Brooklyn Sorachi Ace

[Morrey]

Being a fan of Sorachi Ace hops, I picked up a 750 mL corked bottle at a local wine and beer store. The beer exceeded my expectations and is something I'd like to find a clone recipe.

Does anyone have an idea if the brewery uses any brettanomyces yeast in this beer? The Sorachi Ace hop profile is quite dominate along with the rustic nature of the Saison, so I had trouble figuring if there was any brett involved or simply sacch cerevisiae with no brett influence?

If you have an AG recipe to clone, I'd be appreciative! Thanks!!

 

[dmtaylor]

There's no Brett in that beer. I don't have the recipe but I do NOT think they use Wyeast 3711 (which is one of the most common types that finishes super dry around 1.002). They must use one of the other ones.

The only important thing with the recipe really is the use of a lot of Sorachi Ace. Regardless of malt bill or yeast, if you whirlpool about 3-4 oz in 5 gallons, you're like 95% of the way to a clone right there.

 

[Morrey]

There's no Brett in that beer. I don't have the recipe but I do NOT think they use Wyeast 3711 (which is one of the most common types that finishes super dry around 1.002). They must use one of the other ones.

The only important thing with the recipe really is the use of a lot of Sorachi Ace. Regardless of malt bill or yeast, if you whirlpool about 3-4 oz in 5 gallons, you're like 95% of the way to a clone right there.

Thanks, Dave. I tried and tried to put brett in that beer as I was tasting and just couldn't find it in there. The Sorachi Ace hop is very aggressive and could possibly fool me, so you have given me the answer about yeast.

The bottle label also says they dry hop Sorachi Ace in the secondary (for me the keg) so this gives that hop forward aroma and freshness I'll be trying to clone. Thanks!

 

[pshankstar]

I would be interested in a good recipe using Sorachi Ace hops and I have heard good things about this beer by Brooklyn. I bought a pound of these hops last summer and used them in a recipe I designed myself but it wasn't one of my favorites. I still have 10oz of these hops left and would like to use them on a good clone recipe.

 

[Morrey]

I would be interested in a good recipe using Sorachi Ace hops and I have heard good things about this beer by Brooklyn. I bought a pound of these hops last summer and used them in a recipe I designed myself but it wasn't one of my favorites. I still have 10oz of these hops left and would like to use them on a good clone recipe.

I was impressed with this beer to the point of investigating recipes. My enjoyment of this beer is hop related as I like the flavor profiles of Sorachi Ace. The flavors are so pronounced that it reminds me of the hay like or funky flavors associated with brett yeasts.

A good point that Dave made is this beer is all sacch yeast w/o brett. I like brett a lot but it slows down the process to the point it is a longer term beer...plus it likes it warm so it is not conducive to long term storage in the winters here.

Keep an eye on the thread and we'll see what comes in.

 

[dmtaylor]

I made a Sorachi Ace IPA last year and loved it. It's not a hop that everyone likes. Did not score well in competition. The taste of this hop is very much like DILL. Dill dill dill all day long. People not familiar with dill will call it "lemony" and "herbal", but it's DILL, it's all DILL.

 

[NothingRhymesWithCurtiss]

I made a Sorachi Ace IPA last year and loved it. It's not a hop that everyone likes. Did not score well in competition. The taste of this hop is very much like DILL. Dill dill dill all day long. People not familiar with dill will call it "lemony" and "herbal", but it's DILL, it's all DILL.

What I have noticed with this beer/these hops in particular is that the fresh bottles are lemony, where as the bottles that have sat for a while (3+ months) take on more of a dill flavor.

 

[Morrey]

I made a Sorachi Ace IPA last year and loved it. It's not a hop that everyone likes. Did not score well in competition. The taste of this hop is very much like DILL. Dill dill dill all day long. People not familiar with dill will call it "lemony" and "herbal", but it's DILL, it's all DILL.

Dave, I may be mistaken but I think the IBU rating on this Brooklyn SA beer is 34 IBU. The Sorachi Ace IPA you made...was it higher IBU than 34?

I read all kinds of descriptions just like you quoted for Sorachi Ace hops such as lemony and herbal...even earthy. Dill....YES SIR....100% DILL. I love dill, so this is right in my wheelhouse!

 

[dmtaylor]

Dave, I may be mistaken but I think the IBU rating on this Brooklyn SA beer is 34 IBU. The Sorachi Ace IPA you made...was it higher IBU than 34?

I believe mine was right around 55 IBUs, so a bit stronger than Brooklyn's. I did use 4 oz in whirlpool and more again as dry hops as you could probably guess.

 

[Morrey]

I believe mine was right around 55 IBUs, so a bit stronger than Brooklyn's. I did use 4 oz in whirlpool and more again as dry hops as you could probably guess.

Ok, good info. And if you finished it dry as the Brooklyn beer finished, the dryness brings the hop profile forward even more pronounced.

If you did it all over again, would you reduce the IBU some with this particular hop?

 

[dmtaylor]

I wouldn't change anything. I probably could have gotten by on fewer hops since it's a strong hop, but six of one, half dozen the other, it doesn't matter much. But it really all depends what you want. I wasn't trying to clone Brooklyn, I just wanted a Sorachi Ace IPA with a BU:GU ratio of 1.0, and I got it. For a true Brooklyn clone, you should truly shoot for the 34 IBUs that they quote. If you want an IPA, then have your IBUs match the gravity points (e.g., 55 IBUs for a 1.055 OG beer).

In any case, Sorachi Ace is a very powerfully flavored hop, so you really don't need as much as with other hops. You could probably use half as much late hops as a normal APA or IPA, or even less, and still have a very Sorachi flavored beer.

Do what you like.

 

[Morrey]

Sorachi Ace Update: Wyeast 3711 was a very active yeast for sure. Blow off tube is highly suggested with this strain. OG was 1.065 and FG was 1.000. Attenuation was 83% and ABV is 7.22% My ABV goal to get close to Brooklyn's Sorachi Ace was 7.4% so I was nicely on target. I just racked to keg with 3 oz Sorachi Ace hops in muslin bag for dry hopping. Will pull a taste sample on day 3 and evaluate, may go to day 4 or even 5 if needed.

First impression is this beer is going to be a huge winner. Dryness allows the hops used during the boil and whirlpool to really show out. After dry hopping, carbing and a few weeks to settle off, this one is going to be a heck of a Saison. So far so good.

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

http://brooklynbrewery.com/brooklyn-beers/big-bottles/sorachi-ace

Calls for champagne yeast in a secondary

 

[Quaker]

Check out this thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=175812

 

[Morrey]

Update on Brooklyn Sorachi Ace Clone: Just finished dry hopping 3 ounces Sorachi Ace hops for 4.5 days in keg. Pulled hop bag and took a good sample. The beer is not carbed and around 50F so this was a very premature sample. The dry hop really kicked up the flavors and aroma to accentuate this unique hop. Even totally uncarbed and green this beer has potential for sure. This is my first attempt to clone this specific beer, so I am ready for the real deal in a couple of weeks. Most folks either really like SA or really don't like this hop at all. Glad I am in really like camp.

I have it cold crashed and set at 13 psi set and forget. Bring on the Sorachi Ace.