Clone of local Blonde and Copper ales?

[RyboFlav]

There is a local craft brewery where I live. Their blonde and copper ales are very good, and the SWMBO loves them. I went on the tour and asked some questions, but they weren't very forthcoming with the recipe.

So here is what I ask of you guys... from the descriptions located here, can you try to determine a grain bill/hop schedule?

All I could really get out of them was that their blonde is 5 different malts, and their copper is the same recipe as their blonde but with some extra malts added. I got no info about hops or yeasts.

Bear with my vague flavour descriptions... The blonde definitely has a citrusy aroma, and a nice bright flavour. The citrus is gone in the copper, and is replaced with a sweeter caramel flavour. Both of them have what I can only describe as a "fresh wort" flavour.

Good luck and thanks for the help

 

[RyboFlav]

http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/inventory/searchResults.do?language=EN&itemNumber=132779

Here are stores in Ontario that have stock on the blonde ale just in case someone wants to give it a try, whether or not it's to try to help me clone it

 

[AmsterdamBrew]

Here's a couple guesses...

Blonde:
http://hopville.com/recipe/653843/blonde-ale-recipes/blonde-ale

The Kolsch yeast should make it a little more delicate and let the fruity flavors come through.


Copper:
http://hopville.com/recipe/648005/home-brew/copper-ale

If you ferment it warm you'll get more butterscotch.

 

[Revvy]

Read this article it helped me learn to research clones...

How to Clone, by Chris Colby. BYO magazine.

 

[RyboFlav]

Thanks guys. I've only made 2 batches so far, and none have finished bottle conditioning yet so I don't yet know what grain/hop/yeast tastes like what so for me to try to come up with a clone recipe from scratch would be a stab in the dark.

I'll probably make the blonde you posted AmsterdamBrew for my next batch, and I'll let you know how it goes

 

[wadefisher]

Thanks guys. I've only made 2 batches so far, and none have finished bottle conditioning yet so I don't yet know what grain/hop/yeast tastes like what so for me to try to come up with a clone recipe from scratch would be a stab in the dark.

I'll probably make the blonde you posted AmsterdamBrew for my next batch, and I'll let you know how it goes

Any feedback on your attempts RyboFlav

 

[Ruskali]

Hey RyboFlav,

I'm up in London and have had both of these brews. I've also been to the brewery - you're right, nice fellow, but not very forthcoming with his ingredients! My favourite beer they do is the Dead Elephant IPA.

Not sure if you've brewed your attempts yet - if so how did they turn out?

I find all of their beers to be quite sweet, from what I would assume is the liberal use of crystal malts... the blonde, probably some honey malt in there as well. Amsterdam's recipe looks very tasty, but would not have the same sweet flavours. I would replace some of the vienna and biscuit malt with 1lb of Crystal 10 and add up to 4oz of honey malt. Hops are a tough one at such low hopping rates. I doubt he's using Citra, but try that for now.

Let us know how it went/goes!

 

[RyboFlav]

I haven't had a chance to brew either of these yet, there have been too many others that jumped up on the list of beers to be brewed.

I have a little more experience now, and I think I agree with you Ruskali that the recipes above won't be as sweet as the originals. The copper is my favourite of the two and I think there is some crystal 60 or so in it since you get caramel flavours and sweetness, but none of that dried fruit flavour. There could be some honey malt for sure.

I did do a blonde ale recently with:

4kg maris otter
250g of crystal 10
250g of honey malt
9g of centennial at 60min
9g of centennial at 15min

mashed at 154 for 60 min
fermented with S04 for that malty profile

Wasn't really like their blonde, but was still pretty tasty. I would mash a little lower next time, and maybe up the honey malt and add some munich or something for a little more maltiness. The hops definitely were not the same either, but I'm inexperienced with hop flavours so far so centennial was a random guess.

As I develop my blonde ale, I'll update this thread. And if anyone else finds a good clone, let me know!