Blue Moon Clone

[Wayne1]

Blue Moon had always been brewed with a single infusion rest at SandLot brewery.

I have only done single infusions at the other breweries where I have made variations on Blue Moon. At home it is only single infusion.

As I continually state, try the recipe "stock" the first time you make it. For the second time you can change things up to suit your taste. You currently have no idea what the standard recipe will taste like when made on your system.

Brew it as written and then tweak after you have some data on what your system does.

Nilo has made about 9 variations on this theme and I applaud him for his research. He has made the basic recipe and has been fine tuning it for HIS system ever since. Everybody's system is different. What works for Nilo does not work for me. So try the standard recipe, gather some data points and then, slowly, tweak the recipe to your tastes.

 

[jwalker1140]

As I continually state, try the recipe "stock" the first time you make it. For the second time you can change things up to suit your taste. You currently have no idea what the standard recipe will taste like when made on your system.

Brew it as written and then tweak after you have some data on what your system does.

Nilo has made about 9 variations on this theme and I applaud him for his research. He has made the basic recipe and has been fine tuning it for HIS system ever since. Everybody's system is different. What works for Nilo does not work for me. So try the standard recipe, gather some data points and then, slowly, tweak the recipe to your tastes.

This!

 

[heathcom]

Indeed I will try the recipe and tweek as I continue to brew. I dont mean to bash your post but its like posting a recipe than telling everyone to try it and rest the thread to an end. I like the ideas and criticism that comes about when everyone gathers to form new ideas and new directions. Had I not read all 700+ posts, I would not have even put a thought into attempting this recipe.
I just hate to waste money time and effort into something that would be a catostrophic failure.

 

[jwalker1140]

My take... The fact that there are 700+ posts can give a strong impression that the original recipe, or Wayne1's update, may not give you the best chance at a solid clone of Blue Moon, which is a shame. And it makes it very tempting to believe that following some variation will give you a shortcut to a better brew, at least that was the case for me.

My first two attempts were based on variations I read about on here but I've since discovered that the original 50/40/10 grain bill with a single infusion mash and a clean yeast actually got me much, much closer to the commercial version. I believe very minor tweaks to my mash temp and spice amounts are the only things keeping keeping me from a "truly spot-on clone." But then, I'm just another stranger adding to the static... YMMV.

I liken Wanye1's comments to urging someone to first read the original text rather than a translation, or to first watch the original Star Wars rather than the "special edition."

 

[nilo]

Just to add to the noise floor, brewing #10 right now.
Run out of two row, so used more wheat this time.

6.5lb Briess wheat malt
3lb Briess 2 row brewers malt
1lb Briess crystal 10
1/2lb Briess carapils

mashed at 155F for 75min (another change, not planed)

1oz hallertau for 60min
1.5oz orange peels for 10min
0.375oz coriander for 10min
2 table spoons corn starch for 15min

will use S04 at 65F.

 

[nilo]

jwalker1140, just to clarify, the first two attempts you referred that took you to the wrong direction, were those the partial mash recipes you did or any other variation of all grain?
Also, do you have side by side photos of your attempt where you brewed a mix of Wayne's #1 and #2?
I'm still scratching my head why I had to use 1lb of C10 to get the color matching.

 

[jwalker1140]

My partial mash, and extract before that, batches were all too dark, as you would expect. I don't have any photos of my previous all grain batch but I did just bottle another one today so I'll try to remember to report back with photos in a few weeks. My previous batch, from what I remember, may not have been absolutely indistinguishable in a side-by-side, but it was so close that there's no way I would be able to tell if someone handed it for me right after I finished a commercial version (kind of the 'Can You Brew It' standard for calling something cloned).

From your photos, it seems you totally have the color dialed in. Very impressive. I don't taste any crystal in BM. Does the 1.0 lb of C10 come through in yours?

 

[llama_boy]

Brewing 10 gallons of Wayne1's updated recipe. I will split the fermentation using S-04 and Pacman. I'll keep you posted with some side-by-side tastings and pics.

Thanks for all the great information in this thread.

 

[nilo]

My partial mash, and extract before that, batches were all too dark, as you would expect. I don't have any photos of my previous all grain batch but I did just bottle another one today so I'll try to remember to report back with photos in a few weeks. My previous batch, from what I remember, may not have been absolutely indistinguishable in a side-by-side, but it was so close that there's no way I would be able to tell if someone handed it for me right after I finished a commercial version (kind of the 'Can You Brew It' standard for calling something cloned).

From your photos, it seems you totally have the color dialed in. Very impressive. I don't taste any crystal in BM. Does the 1.0 lb of C10 come through in yours?

I don't have a developed tasting skills, so with that in mind, I don't pick a specific C10 flavor.

 

[HopHouse]

Am planning my brew day for tomorrow and I went to the blue moon website to find additional info to combine with Wayne's recipe suggestions from the original brewery.

Here's from the blue moon website:


Malts: Pale, White Wheat, Oats
Hops: Blend of Imported and Domestic
Our Twist: Valencia Orange Peel , Coriander
IBUs: 9
Original Gravity: 13º Plato
ABV: 5.4%

Simple take the 50%, 40%, 10% ratios Wayne posted and adjust to hit the original gravity and ABV for your system. Enjoy!

 

[Big_Cat]

Am planning my brew day for tomorrow and I went to the blue moon website to find additional info to combine with Wayne's recipe suggestions from the original brewery.

Here's from the blue moon website:

Malts: Pale, White Wheat, Oats
Hops: Blend of Imported and Domestic
Our Twist: Valencia Orange Peel , Coriander
IBUs: 9
Original Gravity: 13º Plato
ABV: 5.4%

Simple take the 50%, 40%, 10% ratios Wayne posted and adjust to hit the original gravity and ABV for your system. Enjoy!

13 Plato ?? As an OG that is amazingly low ..that's 1.030

 

[nilo]

13 Plato ?? As an OG that is amazingly low ..that's 1.030

your avatar, are you floating on the dead sea?

13 plato=1.053

 

[Big_Cat]

your avatar, are you floating on the dead sea?

13 plato=1.053

Lol Milo I fat fingered my calculations as 3 plato instead of 13 lol

 

[Big_Cat]

8 Not 3 .., damn phone

 

[nilo]

My 9th attempt of a BM clone was a disaster. Used WY1010-American Wheat yeast and that may be the culprit, lots of clove taste, had to dump the whole batch (#9).
Anyways, posting here the results of #10 and #11, here were the changes:

#10
Mashed for 75min, not planned
Used 6.5lb of wheat and only 3lb of row, not planned. Run out of 2 row

#11
Used double orange peels, so full 3oz


Color wise, very similar, hard to pick one. Taste wise, the double orange tasted much closer to the commercial for me.

recipes are posted to same place, Here

Left is #10, center is the commercial, right is #11.

 

[cbehr]

#10
Mashed for 75min, not planned
Used 6.5lb of wheat and only 3lb of row, not planned. Run out of 2 row

#11
Used double orange peels, so full 3oz


Color wise, very similar, hard to pick one. Taste wise, the double orange tasted much closer to the clone for me.

Why did you dump batches #10 & #11?

What do you mean the double oragne tasted much closer to the clone, you mean to the original Blue Moon?

Is #8 still the most similiar/best in your opinion.

 

[nilo]

Why did you dump batches #10 & #11?

What do you mean the double oragne tasted much closer to the clone, you mean to the original Blue Moon?

Is #8 still the most similiar/best in your opinion.

Dumped #9.
Corrected "clone" to "commercial".
#11 is now the closest for me.

 

[nilo]

Why did you dump batches #10 & #11?

What do you mean the double oragne tasted much closer to the clone, you mean to the original Blue Moon?

Is #8 still the most similiar/best in your opinion.

Hey, sorry, just now realized #10&11 had the "dumped" label in google docs. That is corrected now.

 

[cbehr]

Just brewed up another batch yesterday, went with the #11. Anxious to try in a few weeks and will report back!

 

[Phyrst]

So I tried brewing this roughly based on Wayne's original Blue Moon recipe at the beginning of this thread. It tastes great, but the orange flavor is barely there if at all. I was running around the night before brew day (procrastination, I know) trying to find valencia oranges and came up empty. So I used naval oranges instead and boiled them for the last ten minutes.

Without going through all 80 pages of this thread I was wondering since some of you have taken multiple stabs at this recipe if anyone has found the right combination of the type of oranges, the amount, and boil time to get as close to Blue Moon as possible?

 

[nilo]

The amount of spices that tastes close to the BM vary a lot from people to people, so there isn't an answers on that. If you feel you need more orange, add more until you like it.
I'm currently using dry orange peels from Frontier, available in Amazon. Didn't noticed any significant difference from the McCormick Valencia peels and it cost much less.

 

[Phyrst]

Thanks Nilo. How many ozs of peels do you add and how long do you boil them?

 

[nilo]

3oz for last 10min

 

[Phyrst]

3oz for last 10min

Hmmm...that's exactly what I did and I'm not happy with it. Maybe I used the wrong kind of oranges. Anybody have a good/bad experience with naval oranges?

 

[Chavi]

I use Valencia peels. have you tried those?

 

[Phyrst]

I use Valencia peels. have you tried those?

Not yet. As I said earlier this was my first attempt. I foolishly put off my grocery shopping until the night before brew day and went to three different grocery stores looking for valencia oranges. At my third (and by Gawd final!) stop I got the best looking oranges they had.

I think this time I'll just get the dried orange peels from the LHBS.

 

[nilo]

Using fresh peels is a whole different deal than dried peels. Dry peels gives better results in my experience, and allow more conssistency also.

 

[Phyrst]

Using fresh peels is a whole different deal than dried peels. Dry peels gives better results in my experience, and allow more conssistency also.

Awesome. Good info! I've seen them at the LHBS, but I'm always concerned about their age and how long they have been sitting there.

 

[Phyrst]

Or do you guys use the McCormick Dried Orange Peel?

 

[cbehr]

I just like throwing a fresh slice of orange in the beer, does anyone else not do this? Not enough orange, throw a bigger piece in your glass