Cloning HopHands by Tired Hands Brewing Company

[Coff]

I love Tired Hands beers, I find HopHands to be just an amazing session beer. I had been thinking about trying to clone HopHands for a while, after some research and picking brains of the folks over there I have gotten very very close. It needs a small tweak or to, a bit more bitterness, but the aroma, body, and the citrusy flavors are spot on. If anyone else here has interest in this beer and wants to try to clone it this is a very good starting point, maybe together we can all nail down this recipe.

You can read me ramble on about it here if you're interested.

http://riverwards.blogspot.com/2014/03/hopwards-tired-hands-brewing-hophands.html


Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.57 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.82 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.10 gal
Estimated OG: 1.048 SG
Estimated Color: 4.5 SRM
Estimated IBU: 46.9 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 71.3 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name
8 lbs 4.0 oz CMC Superior Pale Ale (3.1 SRM) 80.5 %
2 lbs Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) 19.5 %
0.25 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [17.50 %] - Boil 60
0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 5.0 min
0.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min
0.50 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min
0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Steep/Whirlpool
0.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool
0.50 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool
0.5 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04)
2.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Dry Hop 5.0
2.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Dry Hop 5.0
2.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 5.0


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 10 lbs 4.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 13.81 qt of water at 170.1 F 152.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Fly sparge with 5.60 gal water at 170.0 F

 

[Coff]

I'll be bringing a bottle for Jean to taste tonight, stay tuned for his opinion.

 

[pegasus_brew]

Damn, I knew they used oats in a lot of their beers, but I wouldn't have guessed that much! Tired Hands is all around awesome. I'm hitting them and Forest and Main Saturday. Can't think of a better way to spend my birthday. I have a **** load of pils malt that I need to clear out, but once I get through it I'll be giving this a try. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Coff]

I did a version with this grist with on 10% Oats and it just wasnt the same, but this version is much closer. I do think its a little bit overboard and I may dial it back to 16-17% on the next version but we will see.

I love Forrest and Main to, I don't get there nearly as often as I do TH though unfortunately.

 

[pegasus_brew]

I just read through your blog post. It's been a while since I've been there. Didn't realize they had to change the name of FarmHands. I'm getting pretty tired of this trade mark bull****. I wonder how long before McKenzie's gets a cease and desist for their beer by the same name.

end rant. back on topic.

 

[WestNittany118]

Subscribed. I'm from the area and tired hands is awesome. Hop hands is probably my favorite brew of theirs. Delicious. They seem to love Amarillo there which I have no complaints about.

 

[Coff]

I just read through your blog post. It's been a while since I've been there. Didn't realize they had to change the name of FarmHands. I'm getting pretty tired of this trade mark bull****. I wonder how long before McKenzie's gets a cease and desist for their beer by the same name.

end rant. back on topic.

Yea that whole thing was a shame, still the same beer though. Keep brewing/drinking it and move on.

 

[Coff]

I did a side by side tasting with my clone and HopHands. They are very very close, the recipe needs a small tweak to be spot on but as you can see they look identical.

I'm posting tasting notes on my blog today, I will follow up with a link.

 

[WestNittany118]

Looks delicious. I might have to add this to the brew list.

 

[Coff]

Here are my tasting notes from batch #1.

HopWards vs HopHands

 

[Coff]

Jean got back to me on twitter after tasting the beer, he said it was "Delicious" and that my "tasting notes were spot on too". So I am on to something.

I've had other people try this beer and agree that the aroma and hop character of this beer is spot on HopHands. The finish needs to be drier, next batch is this weekend I am going to mash at 148f and swap out 1lb of oats for base malt.


https://twitter.com/tiredhandsbeer/status/441972881845919744

 

[J343MY]

I'm surprised it only got down to 1.016, with just pale malt and oats should be really fermentable. It sounds like if you can get it 4-5 points drier you will have pretty much nailed it. Do you happen know what FG Hop Hands finished up at?

Also, maybe next time you are there you could do a little more prodding and see if Jean will give up the % of oats he uses.

I've been really kicking myself that I didn't go to Tired Hands when I was in Philly in late 2012. I'm hoping to make it there this May though.

 

[Coff]

Yea, I was a little surprised that it didnt go lower to but I think it may be the oats I am using. I brewed a Pale Malt/Wheat/Oats IPA 10 days ago with S04 and that stopped at 1.018, down from 1.080 mashed at 152. No issues with my thermometer or anything, just had a Saison finish at 1.003. I am rebrewing this weekend and plan to mash in the 148-149 range. I don't know the FG, next growler I get I will degass and check it.

Next time I see him I am going to press him on the Oats % for sure, he didn't say whether I was close or not but he said my tasting notes were spot on so that leads me to believe I am on the right track.

Thats a shame you missed out last trip, you'll really enjoy it. Its a great place.

 

[J343MY]

So are you thinking more like 10% oats next time? Also I wonder if you would even miss the 60 minute addition if you got rid of it. You could even up the late hops a little bit.

Also, doing the same recipe but fermenting with 100% brett (wlp644 maybe) would be really good too.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to hearing about the rebrew.

 

[Coff]

I am going for ~14% Oats in this batch I like the body on this beer as is so I'll see how this change does paired with a lower mash temp. I am also going to increase the 5 min and Whirlpool additions to 1oz of each variety, not sure it really needs it though.

Oh, and I noticed I had the dry hop wrong in the OP. Its a 6oz total dry hop, 2oz each of Simcoe/Amarillo/Centennial. I had it listed as a 3oz dry hop, its fixed now.

 

[gwashingk]

I am excited to try this recipe, thanks for sharing! Glad I checked again after you updated the dry hop amount. That's a lot for dry hopping!

 

[BreezyBrew]

What do oats and hops taste like together in this brew? I'm intrigued.

 

[Coff]

What do oats and hops taste like together in this brew? I'm intrigued.

Well, in the recipe in the OP the Oats are a touch high and I plan to dial them back. But the Oats are more for a smooth silky mouthfeel but also add an interesting cracker-like malt quality at the back of the pallate. That is much more pronounced in my version then the original.

The pairing of the Oats and citrusy/piney hops is a pretty unique flavor profile.

 

[Coff]

I am excited to try this recipe, thanks for sharing! Glad I checked again after you updated the dry hop amount. That's a lot for dry hopping!

Yea, huge dry hopping in the beer which is what Jean recommended. If you give this a try go for 12-14% Oats and let us know how it turns out. Thats what I am doing this weekend.

 

[stbnj]

Great thread to read, I want to clone Saison Hands. This will be tough as I have emailed and asked what yeast to use with no answer. Did Jean confirm they use flaked oats? I was thinking they may use oat malt so I ordered both. Like you said even if you don't clone a beer inspired by will be pretty awesome and yummy.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Home Brew mobile app

 

[wobrien]

Great thread to read, I want to clone Saison Hands. This will be tough as I have emailed and asked what yeast to use with no answer. Did Jean confirm they use flaked oats? I was thinking they may use oat malt so I ordered both. Like you said even if you don't clone a beer inspired by will be pretty awesome and yummy.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Home Brew mobile app

I've emailed a couple questions before with no response, but they are much more responsive in person.

 

[Coff]

Great thread to read, I want to clone Saison Hands. This will be tough as I have emailed and asked what yeast to use with no answer. Did Jean confirm they use flaked oats? I was thinking they may use oat malt so I ordered both. Like you said even if you don't clone a beer inspired by will be pretty awesome and yummy.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Home Brew mobile app

It very well could be Oat Malt, the flaked Oats seem to get me close though. Jean wouldn't say one way or another.

Its unlikely he will tell you exactly what strain they use, at least thats been my experience, but he may suggest a commercial strain to get you close. I have some guess what would work with their beers, but I haven't tried cloning any of their Saisons so I don't want to say until I give it a shot.

I am going to try to clone Saison Hands down the road as well.

 

[mintyice]

Just ordered the ingredients for this beer so I can brew it next weekend. I'm going to use GWM pale alt malt (like maris otter) and warrior for bittering. I hate S04 so I'm not going to use that, but I have Wyeast 1217 and 1272 and I'm trying to figure out which of those to use.

 

[InityBrew]

Great job with this Coff. Recipe looks awesome and your tasting notes were well written and on point.

The only thing I would change is the yeast. I am pretty sure he goes with American ale on his hop forward beers.
Also, I think you are correct with the flaked oats too. Oat malt has a different taste that I don't pick up in hop hands.

Also, hop hands is really dry and I think it finishes in the 1.006 - 1.008 range.

 

[SquirrelMaster]

is CMC Superior Pale Ale the base malt he uses in all of the beers? always wondered what he was using. love the color all of his beers have

 

[Coff]

Great job with this Coff. Recipe looks awesome and your tasting notes were well written and on point.

The only thing I would change is the yeast. I am pretty sure he goes with American ale on his hop forward beers.
Also, I think you are correct with the flaked oats too. Oat malt has a different taste that I don't pick up in hop hands.

Also, hop hands is really dry and I think it finishes in the 1.006 - 1.008 range.

Thats good to know, I was going to degass a sample from the next growler I get to check. Mine finished a little higher than I wanted, I lowered the Oats % and mashed at 150f for batch 2 the other day to go for a drier beer.

Maybe Jean was trying to throw me off but he told me that use an expressive English yeast strain and actually suggested to me to use S04. I think the flavor profile gets you close, but it doesnt attenuate as much as I would like.

 

[Coff]

Just ordered the ingredients for this beer so I can brew it next weekend. I'm going to use GWM pale alt malt (like maris otter) and warrior for bittering. I hate S04 so I'm not going to use that, but I have Wyeast 1217 and 1272 and I'm trying to figure out which of those to use.

Awesome, let us know how it turns out with the different yeast strains.

 

[Coff]

is CMC Superior Pale Ale the base malt he uses in all of the beers? always wondered what he was using. love the color all of his beers have

Not that I am aware of, I bought the Canada Malting grains from a local group buy. I should probably remove that from the OP bc it has caused some confusion. I have always seen bags of Briess at the brewery, and there was an old Facebook picture where they are unloading a palette of Briess.

 

[andrewp]

I haven't had HopHands but find myself very interested in the likes of small breweries like Tired Hands that are getting a lot of attention. Tree House in MA is another. Being in Florida I don't have the immediate opportunity to try any of these beers but I wanted to reiterate a part of your process that I have had success with as well.

I have made several iterations of a basic pale ale recipe and have settled on a similar hopping schedule as the one you provide above. 5-6 gal batch:

.25 of a good buttering hop at 60 or FWH (I use warrior)
1.50 oz total at 5 minutes
1.50 oz total at flameout for a steep
Heavy dry hop. I thought that at 3 oz I was on the heavier side but clearly you have me beat on this one. I'll have to up my game on the next batch. Happy brewing everyone.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Coff]

Ha, yea this beer is extreme in the dry hop but it's so bright and citrusy. I've really enjoyed it.