All-Grain: Something Like Gumballhead

[LoneWolfPR]

Something like Gumballhead (still need a title)
Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: DCL US-05
Yeast Starter: None
Additional Yeast or Yeast Starter: None
Batch Size (Gallons): 12
Original Gravity: 1.050
Final Gravity: 1.012
IBU: 34.2
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 5.6 SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 7 days at 68 F
Dry-Hop: 7 days at 68 F

Grain Bill:
12 # Rahr 2 row
10 # US Red Wheat
1 # CaraVienne
.5 # Rice Hulls

Hops:
.5 oz Amarillo 10.3% AA First Wort
.5 oz Amarillo 10.3% AA 60 min
1 oz Amarillo 10.3% AA 15 min
1.5 oz Amarillo 10.3% AA 5 min
1.5 oz Amarillo 10.3% AA 1 min
3 oz Amarillo 10.3% AA Dry-Hopped 7 days

Water Treatment:
Distilled water + 2 tsp gypsum in the boil

Single Step Infusion at 154 F

Fly Sparge to 14 gallons.

Boil for 60 minutes down to 12.5 gallons. Expect to lost .5 gal to wort shrinkage

Cool to 68 degrees and pitch.

So my pregnant wife is about to pop. She loves Gumballhead so I wanted to make something similar for her. If this batch turns out well it should be kegged and ready for her about a week or so after our son comes along. I found a base recipe online, though I forget where. I tweaked it only a little. I know one of my changes was to change the regular wheat malt to red wheat malt as I know that's what 3 Floyds uses. I also tweaked the hop additions a bit to be closer to the IBU's of gumballhead. I definitely focused on more late additions instead of early to get more flavor and aroma than bitterness. The recipe recommend the first wort hopping. I've never done it before so I figured I'd try it. I brewed this, 2 days ago. It's sitting in my fermentation fridge bubbling away nicely now. Hopefully it turns out well. I'll post as I taste and let you all know how it turns out.

P.S. I'm taking name suggestions

 

[LoneWolfPR]

Ok. Wow. So, 13 minutes after posting this my wife went into labor. Baby was born only 7.5 hours later! We named the baby Declan. Also, her friend threw a baby shower a few weeks back that was dragon themed since it's the chinese zodiac year of the dragon. So... the beer is now called "Declan's Dragon Wheat."

 

[LoneWolfPR]

Took a gravity reading and taste after 7 days in fermentation. Tastes terrific. Bitterness is right on par with gumballhead. The amarillo flavor and aroma could be a little stronger. I added 1.5 oz hopes to my half of the batch today (I split the unfermented wort with a buddy. use 3 if you are doing 10 gals). I'm going to let that go for a week, so I'm hopeful the dry-hopping with really help the flavor and aroma. I'm hoping to keg next sunday, and force carb with my stone so I can drink it that evening. SG is at about 1.016 right now. OG on this batch actually started about 1.055, so alcohol level and body is right where I want it, but I wouldn't be upset at all if it dropped down to about 1.012.

 

[Ramitt]

i love gumballhead, did ne pretty similar a while back, also pitched White labs Saison Blend on a Gumballhead clone, that was very nice. Ramped fermentation temp up to 80, ended up tasting kind of like a fruit smoothy with the banna from the yeast and fruitiness from the hops.

 

[res291que]

Congrats on the child, just had my first on the 1st. How close to gumball head is this? I had some at a conference out in Indy was really good , was thinking of trying to clone this, we can't get it in MD

 

[Ramitt]

I did my clone based on the recipie I found here, about same as his and subbed red wheat as well. It was prety close, with better temp control and water chemistry I think it would have been even closer. regardless it was very tasty and I will brew it again.
http://www.brew365.com/beer_three_floyds_gumballhead.php

 

[res291que]

I was wondering about using a yeast with more fruity esters. Thoughts?

 

[Ramitt]

I think it would work well with this recipie personally. Tht is kind of what I did using a saison yeast at high temps and it was nice, though nothing like the original of course.

 

[abatsch]

I brewed this a few weeks ago. Also changing the hop additions to get the 35 ibu's. It should be done carbing by the end of the week. I 'm pretty excited to taste it.

 

[LoneWolfPR]

I did my clone based on the recipie I found here, about same as his and subbed red wheat as well. It was prety close, with better temp control and water chemistry I think it would have been even closer. regardless it was very tasty and I will brew it again.
http://www.brew365.com/beer_three_floyds_gumballhead.php

Yep, that's what I based it on.

As for how close. It's been a little bit since I've had gumballhead, but from what I remember I think this is pretty close. I'm going to have to buy a six-pack of it here soon just for comparison. I'll be kegging/carbing on Sunday. When I do I'll post an update.

 

[LoneWolfPR]

Took a reading and taste today. Gravity settled down to 1.012. Corrected for temp that puts my OG at 1.055 and my FG at 1.013. ABV at 5.6%. That's right where I wanted it. So I set my chamber to 38 to crash it for a couple of days. I'll keg it on Sunday and carb it up. Flavor-wise the hop flavor was terrific. The aroma was a touch solventy I think, but it may have just been the hops. We'll see how it is when I pull my first draft. All-in-all I'm pretty excited. I'll post when I take my first pint.

 

[LoneWolfPR]

Just tasted it. Turned out pretty awesome. Aroma seemed much better. Flavor is good. I think I could drink this beer all summer. Definitely going to move this to the permanent recipe section.

 

[Ramitt]

Great, glad it turned out well. i am in a bit of a belgian kick right now, but intend to brew it again myself soon.

 

[evandena]

Brewing this one tomorrow. Can't wait!
Your wife liking this one?

 

[LoneWolfPR]

She loves it, and I've been drinking the hell out of it too.

 

[Csuho]

Imo I think you need more hops. I make a gumballhead clone with about 7oz for 5gallons with 5oz in the boil and other 2 in 2 dry hops. I have had a persons take on it with only 3oz in 5 gallons and I didn't think it was close. This is just my opinion.

 

[LoneWolfPR]

I actually am in agreement after this first run. It turned out great, and I've loved drinking it. I would definitely make this recipe again, especially for someone who isn't that into a ton of hop flavor. However, next time around I think I'm going to take out the first wort hops, and dial back the bittering a little so I can add bigger late addition hops with more dry hop as well. Gumballhead is all about amarillo hop flavor and aroma, and while this was good it needs more. The bitterness was just right, it just needs a bit more flavor.