Sierra Nevada Pale Ale clone

BrewSwag 728
Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
B

Balloonknot

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2015
Messages
53
Reaction score
10
So I decided to take a crack at making a recipe to clone Sierra Nevada Pale ale, perhaps improve upon it. I used Brewersfriend.com to do the calculations for water, water chemistry, grain bill, hop additions, etc.

I wanted a lighter color beer so I seeked a grain bill that will give me <8.0 SRM, Targeted 7.5 SRM. This ended up working out as a ~91% pale 2-row, 9% Crystal 40-L grain bill.

Hops I took from the Sierra Nevada website as well as the target IBU.
http://www.sierranevada.com/beer/year-round/pale-ale

Sierra Nevada Boils Magnum and Perle hops for 60 minutes. I tweaked this because I wanted to add more Cascade hops at the finishing stage but didnt want to increase my IBUs past 38. I moved Perle to 30 minute boil. The IBU additions are balanced across the boil as best I could (I dont think it matters, but limits my margin of error for accidentally increasing IBUs too much).

Target ABV is 5.60%, I shot for a post boil gravity of 1.053 @70% efficiency. Actually got a 1.051.

For yeast, I got lazy. I just bought dry packs of Safale US-05. Ive never had problems with dry yeast with kits so I was okay with it. Last few batches ive done have been liquid yeast and starters.

I bought a 12 pack of Sierra nevada Pale ale for the parents and parents-in-laws to get an idea of what our goal is and maybe improve upon it. It was educational for them :D. Fermentation is going strong now, and I will be dry hopping with 3 oz of Cascade hops at the secondary stage.

I used Fly-sparging technique and cooled using an immersion wort chiller.

My recipe.
http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/254642/joe-s-sierra-nevada-pale-ale-clone

Here was my setup :)

11666070_10204554522479339_2889258781585827082_n.jpg
 
Sounds like my recipe I use 10 lbs 2 row and 1.25 40L, .5oz magnum at 60, 1 oz perle at 30, 1 oz cascade at 15, 1 oz cascade at flameout, no dry hop. US-05 yeast. Ferment for 3 weeks. Tastes great every time. 5 gallon recipe.
 
This is very close to my recipe. I add a little Carapils to the grain bill, and I often use just Magnum for bittering if I don't have any Perle. US-05 is the perfect yeast for this, IMHO. This makes an outstanding APA. I'll make this same beer over and over again, just changing the flavor, aroma and dry hops. Cascade is wonderful, of course, and so are Citra, Amarillo, Mosaic, Falconer's Flight, Nelson Sauvin... I think that's all I've tried, so far. You're going to like this one.
 
I ended up purchasing another 2 oz of the cascade for dryhopping. 3 oz for 10 gal is alittle low after doing some research.
 
I have done 3 attempts at a Sierra Nevada clone between April and now. First one was spot on OG with around 10lbs of 2 row and 1lb of 40L, the second was low and the third I bumped up the 2row a little to compensate for my efficiency and the OG was much better. I targeted around 1.053 I think hit it spot on the first time and the second was only a 1.046 I think.

The first was really good and its already gone the second just went into bottles a few days ago and the third is 4 days into primary.

I have dubbed my creation "Sierra Not Badda". I think you will enjoy yours. Its fast become my go to brew. Very drinkable.
 
Ive added my hops to the secondary and started the dryhop clock. The primary was surprisingly not done after 7 days and seeing the airlock motionless for a whole day... The yeast was very well in suspension and the krousen was still there maybe an inch thick. Being that the gravity reading I took came out as 1.005-1.006 I assumed it was practically done just strange it was stuck in a suspended state. I moved the beer into my carboys. Dry hopped by adding the pellets to the carboys first and pouring the beer directly on top. did a taste test. Very good so far although a bit yeasty lol.

In the secondary, the airlock started moving again which is good to me, it can push the air out of the carboys. Now Im just waiting for all the yeast to settle out.

11705454_10204573945124893_324003089445701276_o.jpg


11214281_10204573944924888_6123346609123450193_n.jpg


The beers will sit in secondary until Friday. I am on vacation Saturday so I plan to have them in kegs and carbing by then. I may have to go buy a new keg :0 I was relying on the one I gave my dad to come back...

Friday will mark day 14 since yeast was pitched.
 
dmashl said:
Sounds like my recipe I use 10 lbs 2 row and 1.25 40L, .5oz magnum at 60, 1 oz perle at 30, 1 oz cascade at 15, 1 oz cascade at flameout, no dry hop. US-05 yeast. Ferment for 3 weeks. Tastes great every time. 5 gallon recipe.
Click to expand...

I think I'm gonna give this recipe a shot, since I'm in need of an easy to drink, and easy to produce APA. What are your feelings about substituting cluster for perle, since I still have nearly 2lb of cluster on hand?
 
According to Hopunion, Cluster has a Strong Floral and Spicy Characteristics, and Perle has Slightly spicy with floral characteristics. I'd give it a shot.
 
Balloonknot said:
Ive added my hops to the secondary and started the dryhop clock. The primary was surprisingly not done after 7 days and seeing the airlock motionless for a whole day... The yeast was very well in suspension and the krousen was still there maybe an inch thick. Being that the gravity reading I took came out as 1.005-1.006 I assumed it was practically done just strange it was stuck in a suspended state. I moved the beer into my carboys. Dry hopped by adding the pellets to the carboys first and pouring the beer directly on top. did a taste test. Very good so far although a bit yeasty lol.

In the secondary, the airlock started moving again which is good to me, it can push the air out of the carboys. Now Im just waiting for all the yeast to settle out.

11705454_10204573945124893_324003089445701276_o.jpg


11214281_10204573944924888_6123346609123450193_n.jpg


The beers will sit in secondary until Friday. I am on vacation Saturday so I plan to have them in kegs and carbing by then. I may have to go buy a new keg :0 I was relying on the one I gave my dad to come back...

Friday will mark day 14 since yeast was pitched.
Click to expand...

C'mon man, no update? SNPA is one of my favorite APA's. I brewed a clone that the LHBS suggested. It was ok but not close. Way short on the IBU's and the taste was not right.
I have a couple clone SNPA's recipes I am thinking about and this is one. So give updates.
 
Well I gave a 5 gal batch to my dad. He already drank it all lol. It's pretty good. If I had to do it again, I would add the hops at flame out instead of dryhopping. Dryhopping took over all the hop flavor. It's delicious but wasn't actually the goal I was trying to achieve
 
Balloonknot said:
Well I gave a 5 gal batch to my dad. He already drank it all lol. It's pretty good. If I had to do it again, I would add the hops at flame out instead of dryhopping. Dryhopping took over all the hop flavor. It's delicious but wasn't actually the goal I was trying to achieve
Click to expand...

I think I would agree with that, I don't think dry hopping will get you where you were looking to go.
 
dmashl said:
According to Hopunion, Cluster has a Strong Floral and Spicy Characteristics, and Perle has Slightly spicy with floral characteristics. I'd give it a shot.
Click to expand...

Gave this a shot last month with the cluster, and while its hard to put my finger on the exact discrepency, its miles apart from SNPA. Ill have to try this again with the proper perle hops.
 
Any more thoughts on this recipe? As far as I understood, no dryhopping right?
 
Did 3 batches last year cause I love this beer. Took batch 1 to our local homebrew club meeting and our local SN rep was there, so I asked him to taste it and give some feedback and gave him my recipe. He told me 2 row, c60 (not c40), bitter with literally whatever, finish with 100% cascade, no dry hop. Batch 3 I used this as guidelines, shoot for mid 7-8 SRM (about 6% C60), bittered with magnum and finished with 1 oz cascade at 15 and 1 oz at flameout (target 38 IBU). OG 1.054-1.056 or so, and Cal Ale (us05 or 1056 or 001). Ferment cold if you can, 60-64F. I've heard sierra ferments with cal ale around 60-62F. As for water, just use a typical pale ale profile (low mg, na, 300ppm so4 and 50-80ppm chloride). You should come out with something pretty darn close to the commercial version, but fresher!
 
jmitchell3 said:
Did 3 batches last year cause I love this beer. Took batch 1 to our local homebrew club meeting and our local SN rep was there, so I asked him to taste it and give some feedback and gave him my recipe. He told me 2 row, c60 (not c40), bitter with literally whatever, finish with 100% cascade, no dry hop. Batch 3 I used this as guidelines, shoot for mid 7-8 SRM (about 6% C60), bittered with magnum and finished with 1 oz cascade at 15 and 1 oz at flameout (target 38 IBU). OG 1.054-1.056 or so, and Cal Ale (us05 or 1056 or 001). Ferment cold if you can, 60-64F. I've heard sierra ferments with cal ale around 60-62F. As for water, just use a typical pale ale profile (low mg, na, 300ppm so4 and 50-80ppm chloride). You should come out with something pretty darn close to the commercial version, but fresher!
Click to expand...


Jeremy,

That's a great! How did your batch 3 turn out? No Perle? What are your thoughts on swapping c40 for c60, I was going for c40 Since most of the threads Ive read, people say to use c40.
 
The rep said they use whatever spare hops are on hand to bitter and finish with all cascade. They use c60, not c40. I thought c40 as well (batch 1) but when I have a sierra rep giving me recipe tips ill tend to go with that over any forum thread :). My buddy is in the industry and in a blind test picked my batch 3 over the real one. Id start with this recipe and tweak from there as you see fit. You wont be disappointed!
 
Rodrigoslr said:
Jeremy,



That's a great! How did your batch 3 turn out? No Perle? What are your thoughts on swapping c40 for c60, I was going for c40 Since most of the threads Ive read, people say to use c40.
Click to expand...


In addition, here's why it is c60:

This is my batch 1 with c40. Color is pretty well dead on...can you tell which is mine? The one on the left is mine...if you notice the head color is an off white, almost soapy while the head color on the right (the real SNPA) is slightly light tan in color.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1462939401.898674.jpg

Here is batch 3 with c60. Same beer color, but the head color is that nice light tan instead of the off white. Eureka!

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1462939468.838260.jpg
 
jmitchell3 said:
In addition, here's why it is c60:

This is my batch 1 with c40. Color is pretty well dead on...can you tell which is mine? The one on the left is mine...if you notice the head color is an off white, almost soapy while the head color on the right (the real SNPA) is slightly light tan in color.

View attachment 353916

Here is batch 3 with c60. Same beer color, but the head color is that nice light tan instead of the off white. Eureka!

View attachment 353917
Click to expand...


Regarding the collor, you indeed nailed it on batch 3! Ill definetely follow your recipe! No doubt, your comments will help a lot of others homebrewers! Tks for that!

For a 5 gal recipe, how many 2 row malt? C60, only 6%, right?
 
Rodrigoslr said:
Regarding the collor, you indeed nailed it on batch 3! Ill definetely follow your recipe! No doubt, your comments will help a lot of others homebrewers! Tks for that!

For a 5 gal recipe, how many 2 row malt? C60, only 6%, right?
Click to expand...

Its always gonna be 6% regardless of the batch size :)
 
dmashl said:
Sounds like my recipe I use 10 lbs 2 row and 1.25 40L, .5oz magnum at 60, 1 oz perle at 30, 1 oz cascade at 15, 1 oz cascade at flameout, no dry hop. US-05 yeast. Ferment for 3 weeks. Tastes great every time. 5 gallon recipe.
Click to expand...

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?
 
Gravity said:
Anybody brew both versions? The one with Magnum and Perle vs cascade? If so any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Not side-by-side, but over time. I liked both (just be aware that I'm OK with crystal malts :eek: :)in my APAs/IPAs). I like single hop Cascade beers. I also find that Perle adds some enjoyable 'complexity' to the beer.

Some additional notes on SNPA clone recipes:
 
I was thinking of
BrewnWKopperKat said:
Not side-by-side, but over time. I liked both (just be aware that I'm OK with crystal malts :eek: :)in my APAs/IPAs). I like single hop Cascade beers. I also find that Perle adds some enjoyable 'complexity' to the beer.

Some additional notes on SNPA clone recipes:
Click to expand...
I was thinking of trying this, its from the last link

11.5 lb Pale Malt (2-Row)
1 lb Crystal 60
0.5 oz Magnum (13.6% alpha, 60 min)
0.5 oz Perle (7.7% alpha, 30 min)
1 oz Cascade (5.8% alpha, 10 min)
2 oz Cascade (5.8% alpha, flameout)
US-05
 
Gravity said:
I was thinking of trying this, its from the last link

11.5 lb Pale Malt (2-Row)
1 lb Crystal 60
0.5 oz Magnum (13.6% alpha, 60 min)
0.5 oz Perle (7.7% alpha, 30 min)
1 oz Cascade (5.8% alpha, 10 min)
2 oz Cascade (5.8% alpha, flameout)
US-05
Click to expand...

I'm tasting a good beer while reading this recipe. Definitely a good starting point for "dialing it in" for your taste or to try to match SNPA.
 
I have the following beer on tap and recently did a side by side with SNPA and it is very close. The color is identical. I felt mine had a little fresher hop aroma, but likely just because the SNPA was bottled 2 months ago. It is the beer currently in my profile pic.
  • 9 lb 2 Row Pale Malt
  • 1 lb Crystal 40
  • 1 oz Centennial, Pellets 8.4% FWH 60 min
  • 1 oz Cascade, Pellets 6.9% Boil 20 min
  • 1 oz Cascade, Pellets 6.9% Flame Out 0 min
  • 1 oz Cascade, Pellets 6.9% Dry Hop 3 days
  • WPL001 – California Ale
  • Mash at 152 F
  • OG: 1.053, FG: 1.012, ABV: 5.4%
  • Efficiency: 76%
I have brewed a very similar beer maybe a dozen times. This is the first using Crystal 40 over 60. I used to use 3 oz of Cascade (60, 20, 0) but at some point I threw in another oz for dry hops, and sometimes throw in a different bitter hop.

Here is a pic I took a while back. Mine is on the left. My beer has cleared up some since the picture, so I expect they would be hard to tell apart now.

20190218_230208.jpg
 
They look very similar to me. I have a clone that I’m bottling later this week. Although, I based my clone off of the Morebeer kit which uses magnum, Perle, and cascade. If I remember, I’ll post a picture once it’s ready to drink.
 
CascadesBrewer said:
I have the following beer on tap and recently did a side by side with SNPA and it is very close. The color is identical. I felt mine had a little fresher hop aroma, but likely just because the SNPA was bottled 2 months ago. It is the beer currently in my profile pic.
  • 9 lb 2 Row Pale Malt
  • 1 lb Crystal 40
  • 1 oz Centennial, Pellets 8.4% FWH 60 min
  • 1 oz Cascade, Pellets 6.9% Boil 20 min
  • 1 oz Cascade, Pellets 6.9% Flame Out 0 min
  • 1 oz Cascade, Pellets 6.9% Dry Hop 3 days
  • WPL001 – California Ale
  • Mash at 152 F
  • OG: 1.053, FG: 1.012, ABV: 5.4%
  • Efficiency: 76%
I have brewed a very similar beer maybe a dozen times. This is the first using Crystal 40 over 60. I used to use 3 oz of Cascade (60, 20, 0) but at some point I threw in another oz for dry hops, and sometimes throw in a different bitter hop.

Here is a pic I took a while back. Mine is on the left. My beer has cleared up some since the picture, so I expect they would be hard to tell apart now.

View attachment 615773
Click to expand...

Color looks spot on; of all the iterations - this is your favorite?
 
Leapsandbounds said:
They look very similar to me. I have a clone that I’m bottling later this week. Although, I based my clone off of the Morebeer kit which uses magnum, Perle, and cascade. If I remember, I’ll post a picture once it’s ready to drink.
Click to expand...

Thats the one I did: Magnum @60, Perle @ 30, and cascade @ 10 and FO

I saw another recipe that combines magnum and perle @60, may try that next time as I like Perle as a bittering hop
 
This is mine. I did...

5lbs Marris Otter

4.2 lbs Golden Promise

0.8 lbs Caramel 60L

3.25 oz Cascade split into 9 additions and continuously hopped in 10 minute increments for a 90 minute boil

2 oz Cascade at flameout

0.75 oz Cascade as dry hop addition in keg upon kegging.

Mashed at 155°F for 60 minutes.

Boiled for 90 minutes.

Pitched Wyeast 1056 at 64°F and gradually ramped 68°F near the end of fermentation.

OG=1.053
FG=1.011

Mine came out really good I think, but it was definitely more bitter. The appearance was spot on.
20190213_122922.jpeg
 
Gravity said:
Color looks spot on; of all the iterations - this is your favorite?
Click to expand...

Hard to say, but maybe. I think the Crystal 40 change will stay. I am never quite sure what 60 min hops add to the flavor, but the bitterness level is good. I see SN says they don't dry hop...2 oz at flame out vs my 1 oz flame out and 1 oz dry hop. I like the touch of aroma from the dry hop.

Lots of the recipes in this thread look good. This is a solid beer that I really enjoy drinking and people that "don't like beer" go back for a second glass. It is hard to beat a freshly brewed, crisp, lightly hopped, 5% ABV Pale Ale on tap.
 
So I did a side by side of my beer with SNPA (a 6 pack I got at the local 7-11 that was packaged 12/18/2018). SNPA is still just a tiny bit more clear than mine but SNPA was also just a tiny bit lighter than mine. I have 10% Crystal 40, the Sierra Nevada site says 8% Caramel (which can be different than Crystal).

I am curious about the SNPA water profile. I have been learning about water chemistry and playing around with dosing beers with Gypsum and Calcium Chloride. My beer was brewed with tap water with no salt additions. I got maybe a touch more "crystal sweetness" from SNPA (it could be their base malt), but the biggest difference I think comes from water profile. SNPA has a bit of a slick/smoothness that mine does not have, but SNPA also has a touch of a "minerally" aroma and taste (not too bad to be objectionable). I tried doctoring my beer with some Gypsum first then Calcium Chloride. The Calcium Chloride addition moved it closer to SNPA, but still not the exact same feel. Hmmmmm. I tried a second glass with a little Salt (Sodium Chloride...from ground sea salt) which might be part of the mix...but I did not want to open another SNPA to experiment more.

My beer recipe actually started from a Deschutes Mirror Pond clone recipe, but that beer is close to SNPA.

Edit: With 5 minutes of searching I did not get any good hits on the SNPA water profile. It could be the acidity/bicarbonates in my water. In some batches since brewing the pale ale I have checked my pH and I suspect for that beer it was in the 5.7 pH range during the mash...though I do not really understand what pH does to a beer. I have measured the pH of the finished beer and it is 4.3, which I think is in a decent range.
 
Last edited:
CascadesBrewer said:
So I did a side by side of my beer with SNPA (a 6 pack I got at the local 7-11 that was packaged 12/18/2018). SNPA is still just a tiny bit more clear than mine but SNPA was also just a tiny bit lighter than mine. I have 10% Crystal 40, the Sierra Nevada site says 8% Caramel (which can be different than Crystal).

I am curious about the SNPA water profile. I have been learning about water chemistry and playing around with dosing beers with Gypsum and Calcium Chloride. My beer was brewed with tap water with no salt additions. I got maybe a touch more "crystal sweetness" from SNPA (it could be their base malt), but the biggest difference I think comes from water profile. SNPA has a bit of a slick/smoothness that mine does not have, but SNPA also has a touch of a "minerally" aroma and taste (not too bad to be objectionable). I tried doctoring my beer with some Gypsum first then Calcium Chloride. The Calcium Chloride addition moved it closer to SNPA, but still not the exact same feel. Hmmmmm. I tried a second glass with a little Salt (Sodium Chloride...from ground sea salt) which might be part of the mix...but I did not want to open another SNPA to experiment more.

My beer recipe actually started from a Deschutes Mirror Pond clone recipe, but that beer is close to SNPA.

Edit: With 5 minutes of searching I did not get any good hits on the SNPA water profile. It could be the acidity/bicarbonates in my water. In some batches since brewing the pale ale I have checked my pH and I suspect for that beer it was in the 5.7 pH range during the mash...though I do not really understand what pH does to a beer. I have measured the pH of the finished beer and it is 4.3, which I think is in a decent range.
Click to expand...
PH in the mash is to promote enzyme activity with 5.2-5.7 being the recommended range. Below 5.2 and sourish characteristics can develop, above 5.7 and tannins will start to be extracted. Beer typically averages around 4 pH but that can fluctuate based on the style. Most pH checks once yeast are pitched are for QA to monitor yeast health and monitor infections.
 
yourlastchance89 said:
PH in the mash is to promote enzyme activity with 5.2-5.7 being the recommended range. Below 5.2 and sourish characteristics can develop, above 5.7 and tannins will start to be extracted. Beer typically averages around 4 pH but that can fluctuate based on the style. Most pH checks once yeast are pitched are for QA to monitor yeast health and monitor infections.
Click to expand...

Palmer says:

Pale beers seem to taste better with a lower pH, between 4.0 and 4.4. A lower beer pH makes the malt character in pale beers taste brighter and the hop character more refined. As the beer pH approaches 4.0, the character becomes sharp and crisp, as it approaches 4.4 it becomes softer.​

I have never done any trials to know the difference myself, but I am curious. Maybe next time I crack open a SNPA I will have to get out my (newly acquired) pH meter. I suspect for me to hit the SNPA water profile I would have had to add Gypsum and Calcium Chloride...maybe some Salt/Sodium...and I probably need to lower my mash pH 0.2 to 0.4 points.
 
CascadesBrewer said:
Palmer says:

Pale beers seem to taste better with a lower pH, between 4.0 and 4.4. A lower beer pH makes the malt character in pale beers taste brighter and the hop character more refined. As the beer pH approaches 4.0, the character becomes sharp and crisp, as it approaches 4.4 it becomes softer.​

I have never done any trials to know the difference myself, but I am curious. Maybe next time I crack open a SNPA I will have to get out my (newly acquired) pH meter. I suspect for me to hit the SNPA water profile I would have had to add Gypsum and Calcium Chloride...maybe some Salt/Sodium...and I probably need to lower my mash pH 0.2 to 0.4 points.
Click to expand...

I've never messed with water profiles, however, some brewers swear by how the water additions changes the whole beer - maybe i'll give it a go as well
 

Similar threads

deeve007
Brewfather IBU seems wrong for Sierra Nevada clone?
Replies
14
Views
2K
HM-2
HM-2
BugAC
Grapefruit Heavy Pale Ale/Hops
Replies
4
Views
336
day_trippr
day_trippr
W
Lager yeast in ale recipe - expected difference in result?
Replies
15
Views
963
hilljack13
hilljack13
A
Advice for Sierra Nevada Clone
Replies
14
Views
2K
Shenanigans
S
Zippy123
Hey from Wisconsin
Replies
15
Views
610
MaxStout
MaxStout
CornyKegs 300

Latest posts

Back
Top