Ballast points sculpin IPA

[55x11]

Brewed this (all-grain version) recipe last Saturday. Substituted Tomahawk for Warrior, otherwise followed recipe.
OG 1.062, now a week later it is down to 1.008. Tastes delicious. Will split off into two batches and will add grapefruit zest to one (making it Grapefruit Sculpin cline), the other will be regular.

 

[ballsy]

The recipe I did above is crash chilling and will be bottled in 2 days, smells fantastic!

Ballsy. With the grapefruit version, was that a different release from Ballast Point? Or are you just chasing a bigger aroma?
Did you use normal yellow grape fruit or the ruby ones (which are sweeter)

ruby red, 2 of them but should have done 4 at least.

 

[seehuusen]

ruby red, 2 of them but should have done 4 at least.

Thanks mate, will try that in the next attempt

 

[NHBrews]

Going to give the recipe below a try. My first attempt at Sculpin. Based my hop schedule on "Behind the Brew" - Ballast Point Sculpin IPA video, several threads, mad fermentationist site (he has a list of hops bills for many IPAs), etc. Could not get Galena hops in my order so used Columbus in its place for whirlpool. Thinking of splitting batch and adding grapefruit to 1/2 post primary. Will report back how it goes.


Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 12.92 gal
Post Boil Volume: 11.07 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 10.51 gal
Bottling Volume: 10.04 gal
Estimated OG: 1.072 SG
Estimated Color: 6.5 SRM
Estimated IBU: 74.2 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72.9 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
25 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (1.8 SRM) Grain 1 86.2 %
2 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 2 6.9 %
1 lbs Cara-Pils/Dextrine (1.3 SRM) Grain 3 3.4 %
1 lbs Caravienne Malt (24.0 SRM) Grain 4 3.4 %
3.00 oz Simcoe [12.90 %] - Mash 55.0 min Hop 5 12.4 IBUs
0.50 oz Chinook [11.10 %] - First Wort 90.0 min Hop 6 10.7 IBUs
0.50 oz Centennial [9.40 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 7 7.7 IBUs
0.50 oz Chinook [11.10 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 8 9.1 IBUs
0.50 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [13.80 %] - Boil 60. Hop 9 11.3 IBUs
0.50 oz Amarillo [8.70 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 10 5.5 IBUs
0.50 oz Cascade [5.70 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 11 3.6 IBUs
0.50 oz Northern Brewer [7.50 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 12 4.7 IBUs
1 Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 13 -
1.00 oz Amarillo [8.70 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 10. Hop 14 2.6 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.70 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 10.0 Hop 15 1.7 IBUs
1.00 oz Centennial [9.40 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 1 Hop 16 2.8 IBUs
0.50 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [13.80 %] - Steep/Wh Hop 17 2.1 IBUs
2 pkg GigaYeast NorCal Ale #1 [GY001] Yeast 18 -
1 tsp Yeast Nutrient Other 19 -
2.50 oz Amarillo [8.70 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days Hop 20 0.0 IBUs
2.50 oz Simcoe [12.90 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days Hop 21 0.0 IBUs
2.50 oz Amarillo [8.70 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 22 0.0 IBUs
2.50 oz Simcoe [12.90 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 22 0.0 IBUs

------
Brewha BIAC System, Mash at 148F for 90min (mash hops added 35min in)
Whirlpool additions at 190F, steep for 30 minutes alowing temp to fall (treating as 10min Whirlpool for IBU calc given low starting temp)
Dry hops split with 2.5oz of each going in at end of Primary for 5 days, 2.5 oz of each going in kegs/seconary.

 

[ballsy]

Just re-ordered Ingredients for a 10 gal batch this time (5 went wayyyy too quick). Will use zest and juice from 8 grapefruits this time.

 

[55x11]

Mine started at 1.062 and finished at 1.006 (in two weeks time). Just bottled first batch.
Split the batches in two, 2 Gallons "regular" Sculpin, 2.5-3 remaining gallons are Grapefruit Sculpin. Even the "regular" has a very strong grapefruit smell/taste from hops alone.

 

[ballsy]

Mine started at 1.062 and finished at 1.006 (in two weeks time). Just bottled first batch.
Split the batches in two, 2 Gallons "regular" Sculpin, 2.5-3 remaining gallons are Grapefruit Sculpin. Even the "regular" has a very strong grapefruit smell/taste from hops alone.

What's gonna be your chosen route of adding the grapefruit?

 

[55x11]

What's gonna be your chosen route of adding the grapefruit?

tincture of 2 grapefruit zest, soaked in vodka for a week, added for 5 days, similar to dry-hop addition, to let it soak through and ferment out.

 

[pwortiz]

Mine started at 1.062 and finished at 1.006 (in two weeks time). Just bottled first batch.
Split the batches in two, 2 Gallons "regular" Sculpin, 2.5-3 remaining gallons are Grapefruit Sculpin. Even the "regular" has a very strong grapefruit smell/taste from hops alone.

^ that's what my second batch was like. I am convinced the hops were that different from year to year. Still good, but not what I was going for.

 

[ballsy]

tincture of 2 grapefruit zest, soaked in vodka for a week, added for 5 days, similar to dry-hop addition, to let it soak through and ferment out.

Keep us posted on how it turns out next to the real deal, I added the zest and juice of 2 grapefruits to 10min boil and it was no where close to the prominent up front grapefruit taste of the actual Ballast Point version. wondering how much of the flavor you will get out of the rind added to ferment bucket or whether it will be like dry hopping and simply add more to the nose of the beer?

 

[55x11]

Keep us posted on how it turns out next to the real deal, I added the zest and juice of 2 grapefruits to 10min boil and it was no where close to the prominent up front grapefruit taste of the actual Ballast Point version. wondering how much of the flavor you will get out of the rind added to ferment bucket or whether it will be like dry hopping and simply add more to the nose of the beer?

before carbonation (and this will affect the taste, for sure) the taste and smell of grapefruit-spiked Sculpin clone was very grapefruit-strong. More so than the regular prior-to-spiking Sculpin, which also had both flavor and aroma of grapefruit.

I will let you know how it turns out in about 10-14 days time or so, but from tasting the gravity samples, I prefer "regular" Sculpin, prior to adding all the zest.

 

[jeff62217]

I did something like @charmin1073's recipe but cut the crystal and added some corn sugar, cut out the 30 min addition and halved the dry hops amount. Zested 4 red grapefruit and soaked in vodka overnight, added to secondary and racked on top, left it for 3 days and kegged. 1.066-1.004.

Tons of citrus in the aroma, the blend of bitterness was very grapefruit forward and it was very dry. We'll see what the final product tastes like cold, carb'd and conditioned.

batch size 5.5 gal
og 1.067
SRM: 5.0


GW pale 2row: 12lbs
Corn sugar (@20): 1lb
C20: 0.5lb

cascade (6.6) 2.0oz fwh
simcoe (12.0) 1.0oz fwh
centennial (9.0) 0.5oz @60
chinook (11.5) 0.5oz @60
columbus (15.4) 0.5oz @60
simcoe 0.5oz @ 20
amarillo (8.0) 1oz @ 0
amarillo 2oz dry hop 5 days
simcoe 2oz dry hop 5 days

Unable to imput fwh in the brewing app I use, so IBU level I'm not too sure. I'd guess it's around 80 or so. Might have to pull a pint of this tonight to check carb levels.

 

[seehuusen]

... Might have to pull a pint of this tonight to check carb levels.

Any reason is a good reason in my book

I've had mine bottle conditioning for about 2.5 weeks now and it's tasting very good. Unfortunately it didn't end quite dry enough, so I'll have to retry brewing this

 

[jeff62217]

Any reason is a good reason in my book

I've had mine bottle conditioning for about 2.5 weeks now and it's tasting very good. Unfortunately it didn't end quite dry enough, so I'll have to retry brewing this

It's my second time making a clone of this beer and this one is much closer than the first.

If you use the recipe above I'd suggest reducing the corn sugar to .5#

 

[christophereatworld]

I did something like @charmin1073's recipe but cut the crystal and added some corn sugar, cut out the 30 min addition and halved the dry hops amount. Zested 4 red grapefruit and soaked in vodka overnight, added to secondary and racked on top, left it for 3 days and kegged. 1.066-1.004.

Tons of citrus in the aroma, the blend of bitterness was very grapefruit forward and it was very dry. We'll see what the final product tastes like cold, carb'd and conditioned.

batch size 5.5 gal
og 1.067
SRM: 5.0


GW pale 2row: 12lbs
Corn sugar (@20): 1lb
C20: 0.5lb

cascade (6.6) 2.0oz fwh
simcoe (12.0) 1.0oz fwh
centennial (9.0) 0.5oz @60
chinook (11.5) 0.5oz @60
columbus (15.4) 0.5oz @60
simcoe 0.5oz @ 20
amarillo (8.0) 1oz @ 0
amarillo 2oz dry hop 5 days
simcoe 2oz dry hop 5 days

Unable to imput fwh in the brewing app I use, so IBU level I'm not too sure. I'd guess it's around 80 or so. Might have to pull a pint of this tonight to check carb levels.

Wow, how'd you get the FG down that low? I only managed 1.011. Somehow it went up a point from primary after secondary.

For those who've bottled when did you find the premium drinking time was? Mine has been conditioning a week. I'm guessing drinking it quite fresh is important because of those nice hop aromas will be at their best.

 

[jeff62217]

Wow, how'd you get the FG down that low? I only managed 1.011. Somehow it went up a point from primary after secondary.

For those who've bottled when did you find the premium drinking time was? Mine has been conditioning a week. I'm guessing drinking it quite fresh is important because of those nice hop aromas will be at their best.

I mashed at 149/150 and fermented for 12-13 days before dry hopping/transferring to secondary. One 11g pack of S05.

Also it's been close to 90 ambient temps here lately so I've been trying to keep it below 72-74 but having a tough time with a swamp cooler. I was thinking perhaps the vodka I soaked the zest in helped lower the FG a little bit since the only reading I took was when kegging.

That keg kicked quicker than nearly any keg in the past. Shared a bunch with neighbors and family, everyone loved it.

 

[christophereatworld]

I mashed at 149/150 and fermented for 12-13 days before dry hopping/transferring to secondary. One 11g pack of S05.

Also it's been close to 90 ambient temps here lately so I've been trying to keep it below 72-74 but having a tough time with a swamp cooler. I was thinking perhaps the vodka I soaked the zest in helped lower the FG a little bit since the only reading I took was when kegging.

That keg kicked quicker than nearly any keg in the past. Shared a bunch with neighbors and family, everyone loved it.

Nice work. I followed a similar process with a partial mash, so maybe the S05 was a difference maker also. I used WLP001.

 

[christophereatworld]

First sample last night after 11 days in the bottles. Really excellent. The grapefruit flavour was very pronounced. In fact, this tastes more like Grapefruit Sculpin than the regular kind! Hoping that will mellow a bit as they continue to condition over the weekend, but really pleased so far.

 

[newbies13]

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 6.73 gal
Bottling Volume: 4.60 gal
Estimated OG: 1.067 SG
Estimated Color: 6.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 101.3 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
10 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 80.8 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 3 7.7 %
1 lbs Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 7.7 %
8.0 oz Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 4 3.8 %
0.59 oz Cascade [6.70 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 6 13.4 IBUs
0.30 oz Chinook [13.10 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 8 13.3 IBUs
0.26 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [15.60 %] - Boil 60. Hop 12 12.5 IBUs
0.32 oz Centennial [9.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 9 8.9 IBUs
0.27 oz Chinook [13.10 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 11 10.9 IBUs
0.26 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 13 6.2 IBUs
0.26 oz Simcoe [12.30 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 14 7.6 IBUs
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.20 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 15 0.0 IBUs
2.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.20 %] - Dry Hop 6.0 Day Hop 17 0.0 IBUs
2.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 6.0 Days Hop 18 0.0 IBUs
0.52 oz Amarillo Gold [8.20 %] - Mash 60.0 min Hop 5 2.6 IBUs
1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 16 -
0.55 oz Amarillo Gold [8.20 %] - First Wort 60.0 Hop 7 15.3 IBUs
0.28 oz Simcoe [12.30 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 10 10.6 IBUs


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 13 lbs
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Mash In Add 16.25 qt of water at 159.1 F 148.0 F 60 min


Notes:
------
Added Whirfloc @15 minutes

Finished this beer and kegged. Went out and bought sculpin to compare against. This is pretty close, and makes a really good IPA either way, but there are some differences that are not quite nailed. These could totally be a result of actual brew process rather than ingredients, but here are my findings:

Color is a bit darker amber than sculpin
Smell is very close, hoppy and citrusy
Flavor is about a 7 out of 10 in terms of being a clone of sculpin. The flavor is very close up until the finish, sculpin has a distinct crisp bitterness that isn't quite captured here. I would consider them sisters, rather than twins.
Mouth feel is a bit heavier than sculpin as well, which is most likely my fault. I would brew for a lighter body next time.

Overall a delicious IPA that hits a lot of the same notes as sculpin. As a side note it cost me $50 to brew this based on local beer mart prices, all those hops really add up.

 

[55x11]

Overall a delicious IPA that hits a lot of the same notes as sculpin. As a side note it cost me $50 to brew this based on local beer mart prices, all those hops really add up.

Nice! I think chasing down precise "clone" is often fruitless. Just enjoy the beer as long as it's good and hits the right notes.

as to $50 - I checked my bills and I paid about $24 ($16 for grain, and about $8 for hops - I buy hops in bulk at just below $1 per oz on average). Reused the yeast. Buying hops in bulk and reusing the yeast can go a long way to cut the cost.

I paid $40 in grain bills that day for two beers - Sculpin Clone and an Oatmeal Stout, and that included Irish Ale yeast for $8 or so.

 

[newbies13]

Nice! I think chasing down precise "clone" is often fruitless. Just enjoy the beer as long as it's good and hits the right notes.

as to $50 - I checked my bills and I paid about $24 ($16 for grain, and about $8 for hops - I buy hops in bulk at just below $1 per oz on average). Reused the yeast. Buying hops in bulk and reusing the yeast can go a long way to cut the cost.

I paid $40 in grain bills that day for two beers - Sculpin Clone and an Oatmeal Stout, and that included Irish Ale yeast for $8 or so.

Where do you shop? I normally go to the homebrewer in el cajon.

 

[55x11]

Where do you shop? I normally go to the homebrewer in el cajon.

homebrewmart (Ballast Point store).

 

[pdog44450]

Does anybody have an idea on how they make the grapefruit sculpin. I've heard adding grapefruit zest @10 minutes, @F/O, and also dry hopping

 

[pdog44450]

Sorry, should have looked the the thread before posting!

 

[Johow]

It's very tasty, having enjoyed several this evening. I wouldn't have an idea how to brew it but I wish you all success.

 

[55x11]

Does anybody have an idea on how they make the grapefruit sculpin. I've heard adding grapefruit zest @10 minutes, @F/O, and also dry hopping

be careful because in my experience zest adds some bitterness. My regular sculpin came out with strong grapefruit taste from hops alone.

 

[pdog44450]

be careful because in my experience zest adds some bitterness. My regular sculpin came out with strong grapefruit taste from hops alone.

What hops did you use? My recipe has Simcoe, Amarillo, Cascade, and Centennial so I'm anticipating grapefruit from the hops but wanted a way to incorporate fresh grapefruit flavor like the GF Sculpin.

I've heard that the white pith on the grapefruit skin can add bitterness. Did you leave that on or remove it. Also when was the zest added?

 

[PGEduardo]

Looking forward to being this up soon...

 

[55x11]

What hops did you use? My recipe has Simcoe, Amarillo, Cascade, and Centennial so I'm anticipating grapefruit from the hops but wanted a way to incorporate fresh grapefruit flavor like the GF Sculpin.

I've heard that the white pith on the grapefruit skin can add bitterness. Did you leave that on or remove it. Also when was the zest added?

I used this recipe, but subbed Tomahawk for Warrior, since that's what I had in bulk. Came out great.

I zested 2 Grapefruits, trying not to cut into the white, but maybe I needed to be even more careful. However, I also read that yeast can eat sugars and behind most sugars hides bitterness.

I made a tincture by adding zest into vodka and soaking it for two days or so. I split the batch, bottled half as usual, and added the tincture to the second half, let it sit for another 2 days or so, then bottled that.

As a result, the regular Sculpin (without any tincture added) taste just right "grapefruity", while grapefruit version is a bit too strong on grapefruit, to the point it also has bitterness tones. Next time I may just scale up the hops a bit if I want to get more grapefruit in.

Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
11 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 80.0 %
1 lbs 4.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 2 9.1 %
1 lbs Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 7.3 %
8.0 oz Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 4 3.6 %
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Mash 60.0 min Hop 5 5.3 IBUs
0.50 oz Warrior [15.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 23.5 IBUs
0.25 oz Magnum [12.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 7 9.4 IBUs
0.25 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 8 6.6 IBUs
0.25 oz Warrior [15.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 9 11.7 IBUs
0.25 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 10 6.0 IBUs
0.25 oz Crystal [3.50 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 11 2.1 IBUs
0.25 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 12 7.8 IBUs
1.10 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 13 -
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 14 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) [35.49 ml] Yeast 15 -
2.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Dry Hop 0.0 Days Hop 16 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 0.0 Days Hop 17 0.0 IBUs

 

[ballsy]

Brewed this recipe as 1st 10 gal batch ever yesrerday. Took much longer than originally thought. But in the end two 5 gal buckets full of this is nice! Loved this last time I brewed it. No grapefruit this time. I might add zest &juice to one bucket and leave the other alone to compare end results.