Magic Hat Hocus Pocus Clone Attempt

Amount Item Type % or IBU
3 lbs Wheat Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 50.0 %
2 lbs Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 33.3 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 16.7 %
0.25 oz Centennial [10.00%] (60 min) Hops 9.5 IBU
1 oz fresh grated ginger with juices for 30 minutes
0.25 oz Centennial [10.00%] (20 min) Hops 5.7 IBU
Zest of 1 lemon in last 5 minutes of the boil
0.50 oz Centennial [10.00%] (5 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
1 Pkgs European Ale (Wyeast Labs #1338) Yeast-Ale


Est Original Gravity: 1.045 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.1 %
Bitterness: 15.2 IBU
Est Color: 7.2 SRM


From their website:

Equal Parts Delirum & Divine Intervention
Our take on the classic summer wheat beer.. it's a light, crisp ale for mowing lawns, hitting lazy fly balls, and communing with nature. Glowing like brilliant rays of golden sun, its malty sweetness finished tart and crisp. Hocus Pocus is best appreciated with a wedge of orange, offered as a sacrifice to cloudless days.

Wheat Ale
ABV 4.5
Gravity 1.045
Bitterness 13
SRM 4.5
Hops: Centennial
Malts: Pale, Malted Wheat
Yeast: English Ale

So I know I'm off a bit on the SRM & IBUs. I'm also not sure about the crystal. I felt some sort of grain addition had to go in but I didn't know what. I should be able to bring the SRMs down with a late addition on the malts.

What are your thoughts?

Hmm.. reading more about this beer it sounds like there's some honey in there too.

Here's what I get when I swap out the crystal for 1 lb of Honey Malt & change the DME from Light to Extra Light:

Est Original Gravity: 1.049 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.015 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.5 %
Bitterness: 14.7 IBU
Est Color: 7.7 SRM

edost said:

Amount Item Type % or IBU
3 lbs Wheat Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 50.0 %
2 lbs Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 33.3 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 16.7 %
0.25 oz Centennial [10.00%] (60 min) Hops 9.5 IBU
1 oz fresh grated ginger with juices for 30 minutes
0.25 oz Centennial [10.00%] (20 min) Hops 5.7 IBU
Zest of 1 lemon in last 5 minutes of the boil
0.50 oz Centennial [10.00%] (5 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
1 Pkgs European Ale (Wyeast Labs #1338) Yeast-Ale

So I know I'm off a bit on the SRM & IBUs. I'm also not sure about the crystal. I felt some sort of grain addition had to go in but I didn't know what. I should be able to bring the SRMs down with a late addition on the malts.

What are your thoughts?

Click to expand...

It has been awhile since I have enjoyed any of the Magic Hat Elixirs, but here goes:
I'd up the DME to 40%
Skip the Crystal, and add in 10% munich malt
This beer has virtually no hop aroma IMHO, so Perhaps you might want to go with 0.50 oz Centennial in the kettle, and add a .5 oz Centennial at your T-minus 20 minute hope addtion.

I don't remember any hints of ginger in this beer. The yeast really makes this beer, so you may want to consider obtaining the right yeast to accentuate this beers phenolic characteristics.