Gumballhead Clone - dry hopping question

[Hoppopotomus]

So I'm on batch #4 of extract brewing and this is my first go round with dry hopping. I absolutely love 3 Floyde's Gumballhead, but can't get it in Michigan. My neighbor's brother in law picked him up a couple of cases when he passed through Munster, IN on his way to Chicago. Since I have a hard time getting it, I wanted to make it. OK...on to my question.

The fermentation in the primary was active for 1 solid week. It is now day 12 and the airlock has settled. YES, I know that airlock activity is NOT a good indicator of fermentation completion, so I'll be taking a hydrometer reading in the next day or two. The clone recipe calls for a transfer to a secondary carboy and dry hopping with another ounce of amarillo pellets. Should I wait until FG is acheived before racking to the secondary. Once I transfer, do it just dump the pellets in, pop on the airlock and let it go for another week or two? The recipe was non- specific about length of time. Do I need to do anything to prepare the hops pellets? Maybe a stupid question, but any advice would be great.

I have not racked to a secondary since my first batch, because neither of the next two were particulary big beers and I got a ton of feedback about secondarys during a previous thread. Is it possible to just pop the lid on the primary bucket, take a reading, and drop them in without doing a secondary? Let me know all of your seasoned veterans out there!

 

[Calder]

The clone recipe calls for a transfer to a secondary carboy and dry hopping with another ounce of amarillo pellets. Should I wait until FG is acheived before racking to the secondary.

If you rack to secondary you should ensure you are just about at FG. If you rack early you could be leaving the working yeast behind in the primary and never get it to finish.

Once I transfer, do it just dump the pellets in, pop on the airlock and let it go for another week or two? The recipe was non- specific about length of time. Do I need to do anything to prepare the hops pellets? Maybe a stupid question, but any advice would be great.

No preparation needed. Hops have antiseptic properties, and the alcohol will also protect the beer. I leave pellets in for 2 weeks, gives them time to sink to the bottom. Some people will tell you not to leave them that long, but I've never had a problem. I once left Amarillo pellets in for 4 months and it tasted great.

I have not racked to a secondary since my first batch, because neither of the next two were particulary big beers and I got a ton of feedback about secondarys during a previous thread. Is it possible to just pop the lid on the primary bucket, take a reading, and drop them in without doing a secondary? Let me know all of your seasoned veterans out there!

You can leave it in the Primary if you want. I like to get it off the yeast, and I often harvest the yeast too, so I always rack to secondary for dry hopping.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Thanks for the response, I really appreciate it. I just wanted to confirm a few of these things before I proceeded.

If you rack to secondary you should ensure you are just about at FG. If you rack early you could be leaving the working yeast behind in the primary and never get it to finish.



No preparation needed. Hops have antiseptic properties, and the alcohol will also protect the beer. I leave pellets in for 2 weeks, gives them time to sink to the bottom. Some people will tell you not to leave them that long, but I've never had a problem. I once left Amarillo pellets in for 4 months and it tasted great.



You can leave it in the Primary if you want. I like to get it off the yeast, and I often harvest the yeast too, so I always rack to secondary for dry hopping.

 

[dcp27]

unless you wanna bust your racking cherry, just dry hop in the primary for 5-14 days

 

[AnOldUR]

or if you havde aman ball transfre and use the yeaston your next batch

 

[Hoppopotomus]

I racked my first batch (IPA) to a secondary, because that's what the recipe called for. It was a Brewer's Best kit with instructions that said rack to a secondary after 5 to 6 days of primary fermentation, once it slows down, but BEFORE it reached final gravity. This didn't seem right, so I posted a thread. There seemed to be three camps out there; 1) those that never use a secondary fermentation method; 2) those that always use it; 3) those that only use it with big beers with OG's >1.070. All agreed, however, that it should only be completed after FG was reached.

On the first batch I decided to rack to a secondary once FG was acheived for another 2 weeks, just to go through the process. On the next two batches, an American Brown Ale with an OG of 1.060 and a Wheat Beer with an OG of 1.056, I just left them in the pimary without racking to a secondary. All three turned out great, so I think I will reserve secondary fermentation for bigger beers. I may transfer this one to a secondary and then dry hop, just to go through the process again. I am very meticulous about sanitation, so I don't really fear infection my beer during a secondary transfer.

Thanks for your insight! I'll let everyone know how it goes, because I believe that today may be the day if the hydrometer agrees. :rockin:

unless you wanna bust your racking cherry, just dry hop in the primary for 5-14 days

 

[Hoppopotomus]

FG reached, transfer to secondary and dry hopping complete! Thanks for the advice to all!

 

[RnQBrew]

Is there a link to the recipe? That's one of my favorite beers, too... I'd love to give it a go

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Are you looking for extract or all grain? I did an on-line search and came up with several different variations, with the one constant being amarillo hops. The guy at the HBS was familiar with the beer, so he helped me select the recipe that seemed be closest. Mine was an extract batch, so if that is what you are looking for I will type it up when I get home. Just let me know.

Is there a link to the recipe? That's one of my favorite beers, too... I'd love to give it a go

 

[RnQBrew]

I'd be looking for extract. I'll be starting my third batch this friday, and haven't graduated from the basics just yet.

Excited to hear how everything turns out for you!

 

[Hoppopotomus]

RnQBrew,

I can't find the link for the recipe, so I'll type it up when I get home today. I think it is going to be a good one! Congrats on your third batch, I'm not too far head of you (this is my 4th). I got my hands on three 15.5 gallon stainless kegs a couple of weeks ago through a patient of mine, so I plan on building my all grain HERMS rig this winter after I finish with my basement. If you are interested, I started a thread in the DIY section called "My Basement Bar Build". Check it out when you get a chance. I'll get the recipe to you later today!

I'd be looking for extract. I'll be starting my third batch this friday, and haven't graduated from the basics just yet.

Excited to hear how everything turns out for you!

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Found the Recipe that I used:

I amped it up a little by adding another 1 lb. of Wheat DME to elevate that alcohol content from 5.8 ABV to 6.7 ABV, but here is the recipe as posted.

Gumballhead Extract Recipe

Ingredients:

1 lb. of 2 Row
1 lb. of Torrified Wheat
6 lbs. Wheat DME or 7.2 lbs. Wheat LME
4 oz. Amarillo Gold Hops
White Labs WLP001 California Ale Yeast

Instructions:

Steep cracked grains (2 Row/Torrified Wheat) in a muslin bag from cold to 155 degrees. Hold at 155 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Drain and remove muslin bag.

Bring to a boil. Add DME and 1 oz. of Amarillo Hops. Boil 30 minutes

then... Add 1 oz. Amarillo Hops. Boil for another 25 minutes (1/2 oz. if less hoppy is desired).

then... Add 1 oz. Amarillo Hops. Boil for another 5 minutes (1/2 oz. if less hoppy is desired).

Total Boiling Time = 60 minutes

Cool wort as quickly as possible, whirlpool, and transfer into the primary fermenter leaving the trub behind in the boil kettle.

Add remaining water to bring the volume up to 5 gallons.

Make sure that the temperature of the wort is below 80 degrees, add White Labs WLP001 California Ale Yeast, and aerate the wort.

Ferment at 68 to 70 degrees until fermentation completely ends and FG is acheived. (consistent hydrometer readings 3 days apart)

Re-rack and dry hop with the remaining 1 oz. of Amarillo hops in a secondary for an additional week.

Bottle with 3/4 cup of priming sugar dissolved in 2 cups of sterilized water. Allow 14 to 21 days for bottle conditioning. OR rack to a 5 gallon corney keg, put the CO2 to it and enjoy!

To check the rest of the stats (OG/FG/ABV/IBUs/etc.):

Go to www.tastybrew.com/calculators/recipe.html to adjust the recipe however you seem fit. As indicated, I added another 1 lb. of wheat DME to raise the ABV 1%. I also started with a 3 1/2 gallon starting volume, which slightly elevated the IBU's.

Enjoy! Hope this helps. :rockin::rockin::rockin::rockin::rockin::rockin:

 

[SumnerH]

Gumballhead Extract Recipe

Ingredients:

1 lb. of 2 Row
1 lb. of Torrified Wheat
...
Steep cracked grains (2 Row/Torrified Wheat) in a muslin bag from cold to 155 degrees. Hold at 155 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Drain and remove muslin bag.

Congratulations, you just did a partial mash!

 

[jangelj]

holy crap. I have never heard of this beer, but a hoppy wheat sounds absolutely delicious. Gonna make this sometime (soon).

 

[Hoppopotomus]

I just bottled the batch about an hour ago and of course I had to have an uncarbonated one. It was very good.....I love amarillo hops! It is definitely hoppier than Gumballhead and my tweaks to the recipe made it stronger, but it's great. The recipe I posted was the one I found on the internet. After I made my tweaks it ended up 7.35% ABV (OG 1.069/FG 1.013) and 64 IBU's. I believe the original Gumballhead is quite a bit tamer at 5.5% ABV and 34 IBU's. I think that if you kept the Wheat DME at 6 lbs. and cut back to 1/2 oz. of amarillo with the first two hop additions, it would be close statistically to the beer that Three Floyds produces. What can I say.....I like to amp. things up a little!
:rockin:

 

[RnQBrew]

Wow am I getting excited to try this one. Doesn't sound too complicated at all!
Glad to hear it worked out for you- and as much as I love Gumballhead (it's easily in my top 3 beers) I really like the sound of the changes that you made to it.

I'm starting a batch of a Mulberry Cream Stout this weekend, but this replica is coming next. thanks!

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Wow! The mulberry cream stout sounds great! Shoot me a PM of the recipe, because I have been wanting to make my first stout. I was going to go with either a cappuccino stout or a double chocolate stout, but I think my wife would love the mulberry cream stout. Thanks and good luck!

Wow am I getting excited to try this one. Doesn't sound too complicated at all!
Glad to hear it worked out for you- and as much as I love Gumballhead (it's easily in my top 3 beers) I really like the sound of the changes that you made to it.

I'm starting a batch of a Mulberry Cream Stout this weekend, but this replica is coming next. thanks!

 

[koomber]

Gumball head is the Dog's Dangllies. The only thing I can say about it is however much you think you need to dry hop DRY HOP MORE.

I made this over Christmas and it was my intro beer. No matter what I was drinking, I started the evening off with my clone. Very moreish, although I think if I did it again (which I will. Regret not ordering amarillo in my last HBS order now!) I would have mashed at a lower temperature that I did before. Mine was a bit too chewey. Not bad, but I think it had a bit too much body for this beer (which if memory serves should be light an ALL about the hops)

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Just a quick update on the Gumballhead Clone.....It's kick a$$! Has been bottle conditioning for 2 weeks tomorrow. I had a few over the weekend and it is by far the best batch that I have made so far. I strongly recommend amping it up a bit like I did with an extra lb. of wheat DME and DO NOT hold back on the amarillo hop.

I am never going with a Brewer's Best Kits again! I have had terrible luck with a subtle extract twant using the BB kits for the past two batches. Both contained LME in a can as the primary form of fermentable sugar source. From this point forward, it's only fresh DME, fresh hops out of a cooler (not in a box at room temp. for who knows how long), and I used a Wyeast smack pack instead of the dry yeast packets out of the kits. I was a little discouraged after the last couple of batches from kits, but now that I know that it is possible to make awesome beer from extract, I'm very happy. I asked around on this forum and the concensus was old LME out of an aluminum can as the culprit of the twang.

Prior to trying this batch, I was convinced that the only way I was going to get awesome, clean beer without the twang was by moving to all grain. Now I plan on taking my time and sticking with extracts for a few more batches as I read and learn more about brewing. I bought Dave Millers - Home Brewing Guide, which is waaaaaay more in depth than I thought it was going to be, but very informative. I feel like I'm back in grad. school in an advanced chemistry course in some sections of the book, but I'm learning a lot about all grain brewing from it.

I'm making a Two Hearted clone, a Blood Orange Hefe, and a Dogfish Head Indian Brown clone with extracts before jumping into all grain. Wish me luck. :rockin:

 

[PaleAler84]

Hoppopotomus, did you get a Gumball Head Recipe Kit? Due to your location I'm guessing Adventures in Homebrewing's Gumball Head Clone? I am interested in how that recipes goes, because I want to brew a 3Floyds Clone. Thanks!

 

[Hoppopotomus]

I go to Hopmann's, which is much closer. I found the recipe on the Adventures in Homebrewing website, but I did not buy a kit. I took the recipe, tweaked it a little and then went to Hopmann's and bought everything needed including fresh wheat DME only, amarillo fresh out of the cooler, a fresh Wyeast smack pack, etc. I have had a couple of mediocre experiences with kits due to freshness issues with ingredients and LME out of a can. This batch turned out great...by far the best so far for me. I attribute it to buying everything fresh and avoiding LME out of a can, but that's just me.

Hoppopotomus, did you get a Gumball Head Recipe Kit? Due to your location I'm guessing Adventures in Homebrewing's Gumball Head Clone? I am interested in how that recipes goes, because I want to brew a 3Floyds Clone. Thanks!

 

[PaleAler84]

Thanks so much, the recipe looks good, I'm definitely going to brew this next!

 

[Firebat138]

old thread revisited... Gonna give this one a try also.... looks awesome...

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Good luck. "Indian" Wheats have become a favorite of mine. I have since made multiple versions with different varieties of hops. I love the all Amarillo version, which is true to style with Gumballhead. I also do a cascade/citra combo, which works great as well.....I actually prefer it over the all amarillo version. I also do a version that I call Banzai Wheat that uses cascade and sorachi ace, which has more of a lemony profile. Overly hopped wheat beers are always on tap at my house. Have fun and happy brewing!