Cloning in the Blind

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Gameface

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So, I live in Utah...

My selection of craft beer is limited. Not to say I can't get a few good brews, but the selection is stagnant so once I've run through the offerings that's pretty much it.

I've had people request I brew certain beers that they like. Bell's Two Hearted is one. I liked the beer I made, based on the clone recipe here on HBT, but I have no idea what Bell's Two Hearted actually tastes like.

Not a clone, but I brew ESBs a lot... like a lot a lot. Yet I've never tasted an actual English Pale Ale and never a Fullers ESB or even a Red Hook ESB. If I could I'd love to get my hands on a Timothy Taylor Landlord or Young's Ram Rod, but it hasn't happened yet. Despite that I'm on a quest to make the perfect ESB and I wonder how reasonable that is if I don't even know what a proper ESB even tastes like.

So how many of you essentially clone in the blind? And if you do, how do you gauge success?
 
If you don't know what the beer or style tastes like I really wouldn't call it cloning. I would just call it "making a recipe" or "making a kit." To me, cloning means trying to get the beer as close to the original beer as possible which is more than just following a recipe, reading a book, or listening to a podcast. You would really have to taste the beer you make against the commercial variant. Have you tried doing a beer trade?

There are some qualities and flavor profiles of beer recipes that will get you close enough to the style or particular brand. For example some yeast, malt, and hop varieties just shout a particular style. I would think that if you are using established ESB recipes that it is highly likely you are making an ESB. It may not be a Fuller's clone, but you get the idea.
 
^^^Agreed. And the only really important gauge is in your mouth anyway. If your process is good and ingredients are fresh, it's entirely possible, maybe even likely that your ESB is better than the imported Fullers we get here in the states. That's what I love about home brewing. I'm not trying copy a commercial example, I'm trying to make a superior one!
:mug:
 
Definitely look into trading. I sent some moose drool to a guy down south that couldn't buy it so that he could compare it to the drool clone he had made.

Where in Utah are you? I spend my summers in SE Utah but I go to az often, my real home, and will often bring back great beer. Maybe I can help you?
 
Definitely look into trading. I sent some moose drool to a guy down south that couldn't buy it so that he could compare it to the drool clone he had made.

Where in Utah are you? I spend my summers in SE Utah but I go to az often, my real home, and will often bring back great beer. Maybe I can help you?

I'm in the Salt Lake valley.

Yeah I actually have some contacts in places where they can get the beers I'd really like to try. Definitely top of my list is Timothy Taylor Landlord.
 
I can send you 2 Hearted if you want

That's very generous of you. I don't want you to have to go to the trouble and there are legal issues involved in importing beer to Utah. Most likely a beer or two wouldn't get anyone's attention but don't want to put myself or anyone else in that position.
 
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