Which Aldi Beers are good enough that you wish you could clone them?

[mirthfuldragon]

Brewed mine this weekend. We will see how it turns out. Can't find Boot Tread in any of my local Aldis any more.

Ultimately settled on:
9# Pilsner
1# Biscuit
1# CaraMunich II (55°)
8oz C80
8oz Carapils

0.5oz Magnum (15%) at 60, 1 oz Halltertau @ 10. OG 1.051, 13 SRM, 29 IBU.

Revised some 8 month old harvested 3787 in a 1L starter, pitched it warm, and it proceeded to blow the airlock and then the blow-off out of my fermonster in about about 20 hours.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Brewed mine this weekend. We will see how it turns out. Can't find Boot Tread in any of my local Aldis any more.

Ultimately settled on:
9# Pilsner
1# Biscuit
1# CaraMunich II (55°)
8oz C80
8oz Carapils

0.5oz Magnum (15%) at 60, 1 oz Halltertau @ 10. OG 1.051, 13 SRM, 29 IBU.

Revised some 8 month old harvested 3787 in a 1L starter, pitched it warm, and it proceeded to blow the airlock and then the blow-off out of my fermonster in about about 20 hours.

Be sure to follow up and let us know how it turns out.

 

[mirthfuldragon]

Be sure to follow up and let us know how it turns out.

Pet my Tilt, it is at 1.010 and still going. 3787 is a beast. I will follow-up in a couple of weeks.

 

[mirthfuldragon]

Brewed mine this weekend. We will see how it turns out. Can't find Boot Tread in any of my local Aldis any more.

Ultimately settled on:
9# Pilsner
1# Biscuit
1# CaraMunich II (55°)
8oz C80
8oz Carapils

0.5oz Magnum (15%) at 60, 1 oz Halltertau @ 10. OG 1.051, 13 SRM, 29 IBU.

Revised some 8 month old harvested 3787 in a 1L starter, pitched it warm, and it proceeded to blow the airlock and then the blow-off out of my fermonster in about about 20 hours.

FG stabilized at 1.009. Kegged on Sunday @ 20psi, so carbonation is still coming. The color is nice, but as I expected, 3787/Belgian W is almost certainly not the yeast they used originally. Between the warm fermentation temperature and the minimal IBUs, this thing is full of fruity esters. Caramel notes and malt is a bit more subdued, so bumping the C80 or going to something darker might be appropriate. Looking forward to full carbonation.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

FG stabilized at 1.009. Kegged on Sunday @ 20psi, so carbonation is still coming. The color is nice, but as I expected, 3787/Belgian W is almost certainly not the yeast they used originally. Between the warm fermentation temperature and the minimal IBUs, this thing is full of fruity esters. Caramel notes and malt is a bit more subdued, so bumping the C80 or going to something darker might be appropriate. Looking forward to full carbonation.

I wonder if they use a British ale yeast as opposed to a Belgian ale yeast. I don't detect any Belgian nature in it, even though I like it as a beer. I'm currently looking at 70% Pilsner, 7.5% Biscuit or Victory, 7.5% C80, and 15% Weyermann Munich II. This is not too far off from your grist. I perceive the SRM of Boot Tread to be around 12 to perhaps 13.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Based upon your observations, I'm considering a grist change as follows for my attempt at a Boot Tread/Fat Tire "type" ale:

83% Pilsner
7.5% Victory or Biscuit (or my homemade ballpark equivalent)
9.5% Caramel 80L

 

[mirthfuldragon]

I wonder if they use a British ale yeast as opposed to a Belgian ale yeast. I don't detect any Belgian nature in it, even though I like it as a beer. I'm currently looking at 70% Pilsner, 7.5% Biscuit or Victory, 7.5% C80, and 15% Weyermann Munich II. This is not too far off from your grist. I perceive the SRM of Boot Tread to be around 12 to perhaps 13.

I wonder how much the Cascade hops mask any Belgian esters. The label indicates Brouwerij Martens NV, which is Belgian, and I feel like it finishes drier than Fat Tire or British ales generally, but that could be my own preconceptions as I never measured the gravity of the actual. It might be a more mild yeast strain - Westmalle is not subtle.

 

[mirthfuldragon]

Now that the beer is carbed, I am very happy with it personally. The esters from Westmalle come through significantly, leaving a very fruity taste, with the hops in the background, leaving a subdued earthy/herbal note. In terms of being a clone, it really needs Cascade and the IBUs are likely a lot higher. The color is generally correct but it could probably use more biscuit malt and a heavier hand on the caramel/crystal malt to give it a solid malt backbone. I am surprised by how the 1# of C55 and the 0.5# of C80 don't come out stronger.

 

[user 263363]

I’ve been drinking Aldi beers on and off for awhile. I really enjoy the Wernesgruner.

I believe this is a fairly new release, but at 4.5% it’s quite good. Especially for $6/ 6 pack if I recall. It seems to be a bit of an offshoot of SN’s Hazy Little Thing for comparison’s sake.

 

[hopkincr]

Just grabbed this myself. Not much left at the Aldi. Not bad.

 

[Brewbuzzard]

I have two candidates that I find to be very good beers:

1) Wernesgrüner Pilsner

2) Boot Tread Belgian Amber Ale

Of all of the Aldi beer offerings, I find these two to be worthy of attempts at cloning. Call me crazy if you must, but these are solid beers.

Yes they are. I also like the Kinroo Blue it's a nice Wit.

 

[Brewbuzzard]

I studied in Germany for a bit in the early 90s, right after the Wall came down. A guy who lived on my dorm floor (who had incidentally spent time in prison for trying to escape the East - twice) brought me a bottle of Wernesgrüner, and I was impressed. I found it at a Midwest Aldi 15 years later, and was a bit disappointed. I suppose it was just old?

I always pull from the bottom so it may not be skunked.

 

[Bassman2003]

Anybody try the Kinroo Belgian beer in the yellow packaging? Seems like it is billed as more of a true wit, not a Blue Moon attempt.

 

[Robert65]

I always pull from the bottom so it may not be skunked.

Wernesgrüner is in brown bottles, so skunking isn't an issue. But it is a good idea to pull from the bottom and loom at the date. Most imports around here are pretty old.

 

[Brewbuzzard]

Wernesgrüner is in brown bottles, so skunking isn't an issue. But it is a good idea to pull from the bottom and loom at the date. Most imports around here are pretty old.

Beer can still get skunked in brown bottles if left under florescent lights long enough or in direct sunlight. We used to skunk them intentionally for BJCP training.

 

[Brewbuzzard]

Anybody try the Kinroo Belgian beer in the yellow packaging? Seems like it is billed as more of a true wit, not a Blue Moon attempt.

Yes the Kinroo Blue is a nice Wit.

 

[Bassman2003]

This is not Kinroo Blue but a different version which just says Belgian Blonde Ale or something of the like. It has a yellow theme instead of blue.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/3517/410409/

 

[Brewbuzzard]

This is not Kinroo Blue but a different version which just says Belgian Blonde Ale or something of the like. It has a yellow theme instead of blue.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/3517/410409/

I'll have to check it out. How long have they been selling it? I'm in the Dallas area and haven't seen it.

 

[ebbelwoi]

Wernesgrüner is in brown bottles, so skunking isn't an issue. But it is a good idea to pull from the bottom and look at the date. Most imports around here are pretty old.

Beer can still get skunked in brown bottles if left under florescent lights long enough or in direct sunlight. We used to skunk them intentionally for BJCP training.

A few months ago, I bought a single bottle of Warsteiner in a brown bottle, and it was definitely skunked. I think it was on the top shelf of the cooler in the liquor store, right under a fluorescent light.

 

[Bassman2003]

I'll have to check it out. How long have they been selling it? I'm in the Dallas area and haven't seen it.

It seems to come and go. I am in Arlington and only see it from time to time. I only buy beer when my homebrew is out so I thought I might try it out recently. but Aldi did not have any so I bought my usual Bacher lager.

 

[Brewbuzzard]

A few months ago, I bought a single bottle of Warsteiner in a brown bottle, and it was definitely skunked. I think it was on the top shelf of the cooler in the liquor store, right under a fluorescent light.

I was thinking of putting LED lights in the brewery but my brew buddy had already done research and said the best is regular old incandescent light. I've heard they make a beer light for this purpose but that may be a rumour. I always pull from the back or bottom unless it's encased or in cans of course.

 

[Robert65]

I was thinking of putting LED lights in the brewery but my brew buddy had already done research and said the best is regular old incandescent light. I've heard they make a beer light for this purpose but that may be a rumour. I always pull from the back or bottom unless it's encased or in cans of course.

The Wernesgrüner at ALDI stores here comes not only in brown bottles but only in six packs in the full wrap-around cardboard carriers, so they are fairly well protected. I can see singles right up against the lights in the case getting skunked. Thanks to @ebbelwoi for pointing out that it's still possible, I should have said skunking is "less of an issue" in my previous post. I've always cringed at the fact that the beer coolers in the supermarkets use fluorescent light, and they stack the bottles right up under them. I'm curious about these "beer lights," and if they might be more economically viable for retailers than incandescent, which both draw a lot of current and put extra demand on the refrigeration.

 

[Brewbuzzard]

The Wernesgrüner at ALDI stores here comes not only in brown bottles but only in six packs in the full wrap-around cardboard carriers, so they are fairly well protected. I can see singles right up against the lights in the case getting skunked. Thanks to @ebbelwoi for pointing out that it's still possible, I should have said skunking is "less of an issue" in my previous post. I've always cringed at the fact that the beer coolers in the supermarkets use fluorescent light, and they stack the bottles right up under them. I'm curious about these "beer lights," and if they might be more economically viable for retailers than incandescent, which both draw a lot of current and put extra demand on the refrigeration.

I've been on the internet and can find no mention of lights for beer coolers. I did however learn that the UV light that reacts with the hop oils are in the 300nm to 550nm wavelength. Incandescent is about 500nm to 2500nm but is skewed and so doesn't have as much effect. Red and orange lights have longer wavelengths but either would look weird.

 

[bkboiler]

Aldi actually had a single bottle (I think it was a 750mL) of a Belgian ale that I was very intrigued to find last time I shopped. I've only ever otherwise seen 6 pk or larger typically.
I did not purchase as the beer advocate reviews said the quality was questionable...I will keep an eye out next time I shop and report back the details.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

I'm curious about these "beer lights," and if they might be more economically viable for retailers than incandescent, which both draw a lot of current and put extra demand on the refrigeration.

LED's?

 

[user 263363]

Aldi actually had a single bottle (I think it was a 750mL) of a Belgian ale that I was very intrigued to find last time I shopped. I've only ever otherwise seen 6 pk or larger typically.
I did not purchase as the beer advocate reviews said the quality was questionable...I will keep an eye out next time I shop and report back the details.

If it’s the blonde, I actually have a bottle of it in my fridge. It was hiding on the wine shelf at my Aldi. I haven’t tried it yet so I can’t say how good it is.

 

[Brewbuzzard]

LED's?

Nope, their spectrum is in the UV range.

 

[bkboiler]

Picked up Bitburger and Carlsburg at Aldi to stock my COVID reserves...
aaaand a Stone Brewing IPA mix pack, and a pack of Sierra Nevada Hazy Little thing and some wines for SWMBO...

Still don't understand all the TP hoarding...

 

[basslake]

The 4 pack of Hop Lift isn't terrible but does not even compare to this stuff.