Can you Brew It recipe for Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale

[tenten]

Brewed on 19 December 2014
Fermented with wyeast 1217
No secondary
OG 1.056
FG 1.015
Kegged on 4 January 2015
Dry hopped with 25gr Cascade
Tasted today from keg to check carbonation level
What an amazing brew that thing is!!!
Aroma and taste full of citrus and oranges,amazing color and white creamy head
It needs at least one week more in keg imo though to let the yeast settle down
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1421154459.391937.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1421154503.196256.jpg

 

[ssspargur]

Did anyone have a problem with this beer turning out thin? I was really close on all my temps and numbers. I finished 1010 though. Recipe calls for 149F mash. And I only mashed for 60mins at 150F. That's pretty low mash temp right? Could this have caused thin-ness. Thanks.

 

[rmyurick]

I think the original is light in body, did you do a side-by-side?

 

[ssspargur]

Yes, original seems to have more mouthfeel. Mine starts off pretty flavorfull and full, but then sort of fades to a more watery mouthfeel. I've been really trying to nail my process lately, so I picked this as a straightforward Pale ale recipe, that I could pick apart. I guess I could add some carapils. But I was hoping to reveal some sort of process related error. I know that's impossible to diagnose without explaining my whole process. I do seem to always finish a decent amount below Target FG. I used wyeast 1968 London ESB. But still finish 1010. Thanks for your info!

 

[joetothemo]

Yes, original seems to have more mouthfeel. Mine starts off pretty flavorfull and full, but then sort of fades to a more watery mouthfeel. I've been really trying to nail my process lately, so I picked this as a straightforward Pale ale recipe, that I could pick apart. I guess I could add some carapils. But I was hoping to reveal some sort of process related error. I know that's impossible to diagnose without explaining my whole process. I do seem to always finish a decent amount below Target FG. I used wyeast 1968 London ESB. But still finish 1010. Thanks for your info!

When you say it starts off with a nice full mouthfeel and fades to something more watery, do you mean... in the package over the course of a few weeks?

If so, I would check your carbonation levels. Higher carbonation levels can make a beer lose body character.

 

[FlyDoctor]

On your system you might need to mash higher. On Brew Strong they always say that what produces one result on one system may not give the same result on another. Maybe mash 2-3F higher?

 

[ssspargur]

Actually I meant as you taste the beer. I guess the thiness is more apparent on the back end of the taste. That could just be the nature of how your mouth perceives body. Thanks.

 

[ssspargur]

Thanks. I plan on calibrating the thermometers and I have been definitely considering just bumping the mash temp a couple degrees. I did drain the mash tun cooler pretty fast as well. Not sure if I lose some of the dextrines there as well.

 

[ogunshay]

Tenten - do you mind sharing your recipe - any tips/tweaks you did to the ones posted earlier in this thread? It looks great, and if it's in the range of a passable clone thanks to some small change you did, I'd love to learn from your experience. Looks great, and I'm glad you like it!

 

[crossix]

I have used this recipe 3 times now, I think I've finally nailed it. For me the key was slightly higher mash temp (68C) and some serious dry-hopping. I used 50gr of cascade (6.8%) and wow, it came alive.

The smell of this thing when it gets into the fermenter is unreal.

Thanks for the great recipe!

 

[rmyurick]

Their "homebrew recipe" on their website lists Munich malt. So I'm going to try adding 1/2 lb of dark munich when I brew it.

 

[brokebucket]

Hey rmyurick,

If you havent listened to this podcast yet, make sure you do that before you make your final recipe plans. It is very informative from both the head brewer side and the homebrewer side. If nothing else, at least you will know why this recipe was formulated the way it was.

As always though, its your beer in the end.

 

[rmyurick]

I have listened to it, but I wonder if they haven't tweaked the recipe since then. Deschutes own website suggests that there is some Munich malt used.

 

[Malty_Dog]

Thanks OP for the recipe, been meaning to make this for some time. Brewed her up last night, used all Maris Otter for the base. A little high gravity-wise (1.060) but that's not so bad! Really solid brewday, love the cascade aroma from the kettle and into the fermenter. Went with a healthy 1.25L starter of WLP002. This will be a welcome thirst quencher come mid/late June!:rockin:

 

[brokebucket]

Brewing this one again as I type...I think it is my 5th or 6th time with this one. My home brew shop carries a british pale ale malt that I use as the base, everything else is as the recipe states.

One of these days, I need to get a hold of the real thing.

 

[brokebucket]

Last time I brewed this, I did my first 10 gallon batch and did half regular, then the other half 2oz cascade and 2 oz chinook. The chinook was a clear stand out (I know this is no longer a clone, but it was a damn good beer).

This time up, completely off the reservation, going to a C45 and the cascade/chinook dry hopping.

News and noteworthy: After brewing this recipe for 2 years multiple times, I finally got to drink this off a keg. I was not impressed. Hopefully it was old, but they have started up their Roanoke brewery and I was really counting on this being all that I had heard about.

This should probably be 2 separate posts.

 

[doublebogey10]

Last time I brewed this, I did my first 10 gallon batch and did half regular, then the other half 2oz cascade and 2 oz chinook. The chinook was a clear stand out (I know this is no longer a clone, but it was a damn good beer).

This time up, completely off the reservation, going to a C45 and the cascade/chinook dry hopping.

News and noteworthy: After brewing this recipe for 2 years multiple times, I finally got to drink this off a keg. I was not impressed. Hopefully it was old, but they have started up their Roanoke brewery and I was really counting on this being all that I had heard about.

This should probably be 2 separate posts.

There's not a lot overly special about Mirror Pond and it's a pretty simple beer, as this recipe suggests. It was my gateway beer in the craft beer some 17 years ago during a camping trip on the Oregon Coast.
It's just a simple, classic pale ale with cascades. And because it's Deschutes, it's well-made. If had never had it before until now, with expectations built up, I could see how disappointment might follow. ... especially with all of the different hop varietals and whatnot around today.

 

[MaCheFai]

If anyone is looking for the podcast on mirror pond, you can find it here: http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/post1619/

Also, they recommend 1g of gypsum per gal