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

[jb1677]

I brewed this again Saturday and blew through the last of my Centennial :-(

LHBS still has 1LB bags I assume from last year? (only harvested once a year right?)

 

[vbman29]

I brewed this again Saturday and blew through the last of my Centennial :-(

LHBS still has 1LB bags I assume from last year? (only harvested once a year right?)

That's nice, my LHBS only has 1oz options and they run $2.50 an oz. What are you getting a pound for in your area. I'm thinking about starting to buy in bulk, since I mostly brew IPA's.

 

[TBaGZ]

I think I paid like 16 or 18 bucks for a pound of Centennial.

 

[catdaddy66]

I am ordering ingredients for this clone right now. Seems pretty straight forward and I need to be able to drink this beer regularly!

Just bought a mixed 6 of Bells products including 2HA and Oberon as well as Amber Ale. May wind up doing those clones also...!

 

[dmbnpj]

subscribed...what is the best yeast for this? it is now sunday and i plan on brewing on friday in 5 days

I've been reading that either Bells Amber or Oberon beers are good to harvest the yeast for this. If I start this tonight (Monday) with a six pack on a stir plate will I be able to harvest and grow enough yeast by this Friday?

Thanks!

 

[barhoc11]

Alright, I have been 'tasting' my clone over the past week since kegging it. I brewed this 5 weeks ago and it was in the primary for 3 weeks until I added 1oz of centennial for 6 days before kegging.

My taste notes are leaving me with a little bit of a 'hotness', almost like an alcohol taste. I have made this before and do not remember getting this, has anyone had a similar taste to their two hearted clone? I want to say its mellowing but that might be in my head.

Any thoughts?

 

[dschoen5]

Brewed this yesterday (partial mash). Quick question for you guys on fermentation. Should I do 5 days in primary, then add hops to primary for another 4 days (so 9 total) and then rack to secondary for another 2 weeks? Or would you suggest different lengths of time? Let me know. Thanks!

The original directions said 4 weeks total

 

[one-L]

Alright, I have been 'tasting' my clone over the past week since kegging it. I brewed this 5 weeks ago and it was in the primary for 3 weeks until I added 1oz of centennial for 6 days before kegging.

My taste notes are leaving me with a little bit of a 'hotness', almost like an alcohol taste. I have made this before and do not remember getting this, has anyone had a similar taste to their two hearted clone? I want to say its mellowing but that might be in my head.

Any thoughts?

Haven't gotten any "hotness" out of the 2 batches I have brewed so far, but I have been using US-05 and fermenting on the cool side (62-65ish). I think that helps tame some of that.

Brewed this yesterday (partial mash). Quick question for you guys on fermentation. Should I do 5 days in primary, then add hops to primary for another 4 days (so 9 total) and then rack to secondary for another 2 weeks? Or would you suggest different lengths of time? Let me know. Thanks!

The original directions said 4 weeks total

On both batches I have done, I let it sit 10-12 days in primary untouched, and then dry-hopped, but I drop hop directly in the keg and leave until done. Going the dry-hop in primary route, I would let it sit 10-14 days before the dry hop, pitch the dry hop in primary and leave for another 5-7 days, and then either cold crash for a day or two, or just rack directly into keg or bottle. I don't think another 2 weeks after dry hopping in secondary is going to do anything for you with this one, and I would be worried losing a lot of dry hop punch also adding only 5 days in as off gassing/yeast dropping are going to take a bunch of those hop oils with them. YMMV.

 

[2005STi]

Brewed a scaled down version (4 gal total, only had my secondary free). Things went kind of crappy at the end when my gravity fed plate chiller set up only got my wort to 100F. I tried to run it again and it wouldn't flow (wasn't very confident in sanitization at this point) so I threw it in the kegerator and waited for it to drop to 70 to pitch.

I let it sit in the primary for 21 days and racked to the keg w/ a 1oz dry hop. Today at day 24, there isn't really any hop aroma and the beer tastes astringent. One of the worst tasting beers I've brewed. Even if it needs to condition, I don't get where the hop aroma and flavor is. I'm getting zero Centennial flavor/smell. Also the fermentation looked completely normal, no sign of infection.

I brewed this beer for my brothers 30th which is this saturday 7/20. I brought the keg out of the keezer and into the basement to 'condition' until friday night where I'll probably dry hop the 0.5 oz of columbus if nothing's changed just to give it something.

I'm rally frustrated reading how many people had great success with this recipe and mine's sooo far off. I was also really excited for this beer seeing Two Hearted is pretty much my favorite all around beer.

 

[jaydog2314]

Brewed a scaled down version (4 gal total, only had my secondary free). Things went kind of crappy at the end when my gravity fed plate chiller set up only got my wort to 100F. I tried to run it again and it wouldn't flow (wasn't very confident in sanitization at this point) so I threw it in the kegerator and waited for it to drop to 70 to pitch.

I let it sit in the primary for 21 days and racked to the keg w/ a 1oz dry hop. Today at day 24, there isn't really any hop aroma and the beer tastes astringent. One of the worst tasting beers I've brewed. Even if it needs to condition, I don't get where the hop aroma and flavor is. I'm getting zero Centennial flavor/smell. Also the fermentation looked completely normal, no sign of infection.

I brewed this beer for my brothers 30th which is this saturday 7/20. I brought the keg out of the keezer and into the basement to 'condition' until friday night where I'll probably dry hop the 0.5 oz of columbus if nothing's changed just to give it something.

I'm rally frustrated reading how many people had great success with this recipe and mine's sooo far off. I was also really excited for this beer seeing Two Hearted is pretty much my favorite all around beer.

Sounds similar to mine. No hop aroma at all and very off taste. Only batch I ever dumped.

 

[sivdrinks]

I only get quality dry hop aroma with 3oz of hops, anything less is a waste in my experience.

 

[orangemen5]

I only get quality dry hop aroma with 3oz of hops, anything less is a waste in my experience.

I'm realizing this also.

 

[2005STi]

I only get quality dry hop aroma with 3oz of hops, anything less is a waste in my experience.

My last two beers I used 2oz dry hops, Simcoe and Mosiac, and both yielded great aroma. Maybe I'll have to try 3 and see what it does. They were also in the keg, I never feel like I get any aroma from dry hopping in the carboy.

 

[barhoc11]

I only get quality dry hop aroma with 3oz of hops, anything less is a waste in my experience.

That might be true for whole hops but for my latest batch I used 1oz of pellets to dry hop and I get a nice aroma.

 

[Beer-lord]

I only get quality dry hop aroma with 3oz of hops, anything less is a waste in my experience.

We can't get the real deal in my area but a friend got me a few and I had one last night. It's been months since I brewed this up and my brother has some fermenting now that we're going to do a side by side with but.......I love this beer but like more hops too so when I did the last one, I added 2 1/2 oz of hops in the dry hop. I feel this takes this beer up a notch though I tip my hat to this wonderful beer.

 

[firerat]

My taste notes are leaving me with a little bit of a 'hotness', almost like an alcohol taste. I have made this before and do not remember getting this, has anyone had a similar taste to their two hearted clone? I want to say its mellowing but that might be in my head.

Any thoughts?

I'm experiencing the same thing. It's way hotter than the original.

It is mellowing out a bit though so I'll be patient and see what happens. I'm half tempted to take it out of the keezer and age it a bit more at room temp. I don't really know what effect this will have though.

 

[barhoc11]

I'm experiencing the same thing. It's way hotter than the original.

It is mellowing out a bit though so I'll be patient and see what happens. I'm half tempted to take it out of the keezer and age it a bit more at room temp. I don't really know what effect this will have though.

I made 10 gallons of this for a party in mid August so I have been disappointed so far. My plan has always been to let 5 gallons of this sit as long as possible before putting in my keezer prior to the party but this means I might not get the clearest beer possible.

I actually took the first 5 gallons I put in the keezer out to condition more and I recommend you do the same. I know for sure this beer gets better with age so I am hoping it turns the corner before my party.

 

[tagz]

Hot alcohol flavors shouldnt be related to the recipe; they would be more a function of yeast health, pitching rate, and fermentation temp.

 

[firerat]

I actually took the first 5 gallons I put in the keezer out to condition more and I recommend you do the same. I know for sure this beer gets better with age so I am hoping it turns the corner before my party.

I followed your advice and took this out of the keezer to age a bit more.

Man what a good idea!! The hot flavor (I may be mislabeling what I'm tasting) has subsided and those lovely centennials have seemed to come more to the front. While not quite the same as Two Hearted, this is definitely a delicious beer!!

Ahh patience. A virtue in beer as in life.

 

[idrinkstuffnthings]

Brewed today. Messed up sparge volume. Ended up with a 6.5 gallon batch. 1.052 OG. oh well. Just more beer to drink. First ipa can't wait

 

[2005STi]

I brewed this beer 7 weeks ago and it's just starting to come around. It's finally getting that centennial smell and a bit of that two hearted flavor. It's still a little astringent but I think that's because my final volume was lower leaving me with more a higher OG/IBU ratio. I left it in the primary for 3 weeks, kegged and sat for a week. It tasted way off so I took it out to condition at 70deg for a week then back into the fridge for the past two weeks.

I'd be interested to brew it again and try to nail my process better and see if it makes the difference. But if this is a beer that takes 7-8 weeks to be drinking its best, I'd rather use my fermenters/kegs on beers with better turn arounds like 5-6 weeks.

 

[Nightstalker]

I have/had the same results as you 2005sti. Was not impressed and I know it was something I did. I have had it conditioning for two months and it has not gotten much better. I may give it another go but it was not the Bells I remember (not close) I tried my BIL's Dead Ringer extract and thought it was closer than what I made.

 

[lukskywok]

i tried this recipe earlier this year, im on my last bottle, gonna have to do it again =] really good beer, better than original two hearted imho =]

 

[Jhoss]

I've brewed this many times and about to do it again on Labor Day. I "get" what most are saying about this THA clone. But someone had to dump this? Yikes! Thats seems way out there for this recipe.

Some comments. I usually primary this for at least 3 weeks, 4 or 5 only better. I rack to secondary (yes, oh the humanity) and dry hop for 5 days max. 3 days on dry hops and 2 days of cold-crash is my target (give or take a day or so). Then 3 weeks at 70 in the bottle. At this time frame - your first bottle will still taste green....hot....bitter. 3 more weeks and it will be coming into it - it can't be rushed. And, it has a sweet spot, it will loose its fresh IPA "freshness" if you leave it laying around for another couple of months or so. If you hit it when it's peaked you are in for a treat. I've posted this before about some blind taste tests where every contestant picked the homebrew as 1.) the one they liked the best (easiest to drink) and 2.) they picked this homebrew as the one they thought was the commercial one. At it's peak - it's just WOW!

 

[2005STi]

^ so you're talking
1) 3-5 weeks Primary
2) 5 days dry hop/cold crash
3) 3 weeks bottle
4) 3 more weeks to be at its peak

That's 10-12 weeks. 3 months for an ipa to hit its prime is nuts. We're talking 6 weeks for conditioning?

 

[ThickHead]

^ so you're talking
1) 3-5 weeks Primary
2) 5 days dry hop/cold crash
3) 3 weeks bottle
4) 3 more weeks to be at its peak

That's 10-12 weeks. 3 months for an ipa to hit its prime is nuts. We're talking 6 weeks for conditioning?

This is not overly nuts. The single best ever rendition of this recipe that I have brewed, to date, went like this:

- 3 weeks in primary @60F
- 1 month in secondary @60F (went away for work)
- 5 day dry hop in secondary @60F
- 2 day cold crash in secondary @35F (dry hops still in)
- 3 weeks in keg @40F/12psi

That is almost 3 months. Granted, all this waiting was not necessary or even intentional in this particular case but it absolutely produced one of the finest IPAs I have ever brewed. I mean....outstanding in my opinion! It's funny what one learns under forced conditions sometimes.

 

[arborman]

Im going to to a 10 gallon batch of this on the weekend, and will split into 2 fermentors. I will do one batch all centennial dry hop, but thinking of dry hopping the second with a different hop. I really like dank! I have lots of simcoe, falconers flight and amarillo on hand... Any suggestions?

 

[solbes]

I've brewed NB Dead Ringer Ale (AG) twice and had a lot of positive comments. Used Bells yeast. They were immediately drinkable after 2-2.5 weeks of bottle conditioning and half a week in the fridge. Honestly, those were the best ones as the aroma was the highest. Took me maybe 8 weeks to consume thet batch from then on and the beer was stable, but wasn't any better than the first ones.

I did pitch a healthy amount of Bells yeast, as I always brew my house pale ale prior to this one. That and hitting the proper temps were the key for me. I think I primaried for 2 weeks, then dry hopped in primary for 4-5 days, cold crashed, and bottled.

 

[Jhoss]

^ so you're talking
1) 3-5 weeks Primary
2) 5 days dry hop/cold crash
3) 3 weeks bottle
4) 3 more weeks to be at its peak

That's 10-12 weeks. 3 months for an ipa to hit its prime is nuts. We're talking 6 weeks for conditioning?

I just want to re-iterate my experiences with this brew. I work with (3) beer snobs (myself being the fourth) - one of them German. For what it's worth, - the blind taste test rendered a unanimous verdict from all 3. The homebrew was preferred between the two and the homebrew was obviously the commercial beer in the test (wrong!). There are quicker turn-around beers to be brewed, but when you want to get your IPA on, it's a winner!

 

[DonnieZ]

Brewed this for the second time a few weeks ago. The first time I brewed this recipe, it was my first attempt at AG brewing. Didn't turn out good at all. Figured I'd take a second stab at it.

This time I Ended up missing my gravity by about 22-23 points, starting at 1.043 or so. I think I took too long draining the mash tun of both first runnings as well as the sparse run-off. Also I want to start looking at mash pH as well.

Either way, it fermented out to about 1.011 in a little over a week and a half. Cold crashed the primary and racked to secondary on Labor Day. Planning on dry hopping this beer tomorrow, but wondering if 2 Oz of Centennial pellets is too much for this small of a beer? Advice?