RDWHAHB but CYA - AHB 1554 Clone Variations

First, I wanted to thank you guys for all the good advice and calming words I have read here. But especially my Sergeant in the Army years back for the CYA (Cover You’re Ass. ) recommendation. (Oh and lest I ever forget, his CYBA comment also. “Cover your Buddies Ass.”

I received the AHB 1554 Clone kit in May as a B-day present from my wife. (Gotta love a woman like that.) I had been planning to brew on Saturday. I made my starter around Friday noon and by noon Saturday it still had no action in it AT ALL.

I told the wife about it and she said to wait and brew Sunday. Ok, so RDWHAHB. Then I remembered the LHBS is closed on Sunday, so off I go to CYA. He was out of the recommended Southern German Lager Yeast WL838, but he suggested the German Bock Yeast WL833. (I also picked up 3 different hops to use in test batches.) BTW; this is to be fermented at Ale temps.

By Sunday morning the starter was just starting to show some action, so I relaxed a little bit. Of course the new Bock starter was still busy making little yeasties and quiet.

Long story short, I now have 2.5 gallons bubbling nicely in one bucket and 4 small jugs with a growing Krausen layer. I used the recommended German Lager Yeast in the big bucket and did 1 small jug (0.7 gallons) with the German Bock Yeast. When I brewed up the other 3 small batches I left out the Paradise Seeds used in the kit as Flavoring hops and used the 3 different pellet hops. (Kent Goldings, Tettnang and Willamette) I also hopped these 3 jugs just before pitching the yeast. (I used 0.10oz for 10 minutes and 0.02oz at pitch time in the 0.7 gallon batches.)

Now the hard part, WAITING!!!

Moral: CYA can be a good thing. I do like the 1554 and just about any Bock I have ever tried so I am really hoping the Bock yeast makes a nice 1554 style brew. I would have never tried the Bock yeast if my starter had not been so slow starting.

I will of course report my results.

 

what was the grain bill on the clone kit?

 

Here is the entire kit.

1554 Enlightened Black Ale – Extract
AHB #03429
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Steeping Grains (Packaged together in one large grain bag)
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6oz Chocolate Malt
8oz Cara Pils Malt
4oz De-Bittered Black Malt
1oz Black Patent Malt
8oz Caramunich Malt

Extract
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8lbs Munich LME
4oz Malto Dextrin

Bittering Hops
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3/4oz Nugget Hop Pellets

Flavor Hops
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1oz Crushed Paradise Seeds

Recommended Yeasts
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White Labs Southern German Lager #838
Wyeast Bavarian Lager #2206
Saflager S23

OG: 1.059
FG: 1.015
Make 5.25 gallons
(The instructions do NOT give a Ferment Temp but a call to AHB said to ferment at Ale temps.)

Note: The only review on the kit I have found was VERY positive.