American IPA Bell's Two Hearted Ale Clone (close as they come)

[ThickHead]

My SG was 1.052, also. This was my first a/g batch though.

For those of you who are missing your SG target, you might consider moving to a 90 minute mash schedule to increase your efficiency (you can always boil longer as well). With my process I have found that a 90 min mash gives me a much improved (higher and less variable) efficiency every single time.

My experience with this may be down to my vessel size, preferred Water:Grain ratios and other such variables and may not necessarily apply to you. However, consider giving it a try as an approach to improving your efficiency and getting closer to your target SG.

Having said that, if you are happy with the consistency of your efficiency, you may wish to just accept the efficiency you are getting and modifying the grain bill accordingly to hit your targets.

 

[TBaGZ]

I harvested Bells yeast from 4 bottles of Amber, and did a 3 step (100ml-400ml-1000ml) starter.

Being that this was my first A/G and BIAB I was kind of expecting my OG to be a little low. I will be going over processes, and crush to figure out why to get it up to where it needs to be without wasting money by adding more grain.

 

[AGadvocate]

I brewed this Thursday night and took some footage.

 

[Option]

Brewed this last Thursday (9 days ago) and the fermentation is freaking me out! Used some different techniques this time so not really sure what to expect but does this look good to you? Its the weird cloudy hazy parts I am really curious about...

 

[Sippin37]

Did you just dump some pellet hops right into the fermenter when fermentation was starting?

 

[pannell77]

brewing this up tomorrow with some washed wyeast greenbelt yeast (from AHS), excited to see how it turns out.

 

[Beer-lord]

My friends and I are loving this stuff. I have the NB AG kit and while it's not exact, it's an awesome brew. Makes me look like I know what I'm doing.

 

[sivdrinks]

Maybe it's just me but I don't think the NB kit is that close. Mine got too caramelly both times I made it, AG and extract.

 

[Option]

Did you just dump some pellet hops right into the fermenter when fermentation was starting?

lol no hops were added to this fermenter...

 

[Beer-lord]

Maybe it's just me but I don't think the NB kit is that close. Mine got too caramelly both times I made it, AG and extract.

I don't get any caramel flavor at all. I tried it side by side and it was a bit close but I'm actually like mine better as do my friends. This one will be a regular.

 

[Jhoss]

Went to the Detroit Tigers game Sunday night...did you know they have Two Hearted for sale there? Yup, just bring your 7 dollars for 12 oz., I did! And, no regrets, what a place to have your favorite beer!

So, on Labor Day Monday - I bottled my 2nd batch of 2HA clone.

I put 12 ounces in a clear bottle just to be able to examine the fruits of my labor.

 

[bsyoung]

For someone who has done the extract version of this, how did it turn out??

 

[sparky701]

Went to the Detroit Tigers game Sunday night...did you know they have Two Hearted for sale there? Yup, just bring your 7 dollars for 12 oz., I did! And, no regrets, what a place to have your favorite beer!

So, on Labor Day Monday - I bottled my 2nd batch of 2HA clone.

I put 12 ounces in a clear bottle just to be able to examine the fruits of my labor.

That looks like a heck of a great beer! Can't wait to get mine in the keg this weekend. So lucky to have a bar down the street that has this on tap when I run out.

 

[Hanglow]

tomorrow I'll be trying an IPA for the first time, would (assuming I match the IBUs) using a mixture of Apollo (mainly for bittering) Colombus and Williamette give me good results with this recipe? I thought I had centennial but it was colombus...


Good results as in a decent IPA rather than a clone of this of course

 

[sivdrinks]

tomorrow I'll be trying an IPA for the first time, would (assuming I match the IBUs) using a mixture of Apollo (mainly for bittering) Colombus and Williamette give me good results with this recipe? I thought I had centennial but it was colombus...

Good results as in a decent IPA rather than a clone of this of course

70% Columbus and 30% Cascade is said to get you Centennial.

 

[TBaGZ]

Brewed on 8-25, and took a gravity reading tonight. It's sitting at 1.008 (started at 1.055) so not too bad there, but I didn't really taste the hops like I was hoping. Thinking I am going to dry hop with a full ounce.

 

[sivdrinks]

Brewed on 8-25, and took a gravity reading tonight. It's sitting at 1.008 (started at 1.055) so not too bad there, but I didn't really taste the hops like I was hoping. Thinking I am going to dry hop with a full ounce.

I go with 3 on all my IPA's, makes a big difference. I have hops to spare though, I'd go a minimum of 1oz though.

 

[TBaGZ]

Centennial is a little scarce around here and I was only able to get my hands on 5oz. The original recipe calls for a half ounce so I figure a whole ounce will work (I hope).

 

[omegabrew]

My friend and I are brewing this today. Using 6oz of centennial, 3oz for dry hopping. This is my first brew without a kit so wish me luck, this beer is damn delicious and I hope I can come close.

 

[Beer-lord]

Last night my friends begged me to brew the NB all grain clone again. They said it was by far, my best beer and they love all my beers (except for the one chick who doesn't like brown ales). So, I have enough grains and hops on hand and my be doing this very soon. How much you bet it doesn't come out as good? Actually, while it might not be an extremely close version, I've tasted many versions from other brewers and they have all been very much enjoyable. I'd be happy to end up with any of them.
This is a relatively cheap recipe to make and one I find is better kegged than bottled but that's just my opinion.

 

[sivdrinks]

I brewed OP recipe last night, had to go with the Columbus/Cascade blend and subbed flakes barley for Carapils. I usually dumb down recipes a bit to try and save on calories and ABV, it's a problem with three beers on tap. OG came out 1.061, hoping for 1.014 as a final.

 

[jtkratzer]

Went with a middle of the road route on the THA:
18 lbs 2-Row
4 lbs Vienna
2 lbs Maris Otter
1 lb Caramel 20
1 lb Carapils

Same hops...1056 yeast.

Under way...PITA getting my pumps to cooperate and the flow started to recirculate the mash. Rocking and rolling now.

I will never get over how good it smells when mashing grain.

 

[jtkratzer]

Missed my volume, but got the gravity. I must not have gotten the efficiency I normally get, but no worries. It will be beer. Gravity sample is definitely hoppy.

Pump issues led to a nearly two hour mash and the temp was closer to 148 or so.

 

[sivdrinks]

Missed my volume, but got the gravity. I must not have gotten the efficiency I normally get, but no worries. It will be beer. Gravity sample is definitely hoppy.

Pump issues led to a nearly two hour mash and the temp was closer to 148 or so.

Gonna be some fermentable wort!

 

[porky_pine]

Just brewed this today, my first attempt at all grain BIAB. 90 minute mash at 150 and dipped it in a couple gallons at 170. 1.058 og, I can't wait to see how it turns out. I haven't had Two hearted in days as it's not available on the west coast. This 5 1/2 gallon batch cost me $21 which is pretty awesome. I love all grain!

 

[Petekiteworld]

How could this recipe get any better? Increase the dry hop to 2oz!

 

[VipertheIV]

Where are you buying your ingredients porky_pine? That is very cheap for the grains, let alone, yeast and hops.

 

[porky_pine]

At Brew Brothers in Hillsboro Oregon. It's an extra ten minute drive from my nearest LHBS but well worth the drive because it's so much cheaper.

 

[Firebat138]

yeah... we but EVERYTHING in bulk... So the grains would have cost us lets say $15 total... 6 oz Centennial around $7.50
yeast packet, $4.00. I just may drive there too. If we had to buy this by the lb and ounce it would have doubled easily

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

At Brew Brothers in Hillsboro Oregon. It's an extra ten minute drive from my nearest LHBS but well worth the drive because it's so much cheaper.

You must be the one who took all the Centennial...i finished the job for you

Gonna have to do this with whole leaf hops...their Centennials are listed @ 11.6 Alpha, which is way higher than the recipe uses @ 9.5...according to beersmith i should use .85oz instead of 1oz for each drop during the boil with these. If i used them straight up in equal quantities Beersmith puts me up way at like 62.1 IBU or something...never used Beersmiths adjust bitterness button before...gotta say thats pretty nice

Im thinking of doing this one with Nottingham, someone had mentioned somewhere in this thread about possibly mashing at a higher temp to make up for the dryness that Nottingham can have? Any other words on that? Otherwise was planning on just following it at 150.

Also 2oz of my hops came from a different shop locally that are super fresh, they dont even know what the AA is yet. Because of this i am thinking of using those 2oz as my dry hops since the AA wont really matter at that point, but the super fresh floral/citrus might be over the top with 2oz of fresh leaf hops? Never dry hopped before.