Sierra Nevada Pale Ale clone

[CascadesBrewer]

I am just getting into water chemistry myself. I don't think water profile/additions are needed to make a very good pale ale, but they might be needed to make a true clone of SNPA. In a semi-blind taste test it was the "slickness" of the SNPA that stood out the most...but I am not exactly sure where that comes from.

 

[bierhaus15]

Here's some SNPA info, if looking to emulate their water chem; mash and kettle addition targets are around 100 ppm Ca, 175-240 ppm S04, 40 ppm Cl. Mash pH 5.30. Base brewing water is around 40 ALK, acidified to 5.35 pH, -6 RA. They only use CaCl2 and CaS04.

I've used this info in the past to brew SNPA clones and it's spot on.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

This is an interesting thread given that I just brewed the Resilience kit. It, like the recipes here, call for a fair amount of medium crystal (40-60L). I did not like the resilience cans I bought and don't enjoy SNPA the way I used to, so I altered my kit to drop the IBUs by moving the hop additions to late boil and WP. I also upped the DH additions too.


I still don't care for the beer and I think the crystal is the reason. To me it has a noticable roasty aspect that detracts from the beer (IMO of course).

I may try one of these recipes but either drop the crystal completely or use 10L.

 

[CentralCoastBrewer]

Hey folks. Just thought I would pop in. If you want to be authentic, SNPA is NOT dry hopped. It is all flameout. I have a bit of knowledge on the issue.....

CentralCoastBrewer

 

[CentralCoastBrewer]

A friend tipped me to this thread. I'll go through it and help where I can.....

CentralCoastBrewer

 

[CentralCoastBrewer]

Here's some SNPA info, if looking to emulate their water chem; mash and kettle addition targets are around 100 ppm Ca, 175-240 ppm S04, 40 ppm Cl. Mash pH 5.30. Base brewing water is around 40 ALK, acidified to 5.35 pH, -6 RA. They only use CaCl2 and CaS04.

I've used this info in the past to brew SNPA clones and it's spot on.

That is pretty close. I would up the Ca a bit, I can't say how much.

CentralCoastBrewer

 

[Gravity]

That is pretty close. I would up the Ca a bit, I can't say how much.

CentralCoastBrewer

what a tease - spill the beans..haha...in this case spill the Ca
What about the rest of the recipes new vs old how close are they?

 

[CentralCoastBrewer]

NDA says I can't be specific. Sorry.

I'll finish going through the thread today.

CentralCoastBrewer

 

[CascadesBrewer]

A friend tipped me to this thread. I'll go through it and help where I can.....

Does SN do 90 minute boils for their commercial beers? That is what they have in all their homebrew versions. Do you know what the impact would be for use homebrewers that mostly do 60 minute boils for a SNPA clone?

I assume the recipe listed on the SN website for SNPA is fairly accurate. Yeah, it has 2 oz at flameout and zero dry hops. I have found that with my fairly slow and inconsistent chilling process, that I get inconsistent results from flameout hops (esp for aroma). Do you know how fast a beer like SNPA is chilled after the flameout hops are added?

 

[CentralCoastBrewer]

It takes roughly 10-15 minutes for the kettle to completely drain through the heat exchanger into whirlpool. Remember also that SNPA is all whole cone hops.

Specific boil times are proprietary, I would go with the website.

Full disclosure: I do not brew for SNBCo anymore, I was a production brewer there for almost 3 years. I was with the company for 8.

CCBrewer

 

[Gravity]

It takes roughly 10-15 minutes for the kettle to completely drain through the heat exchanger into whirlpool. Remember also that SNPA is all whole cone hops.

Specific boil times are proprietary, I would go with the website.

Full disclosure: I do not brew for SNBCo anymore, I was a production brewer there for almost 3 years. I was with the company for 8.

CCBrewer

All good - keep dropping knowledge

 

[Leapsandbounds]

My beer isn’t nearly as clear but the color appears to be similar. I think the taste is close but I’m going to try a triangle test later to confirm. My clone is on the right.

 

[Leapsandbounds]

Alright, I did a triangle test and the difference is apparent. Firstly, I dry hopped and the difference in Hop aroma instantly gave it away. Secondly, my beer is noticeably more bitter. All-in-all they are pretty different.

 

[rtstrider]

Here to resurrect an old-ish thread. This is my next brew so I'm doing some research. I've already built out the recipe and put in the grain order. Here's what I've come up with

Boil Time: 90 min
Batch Size: 5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 6 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.045
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)
STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.054
Final Gravity: 1.012
ABV (standard): 5.63%
IBU (tinseth): 37.87
SRM (morey): 9.76

FERMENTABLES:
9.6 lb - Pale 2-Row (90.6%)
1 lb - Caramel / Crystal 60L (9.4%)
HOPS:
0.4 oz - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 90 min, IBU: 11.86
0.4 oz - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 11.09
0.7 oz - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 30 min, IBU: 14.92
2.5 oz - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 0 min
MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Temperature, Temp: 150 F, Time: 60 min, Amount: 5 gal
YEAST:
White Labs - California Ale Yeast WLP001

Now the reason the mash temp was brought down to 150F, from 155F as stated on the site, is to get close to the actual plato/gravity numbers on the SN site. Per their site the og should be 13.1 plato (1.053) and fg should be 2.8 plato (1.011). Now the other thing I looked at along side the gravity's were the calories per 12 oz serving. Per the SN site theirs is 175 and my clone is 177 so it's pretty darn close calorie wise. I looked through the thread and the recipe on the site. It looks like there are additions at 90, 60, 30, and flameout with NO dry hop. With that information I figured it'd be good to load up on the flameout addition with 2.5 oz Cascade plus whatever Cascade is left in my deep freezer (somewhere in the .1 oz to .25 oz range). Figure this would be good with a pitch of wlp001 fermented around 64F. Now for the water additions I'm not too sure of as I just fly by the seat of my pants on brew day via the brewers friend water calc lol. Anywho mind taking a look at what I've got (especially CentralCoastBrewer) and seeing what you think? I only have 4.25 oz of Cascade hops so I can only use that much tops.

 

[Brooothru]

It looks really good and is about as close as you can get to the original. I've done a recipe almost identical to yours and it came out great. SNPA may be a little long in the tooth for today's young NEIPA whippersnappers, but it's one of the most solid recipes and has surely stood the test of time.

The last time I brewed this clone I subbed the 90 min. bittering with Perle (which has Cascade as the 'mother') and used cryo cascade for the hop stand. Also subbed 40L for the 60L since I wanted it a little paler. Came out very good.

That said, your recipe looks spot on with the 150F mash. Should make a really close match with the original.

Brooo Brother

 

[rtstrider]

Just finished up this brew day. Played with using fwh instead of a 90 minute addition. Also ended up using 2.7 oz of Cascade at flameout since I had some leftover from a previous brew. Here's to hoping his turns out good!

 

[Brooothru]

Go 'Noles!!!!

Thinkin' like I ought to put this brew in the "on deck" position in the lineup. Sure is a good one to have for the tailgate at Doak Campbell Stadium on a sunny autumn afternoon, if only Taggert can pull off a good season after the disaster Jimbo left him.

Let me know how it comes out, though I'm sure it'll be great.

Brooo Brother

 

[brewbama]

I’ve been brewing a series of Pale Ales over the Summer using Magnum as the bittering charge at 60 and a different single variety at 30 and 10. I use base malt to get my OG (lately it’s been Full Pint Brewer’s Malt) and half a pound of Simpson’s Med Crystal. I’ve been getting consistent results and finding the different character hops to be an eye opener. I may try a flame out addition just to enhance the character a bit more.

 

[rtstrider]

Go 'Noles!!!!

Thinkin' like I ought to put this brew in the "on deck" position in the lineup. Sure is a good one to have for the tailgate at Doak Campbell Stadium on a sunny autumn afternoon, if only Taggert can pull off a good season after the disaster Jimbo left him.

Let me know how it comes out, though I'm sure it'll be great.

Brooo Brother

Go Noles! Yeah I have a feeling this is going to be an 7-8 win at best season. Anywho got a few more brews lined up after this! The hardest part is the wait

 

[rtstrider]

Just sampled and have to say.....NAILED IT! Now I did build up a water profile with ro water nailing the John Palmer recommended RA and such. I can post that if y'all want but 7 days in this puppy is cold crashing. Ended up getting down to 1.010 fg. Yeast is done cleaning up so down to 30f it goes till Friday (bottling day)

 

[Bigdaddyale]

Just sampled and have to say.....NAILED IT! Now I did build up a water profile with ro water nailing the John Palmer recommended RA and such. I can post that if y'all want but 7 days in this puppy is cold crashing. Ended up getting down to 1.010 fg. Yeast is done cleaning up so down to 30f it goes till Friday (bottling day)

please post the water profile

 

[rtstrider]

please post the water profile

Here's what I used that netted an ra of -5. Mind you I only used RO water

6.5 grams Gypsum
1 grams Epsom Salt
1 grams Calcium Chloride
3.5 grams Chalk

RA -5

Will be running this by a bjcp judge or two when it's carb'd up to get their take. I'm extremely picky on my brewed though and can tell you this is it!

 

[CascadesBrewer]

3.5 grams Chalk

This addition seems a bit odd. I don't use RO. I plugged your grain bill into Bru'n Water with RO water. Without the Chalk it predicts a pretty reasonable pH of 5.44. With the Chalk addition it pushes the pH too high, up to 5.98. Do you measure the pH of your beers?

I am not positive which Palmer profile you were aiming for, but I would think you would want more Sulfate than your additions (I calc 140). I feel like SN Pale is high in Chloride as well based based on tasting it.

 

[rtstrider]

This addition seems a bit odd. I don't use RO. I plugged your grain bill into Bru'n Water with RO water. Without the Chalk it predicts a pretty reasonable pH of 5.44. With the Chalk addition it pushes the pH too high, up to 5.98. Do you measure the pH of your beers?

I am not positive which Palmer profile you were aiming for, but I would think you would want more Sulfate than your additions (I calc 140). I feel like SN Pale is high in Chloride as well based based on tasting it.

No I do not measure pH. Probably should but the chalk was used to level out the caco2 ratio in brewers friend water calculator. If said the mash ph was fine and I don't add the mineral additions until the boil. I mash with grains/water only

 

[Bigdaddyale]

What is the water profile for SNPA?

 

[CascadesBrewer]

What is the water profile for SNPA?

Some prior info in this thread...

Here's some SNPA info, if looking to emulate their water chem; mash and kettle addition targets are around 100 ppm Ca, 175-240 ppm S04, 40 ppm Cl. Mash pH 5.30. Base brewing water is around 40 ALK, acidified to 5.35 pH, -6 RA. They only use CaCl2 and CaS04.

That is pretty close. I would up the Ca a bit, I can't say how much.

Personally, I am not quite sure what impact Calcium has on the taste of a beer. Maybe I am wrong thinking that SNPA has a fairly high amount of Chloride.

 

[rtstrider]

Some prior info in this thread...





Personally, I am not quite sure what impact Calcium has on the taste of a beer. Maybe I am wrong thinking that SNPA has a fairly high amount of Chloride.

To be honest I'm not extremely well versed on water profiles as far as what does what and why use what ratio. I tried reading the bruin water spread sheet/info site and found it rather boring/lost interest very quickly. I mean that is pretty in depth on water profiles and more in depth than I ever personally care to go. Reason is we fuss over water profiles so much on the home brew/small batch scale and all of the microbreweries, and distillery, in my area do not dork with the water profiles period. They live by if the water is good to drink then it's good to brew with. The main concern in my neck of the woods is chloramines and they (the brewery I'm very well versed with in the area that has won multiple championships including the Florida Beer Championship) dissipate that via heating the water up in the mash tun to 170F and let it sit 24 hours. The only reason I even dork with water profiles is because straight up RO water is used due to chloramines. Luckily in my area we have what is considered a soft water profile per the brewers and the only concern here is chloramines. I'll be running an uncarbed sample to the head brewers/BJCP judge Friday morning to get their take and then will bring a carb'd sample at a later date. I'll make sure to keep everyone in the loop!

 

[rtstrider]

I will be unable to make it out to the brewery for a few weeks due to a last minute family emergency. I have already spoken with the brewers and should be able to make it out there by the end of the month. Good news is we will be able to make a better judgement on this as the bottles SHOULD be carb'd by then. Anywho I'll make sure to keep everyone in the loop!

 

[Nubiwan]

If you look at SN's website, they moved to all Cascade:

Whole Cone Hops
Cascade 0.5 oz. 90 minutes
Cascade 0.75 oz. 60 minutes
Cascade 2 oz. 30 minutes
Cascade 2 oz. 0 minutes

Anybody brew both versions? The one with Magnum and Perle vs cascade?
If so any thoughts?

I was looking at this. If you plug that hop bill into he brewers friend recipe you get a whopping 58 IBU. Surely that is not correct. Could someone check. AA on the Brewers friend list states 7 for Cascade.