Goose Island Ten Hills

[tagz]

Saw Goose Island's Ten Hills at the store. A fresh seasonal pale ale seemed pretty enticing. Bottled on Nov. 15. Here was the description:

Ten Hills traces its story to Elk Mountain Farms in Idaho, famous for growing hops of exceptional quality and character. With hops from the "first ten hills" grown for Goose Island at Elk Mountain, we crafted a pale ale that delivers both a herbal and citrus hop character. We hope you'll find the intriguing balance of flavors in this beer to be truly unparalleled.

Ended up tasting like caramel tea. Couldn't even finish it. Reminded me of a hoppy pale that had been sitting on the shelf for months. Drain pour. I'm a Goose Island fan, but I always wonder how breweries can make something like this and say, "Yep, that's right where we want it. Send it out!"

 

[Brewskii]

I just had it locally on draft here in WMBG area of VA and it was really good. I brewed a clone that I worked up for it just this past weekend.

According to BA (as I recall) it's only been brewed once so perhaps, it needs a little time? I thought it was as described.... Well balanced between hoppy and floral over a balanced malty base.

 

[Wynne-R]

Good Stuff.

I passed it out at my homebrew club and it was a hit.

Maybe there was something wrong with the six you got.

 

[drives_a_bike]

Hey Brewskii, would you mind sharing that recipe? My wife loves ten hills and asked me to brew a clone. I have an idea on a recipe, but it's really just looking at their website for a list of what they use and taking a guess. If yours turned out well, I'd love to use it.

 

[flars]

The pack you picked up may have succumbed to old age. To my taste buds at three months a pale ale is beginning to decline.

 

[Brewskii]

Hey Brewskii, would you mind sharing that recipe? My wife loves ten hills and asked me to brew a clone. I have an idea on a recipe, but it's really just looking at their website for a list of what they use and taking a guess. If yours turned out well, I'd love to use it.

I'll have to let you know when it's done. Should go on dry hops in a day or two. I did exactly as you described. I'll post the recipe that I made as soon as I get to the computer. Gotta figure the Perle is goin to the buttering and cascade is gonna be the aroma. Saaz is going to be flavor and maybe a little in the aroma position or dry hop.

 

[Brewskii]

Brewskii's 10 Hills;

OG: 1.061
FG: 1.013
ABV: 6.3%
6.0 gal

9# Pale Ale Malt
2# Munich (9 SRM)
1# C20
1# C40
1/2# Munich (5.5 SRM)

Mash @152f
1 oz Perle @ 60min (I believe any good bittering hop will do as long as you shoot for ~42 IBU in this position -I actually used Nugget)

1 oz US Saaz @ 10 min
1oz Cascade @ 0 min

Dry hop for no more than 10 days on 1 oz Cascade and 0.5 oz US Saaz.

Yeast was US 05 with a 1 liter starter (yes, I still do starters with dry yeast)
And water was RO with 10g gypsum, 10g Calcium Chloride, and 5g Epsom salt added to the foundation water.

That's it. My interpretation of their web info and my slant on what works for a Pale Ale. We'll see in a few weeks how I did.

 

[drives_a_bike]

Thank you sir. We both have about the same idea. Im doing a PM and I was a little lighter on the crystal, but all in all pretty close.

I'll let ya know how it turns out

 

[Brewskii]

My color is on the money IMO. It will darken when the yeast drops out

 

[drives_a_bike]

Mine is:

3lbs 2 Row
1lbs Munich
.5lbs 20L
.5lbs 40L
3.15lbs Gold LME
1lbs Gold Light DME

1oz Cascade @60
1oz Perle @15
1oz Saaz @10
1oz Cascade @0

1oz Cascade 7 day dry hop

1.060 og
1.013 fg
6.2%
48 IBU

 

[Brewskii]

Drives_a_bike; have you brewed it yet?

I actually mis-read my initial recipe and did 1.5 oz cascade and 0.75 Saaz on the dry hops.

I can't get 10 hills in my area (once on draft as a special event) but was able to get it in TN recently and I brought a 6-er home. Keeping that for a side-by-side when this is ready.

 

[drives_a_bike]

Haven't brewed it yet. Actually drinking some now and ordering the goods to brew it when I get a chance. I work a lot and brewing has been scarce lately

 

[Brewskii]

Bottled yesterday afternoon. Hops aroma is very nice. Still quite bitter but that should calm with some conditioning. Overall I'm pleased. I'm going to wait until it's carbed before I try a side-by side but if I had to guess I'd say my recipe might be a touch lighter in color, that probably speaks to a shift towards the Crystal 40.
Even with generous percentage of the Munich and crystal ,this beer does not present like a sweet beer. It makes a perfect platform for the floral and spicy hop character.

 

[Brewskii]

Not bad for the first shot. Aroma is dead-on. Mouthfeel is a little lacking on mine as it's not fully carbed yet. I don't think I would change a thing. It's too close to tell. Once it's cleared up and fully conditioned I don't think there will be any noticeable difference.

 

[Brewskii]

As honest as I can be... It's good and very close. The commercial example is slightly crisper and perhaps a little more sulfidic in a good way. My clone has a very slight hint of diacetal in it which contrasts directly with the flavor of the commercial example. Aroma is dead-on other than this.
Color is a half a shade too dark.

To do it again I would shift the crystal 40 to 0.80# and the c20 to 0.80# -reducing the overall percentage of crystal and replace the difference with 2-row.
I used US 05 and I fermented it at 68. I might try to slow it down by taking the main temp down a degree or two and then ramping to mid 70 to act as sort of a D rest after 50-60% attenuation.
All in all I think it's damn close.