone question

I am working on a Magic Hat #9 clone. The recipe I used doesn't have any information regarding expected times, so I was wondering if someone here could provide me a some information. It is an extract brew.

OG 1.056
SG @ 1 month in primary 1.012
Racked to secondary on top of 3lbs of Apricot Puree
after 12 days in secondary, SG is 1.026

My questions are this:
1) Will I get back down to the 1.012 range or will the FG be higher than that?
2) How long should I expect it to be in secondary to obtain FG?

Thanks,
-Matt

Hey Matt, I just did an AG version of M H #9, and it turned out very very well.

I don't know if this will answer your question or not, but this is what I did.

I fermented in a 5 gal keg.

I had an OG of 1.053, After 10 days of primary I had an SG of 1.006,


I left it in the keg and dumped the apricots right in and let it sit for another 16 days.
I then racked to carboy. I could now see all the bottom crud. Cold crash for 2 more days.


Racked very clear beer to new keg! OMG It's just like the real #9.

BTW I never did get an FG when I racked it to the drinking keg. I
FORGOT . LOL

Hope this helps.

I also used White Labs English Ale WLP002
VERY NARROW FERMENTATION Temp range 65-68

Thanks. I'm inclined to just let it sit another week at least and see what happens.

Esmitee said:

Hey Matt, I just did an AG version of M H #9, and it turned out very very well.

I don't know if this will answer your question or not, but this is what I did.

I fermented in a 5 gal keg.

I had an OG of 1.053, After 10 days of primary I had an SG of 1.006,

I left it in the keg and dumped the apricots right in and let it sit for another 16 days.
I then racked to carboy. I could now see all the bottom crud. Cold crash for 2 more days.

Racked very clear beer to new keg! OMG It's just like the real #9.

BTW I never did get an FG when I racked it to the drinking keg. I
FORGOT . LOL

Hope this helps.

I also used White Labs English Ale WLP002
VERY NARROW FERMENTATION Temp range 65-68

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Esmitee, you have recipe for that? I have a buddy who loves #9 and I'd love to brew up a clone for him.

mappler said:

Thanks. I'm inclined to just let it sit another week at least and see what happens.

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Sure thing. It deff won't hurt nothing, Just make it better.

gcdowd said:

Esmitee, you have recipe for that? I have a buddy who loves #9 and I'd love to brew up a clone for him.

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Gcdowd, here is the recipe just the way I got it.
I really don't remember where I got it from, coulda even been here?



Magic Hat #9


It's a Pale Ale, but with Apricot...
Magic Hat #9 is kind of the beer equivalent of a platypus. One one hand you have the characteristics of an American Pale Ale - citrus hops, clean copper(ish) malt profile with a bit of caramel, and a yeast profile that pretty much stays out of the way. On the other hand you have a fruity, refreshing fruit beer taste that, if you didn't know the secret, you might not be able to put your finger on.

From Magic Hat's website : "A sort of dry, crisp, refreshing, not-quite pale ale. #9 is really impossible to describe because there's never been anything else quite like it. Our secret ingredient introduces a most unusual aroma which is balanced with residual sweetness."

The Beer
The goal here is a simple pale ale on the light side of malty with added apricot flavoring. Simple enough.

Magic Hat's site gives us a few good clues: Pale & Crystal malt, Cascade & Columbus hops, 20 IBU, 9 SRM, 4.6 ABV, English Yeast. So, for our recipe, the malt bill will be very simple with a base of American 2 Row and Enough 60 L crystal to get the beer up to 9 SRM. From tasting the beer you know there is definitely some hop aroma so we'll start with a bit of Columbus to get our bittering background and finish nicely at the end of boil with some Cascade.

For our 'secret' fruit flavor, we'll use Oregon Fruit Puree- Apricot. You might have to order or you might get lucky and have some at your local supermarket. You will want the 3 pound can. The beer will need to be racked to another fermenter after fermemtation is complete and the puree can then be added. This should add a bit of fermentable sugars so you'll want to give it another week or so to make sure all activity is complete before packaging.



All Grain Recipe - Magic Hat #9 ::: 1.048/1.015 (6 Gal)
Grain Bill (72% Efficiency assumed)

10 lbs. - American 2-Row Pale Malt
1 lb. - Crystal Malt (60L)
3 lbs. - Oregon Fruit Puree - Apricot

Hop Schedule (20 IBU)

.25 oz. - Columbus [14%] (60 min.)
1 oz. - Cascade [5.5%] (10 min.)
1 oz. - Cascade [5.5%] (3 min.)
Yeast

1L starter of White Labs English Ale Yeast (WLP002)
Mash/Sparge/Boil

Mash at 152° to 154° for 60 min.
Sparge as usual
Cool, Oxygenate, and ferment at 68° (make sure you control your temp!)

BTW, I did NOT use the Oregon Fruit Puree, it was like $16 -19 bucks for the 3 lbs. I used 4 cans of Del Monte apricots 1/2's .
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/sub-fruit-puree-299795/


And I double sparged.

This brew kicks azz, I'm going to make it again. Hope your turns out as good as mine.

Thanks a bunch!

gcdowd said:

Thanks a bunch!

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That's what this site is all about.!

Did you just throw the fruit right in?

gcdowd said:

Did you just throw the fruit right in?

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Oh No I should have said that I pureed the, 1/2's in food processer that I star saned 1st. Then dumped right in. No stir, shaking. Just poured in.

Rock on, thanks!

The original recipe from the podcast discussion with the brewer called for

98 % Marris Otter
2 % Crystal 80

I had a pretty good experience using extract rather than fruit.

torbanac said:

The original recipe from the podcast discussion with the brewer called for

98 % Marris Otter
2 % Crystal 80

I had a pretty good experience using extract rather than fruit.

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You know, The funny thing is, I had bought the extract with the grain order. That was my fall back plan if I couldn't use something other than that Oregon
puree.

Did you add it right before you kegged or bottled it? How many ounces did you use for 5 gal batch?

Thats good info. I have 2 small jars I'd like to use up. Maybe I'll try the extract in another batch of this.

Just an update on the brew. Ended up 19 days total in Secondary. This was due to my availability to rack to a keg, not any real intention to leave it this long. FG was 1.014, which is exactly where I would have liked it to get to. The un-carbonated and warm beer tastes very good. I have kegged it and it is chilling and carbing in the fridge.

Thanks for the assistance with this one.
-Matt

mappler said:

Just an update on the brew. Ended up 19 days total in Secondary. This was due to my availability to rack to a keg, not any real intention to leave it this long. FG was 1.014, which is exactly where I would have liked it to get to. The un-carbonated and warm beer tastes very good. I have kegged it and it is chilling and carbing in the fridge.

Thanks for the assistance with this one.
-Matt

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Ok Matt, so you have a 49 day brew. and you dumped Oregon puree into secondary and dumped primary over it. Where did ya get n how much was the puree? Sat for 19 days here, And now to keg, and tasty too without being cabbed up.

Oh We were close on the OG, and lil father away with you finial FG n mine. But I just primaried in the keg till I cold crashed it back into a carboy for 2 days, Then right in a drinking keg n force carbed....It tastes very very good at this present time.

BTW what type of yeast did you use?

It is a Not quite Pale Ale, It's a fruit beer. LOL It has the soft taste of Apricot, but no where overpowering. I'd call it a session beer for me. Not very heavy, but does fill your mouth as it's going down. Leaves a nice head too!

Let us know after its ready to drinking ablae lol

I bought the puree from my LHBS. I don't recall how much I paid for it, but i do not recall it being a lot of money.

As for yeast, I used the White Labs WLP022 Essex Ale Yeast. I believe it is a seasonal yeast.

I'll give you another report in a week or two when it is carbed up!

-Matt

There is a "Can you brew it" episode on this beer where they will tell you exactly how to clone it. Look on thebrewingnetwork.com under the jamil show

mappler said:

I bought the puree from my LHBS. I don't recall how much I paid for it, but i do not recall it being a lot of money.

As for yeast, I used the White Labs WLP022 Essex Ale Yeast. I believe it is a seasonal yeast.

I'll give you another report in a week or two when it is carbed up!

-Matt

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Matt - did you do an extract or all grain brew? I want to try an extract brew of this. Care to share the recipe if it's extract? Thanks!

I made an extract recipe. I would be happy to share the recipe. I made it using WLP022 Essex Ale Yeast instead of what was called for in the recipe. I primaried for like 30 days or so, and secondaried for 2 weeks with the Apricot Puree. It is kegged and carbing right now. I expect it to be drinkable on Easter.

-Matt

.20 lbs Crystal Malt 60L
0.75 English Wheat Malt

6lbs Dry Light Extract
1 oz Fuggle @ 60min
0.5 oz Tettinanger @ 30min
.25oz Cascade @ 1min

3.3lbs of Apricot Puree

White Labs WLP002

OG Target: 1.057 (mine was 1.056)
FG Target: 1.014

Great thanks! I need to make this one so its ready for summer drinking.

I did a 2.5 gallon BIAB version and used half of the bottle i got from the brewshop when I bottled.

torbanac said:

I did a 2.5 gallon BIAB version and used half of the bottle i got from the brewshop when I bottled.

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Ok . I read ,I think, a full bottle does 5 gal. so your amount makes sense.,

Well, we had to come home from vaca a little early due to a sick child. So, it was time to tap the Magic Hat clone and give it a taste. SWMBO declared it better than Magic Hat. We have to buy a 6-pack to try it side by side, but it is very tasty. I think I will start a second batch ASAP. It is not as sweet as a Magic Hat #9. Very nice beer.
-Matt

I'm really excited to brew my batch today!! I'm doing a 2.5g mash batch...first I"ve done that wasn't all extract. From what I gather I'll keep in the primary for 7-10 days and then trasfer to secondary adding fruit puree for another 2-3 week then bottle?

Good luck with this batch.
You got the idea. I didn't secondary. I waited a lil more than a week. N checked SG, it dropped enough.
I just dumped in the fruit. Waited another week or two, and then cold crashed for two days and racked pretty clear #9 to my keg. If you bottle, you'll have to wait...lol

Good luck.It should be very TASTY!

Why did you choose not to secondary adding on top of the fruit? Is there a danger in adding fruit before the beer is dont fermenting?

cbehr said:

Why did you choose not to secondary adding on top of the fruit? Is there a danger in adding fruit before the beer is dint fermenting?

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I use temp controlled fermentations in a freezer, then use the Ron Popeel method, "SET it, and Forget It!" I'm Lazy LOL I don't even check Og's until 2 weeks. I found most beers are done fermenting by 7 days and another week to clean them self's up PLUS I cold crash for at least 2 days. I get very clear beer to keg. As far as adding the fruit, I guess you could dump it in even after a week with good results. I think some add the fruit to the boil, But understand you won't get as much flavor outa it?

In another 2 days, I'll be racking another batch of #9 into a keg. I did everything the same as last time, soooo it should be just as GOOD!