Boulevard Nutcracker Ale Clone Guidance

[shildebr]

Hello,

I'm looking to brew something similar to Boulevard's Nutcracker Ale.

I don't have a lot of experience designing recipes, and I was intimidated to try this because of the number of different ingredients, so any feedback that you can give me would be greatly appreciated!

Nutcracker Clone
Christmas/Winter Specialty Spice Beer

Type: All-Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 6.30 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 80.00


Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
4 lbs 8.0 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 38.30 %
4 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 38.30 %
1 lbs Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain 8.51 %
1 lbs Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 8.51 %
8.0 oz Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 4.26 %
4.0 oz Molasses (1/2 Cup) (80.0 SRM) Sugar 2.13 %
0.50 oz Chinook [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 19.6 IBU
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (30 min) Hops 6.4 IBU
0.50 oz Chinook [13.00 %] (15 min) Hops 9.7 IBU
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (5 min) Hops 1.7 IBU

1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.062 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.016 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.98 %
Bitterness: 37.4 IBU Calories: 280 cal/pint
Est Color: 21.9 SRM

 

[SevenFields]

BLVD Nutcracker Ale is a great beer. Good luck with your clone!

 

[shildebr]

I saw that BYO had a clone of it in their Dec 08 issue, but it didn't really seem completely in-line with what Boulevard had on their website.

Can anybody offer any help? Would my original recipe be OK, or should I move closer to what BYO had? Thanks!

Amount Item Type % or IBU
8 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 66.61 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 7.84 %
1 lbs Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 7.84 %
10 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 4.94 %
6 oz Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 2.98 %
1 lbs 4.0 oz Brown Sugar, Dark (50.0 SRM) Sugar 9.80 %
0.50 oz Magnum [14.00 %] (60 min) Hops 22.7 IBU
0.25 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (30 min) Hops 3.4 IBU
0.25 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (0 min) Hops -
0.50 oz Chinook [13.00 %] (0 min) Hops -
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.065 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.017 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.29 %
Bitterness: 26.1 IBU Calories: 265 cal/pint
Est Color: 18.6 SRM

 

[Bluelinebrewer]

Nutcracker Ale is a tasty beer! Anyone wanna take a stab at an extract version of this one? I'd be interested in trying to brew it if I can get some help from someone who might be able to convert this over to an extract recipe (or maybe even a pm version). Thanks!

 

[shildebr]

Nutcracker Ale is a tasty beer! Anyone wanna take a stab at an extract version of this one? I'd be interested in trying to brew it if I can get some help from someone who might be able to convert this over to an extract recipe (or maybe even a pm version). Thanks!

I brewed this over the weekend, I used a recipe that was closer to the second I posted, rather than the first. I will let you know in a couple weeks how it turned out. It might be cutting it kind of close to get a batch correct before christmas, so I've got my fingers crossed for success on the first batch.

 

[Foamenter]

Man, I haven't had a nutcracker ale in about 5 years, they are tasty. I used to live near KC, now I'm in Atlanta.

I'm going to try this, but I'll do a PM. I don't think I'll add any molasses, or brown sugar. I'll probably try to get the flavor profile out of the grains listed on the Boulevard site. I'm going to use a Columbus to bitter, and maybe a Saaz or uk first gold for the nose.

Let me know how yours turns out. I would have been reluctant to put that much brown sugar in, although I'm not sure why(i doubt any cidery flavors would make their way through this beer)

 

[shildebr]

Let me know how yours turns out. I would have been reluctant to put that much brown sugar in, although I'm not sure why(i doubt any cidery flavors would make their way through this beer)

Will do. I did scale back the brown sugar to just 8 oz. FWIW.

 

[Foamenter]

Update? I'm getting ready to put together a recipe.

 

[Foamenter]

I did a partial mash on this yesterday. Here's my take on it - the Sterno Ale

Ingredients

3 lbs Dark Dry Extract (17.5 SRM) Dry Extract 24.00 %
6 lbs Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 48.00 %
1 lbs Caraaroma (130.0 SRM) Grain 8.00 %
1 lbs Caramel Wheat Malt (46.0 SRM) Grain 8.00 %
1 lbs Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 8.00 %
8.0 oz Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 4.00 %
0.50 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] (60 min) Hops 17.2 IBU
1.00 oz First Gold [8.00 %] (30 min) Hops 15.1 IBU
0.50 oz First Gold [8.00 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
1 Pkgs Safale S-05 Yeast-Ale


Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.065 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.060 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.019 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.06 %
Bitterness: 39.3 IBU Calories: 270 cal/pint
Est Color: 34.2 SRM

 

[Foamenter]

I just took a reading - it's @ 1.017. It's been fermenting at ~68*. I'll put it in a keg as soon as I have one open.(soon)

 

[shildebr]

OK, its been a while since I've commented on this recipe. It turned out really well! I don't think I would change anything in the recipe, except that I might add a very small amount of holiday spices to the brew, or possibly add spices to the fermenter.

I usually add a dash of nutmeg and cinnamon to my glass before pouring, but my wife thinks it has enough spice flavor without adding any.

 

[HI_SALENITY]

So what was the recipe you used ? I have a keg of nutcracker now but I don't want to run out and wait until next year for more .
I have been doing extract recipes until now but I am not having any luck finding a kit/recipe to it may be my first all grain.
Have you tried it next to a Nutcracker to compare the too?

 

[SevenFields]

Austin Homebrew supply now has a BLVD Nutcracker clone kit!!!

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_452_626&products_id=12422

I ordered this one right away once I saw it!!!!!