Firestone Walker Wookey Jack Clone Attempt

[mtnagel]

What I have seen for multiple dry hops going like this:

- Primary until most of fermentation is complete - probably 3 to 7 days or so.
- Add in first dry hop and let stand for 3 days either in primary or move to secondary and dry hop there.
- After 3 days, remove first dry hop and add second dry hop for 4 days.

The dates are just recommendations and timing is somewhat flexible about when the first dry hop goes and how long each dry hop stays in. I've done 1 week primary, 5 days dry hop #1 and 5 days dry hop #2.

 

[Francis]

First DH addition after fermentation is complete. I brewed this recipe last Saturday and plan on on adding my first DH this Tuesday (10 days). Then racking to secondary and the 2nd dh on fri or sat. Bottling the 3rd week.

 

[sethlovex]

Mtnagel said it right, schedule is flexible. I just add my first dry hop when I rack to secondary, typically about ten days. I primary in a glass carboy so I can observe fermentation then secondary in a plastic bucket. I usually dry hop in nylon paint strainer bags ( from Home Depot) so the hops are easily removed without having to re rack between hop additions. If you are a noob you should definetly brew this your friends will think you are a brew god, seriously. The recipe is so easy and the end product is so delicious.

 

[mtnagel]

I primary in a glass carboy so I can observe fermentation then secondary in a plastic bucket.

Seems that's backwards from everyone else. But whatever works for you!

 

[sethlovex]

Maybe, the other reason is I have one of those temp things stuck on my carboy so I like to keep it real during primary. YMMV. I wasn't aware that plastic first then glass is standard protocol.

 

[mtnagel]

During primary, you want space for the krausen. People do primary in 6 gal carboys, but buckets are very common too.

During secondary, you want to minimize the headspace to avoid oxidation, so that's why many people use 5 gal carboys to secondary.

 

[BabyGotBock]

Goodness! Thanks for all of the awesome information. I brewed this today and not a single thing went wrong! Haha I have done a secondary fermentation on all of my brews so far, so I think I will skip the bag idea, but useful information nonetheless. I did a mini mash version of this recipe that I am calling "Rookie Jack" so I will let you guys know how it turns out. Thanks again!

 

[Hernando]

During primary, you want space for the krausen. People do primary in 6 gal carboys, but buckets are very common too.

During secondary, you want to minimize the headspace to avoid oxidation, so that's why many people use 5 gal carboys to secondary.

True, but doing dry hopping in a bucket makes it a ton easier to get the hops out if you are using a hop bag.

 

[Bramstoker17]

Just wanted to thank everyone for their input in this thread. I brewed close to the OPs recipe in October, and this beer turned out amazing. I'd maybe up the late hops and dry hops a bit, but it turned out great!

 

[balto charlie]

I find the easiest way to dry hop is to secondary in a 5 gal. keg. Little head space, hops easy to clean out with or without a hop bag. Almost the same price as a carboy and doesn't break while taking up less floor space.

I am drinking one of these tonight(my first, I feel like a virgin. If I like I will follow your recipe and advice to brew this, thanks

 

[eric19312]

Brewed my fourth batch of this yesterday. All have been good but sadly only batch 1 was great. Tasted side by side with FW I liked mine better, it tasted like a fresh version of the commercial product... On batch 2 I had issues with water chemistry and overdid some salt additions. Batch 3 was decidedly underhopped and I think suffered from poor malt substitution choice (I tried Briess caracrystal wheat in place of the cararye I can't seem to find). Batches 1-3 were all fermented with US-05.

So at it again. Only this time no US-05 was available (none in my fridge or at LHBS). So I grabbed the last tube of WLP002 from the store (tube was 2 weeks from expiration ) and made a 1.5 L starter. Brewers Friend calculator says that will get me back up to 100 million cells, not enough for this beer but better than nothing. I also had a porter brewed 2 weeks ago ready to rack off a cake of S-04. So I decided to try a double batch, half on the underpitch of 002, half on the "pro-brewer 1.0 high gravity ale" S-04 recommendation (about 400 mL fresh slurry).

Then I overshot OG. Overboiled, didn't have water I trusted available to top up. So instead of 10 gal 1.081 I've got 9 gallons 1.092. Shook the carboys for oxygenation...Pitched as planned and put them in the fermentation chamber set to OP's 62F last night.

I am worried. Is that too low for this gravity and these yeasts and pitch rates? If I am going to increase temp should I bump up in one go or ramp up slowly?

 

[juggabrew]

Trying to put this together in beersmith but it does not have cara-rye or midnight wheat. tried searching thread but couldn't find it. Anyone have advice on this?

 

[rpkincaid]

Trying to put this together in beersmith but it does not have cara-rye or midnight wheat. tried searching thread but couldn't find it. Anyone have advice on this?

I scrounged these off the internet when I was putting this together. You may have to adjust the crystal rye if it is from a different source.

View attachment crystal_rye_fawcett.bsmx

View attachment midnight_wheat.bsmx

 

[juggabrew]

So I'm reading all these great things about the recipe. And yes I have had this in Denver and its awesome…this is why I want to make it. Now onto my concerns/confussion

From FW website:
http://www.firestonebeer.com/beers/products/wookey-jack-April-2012-

The ABV and color are off slightly but the biggest difference is the IBU's. Now when I punch the recipe in beer smith exactly as written it gives me the following:

Brew Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Volume: 8.12 gal (would be 7.46 gal if its a 60 min boil)
Boil Time: 90 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.0 %

Estimated OG: 1.081 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.023 SG
Estimated Color: 35.6 SRM (FW website: 45 SRM)
Bitterness: 59.8 IBU (FW Website: 80 IBUs)
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 7.6 % (FW Website: 8.3%)

OP:
Brew Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Volume: 7.46 gal
Boil Time: 90 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.0 %
Estimated Original Gravity: 1.080 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.015 SG
Estimated Color: 39.6 SRM
Bitterness: 61.8 IBU
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 8.6 %

skeezer, how are you calculating your estimates? boil off rate? absorption? deadspace? Please don't feel like I'm trying to criticize your recipe but I would like to get as close as possible. I'm just confused after looking at FW website.

 

[skeezerpleezer]

So I'm reading all these great things about the recipe. And yes I have had this in Denver and its awesome…this is why I want to make it. Now onto my concerns/confussion

From FW website:
http://www.firestonebeer.com/beers/products/wookey-jack-April-2012-

The ABV and color are off slightly but the biggest difference is the IBU's. Now when I punch the recipe in beer smith exactly as written it gives me the following:

Brew Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Volume: 8.12 gal (would be 7.46 gal if its a 60 min boil)
Boil Time: 90 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.0 %

Estimated OG: 1.081 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.023 SG
Estimated Color: 35.6 SRM (FW website: 45 SRM)
Bitterness: 59.8 IBU (FW Website: 80 IBUs)
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 7.6 % (FW Website: 8.3%)

OP:
Brew Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Volume: 7.46 gal
Boil Time: 90 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.0 %
Estimated Original Gravity: 1.080 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.015 SG
Estimated Color: 39.6 SRM
Bitterness: 61.8 IBU
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 8.6 %

skeezer, how are you calculating your estimates? boil off rate? absorption? deadspace? Please don't feel like I'm trying to criticize your recipe but I would like to get as close as possible. I'm just confused after looking at FW website.

Your FG is high, which is why the ABV is off. You can adjust the yeast attenuation in beersmith. Need to hit the mash temps, use the right amount of healthy yeast, oxygenize, etc.

Beersmith doesn't add IBUs for flameout/hop stand additions, so it is actually higher than beersmith says

Color-not sure, but black is black.

Boil off is equipment specific, yours will be different than mine. I use the standard beersmith for absorption.

 

[mtnagel]

Of these 4 yeast options, which would you use for this recipe (I already have the first 3):

1) Conan
2) WLP090
3) Wyeast 1272 (harvested from Bell's)
4) buy WLP002

 

[skeezerpleezer]

I have used 1 with good results. And 4.

 

[mtnagel]

Thanks. I've used Conan and WLP090 in a black (non rye) IPA before with good results so I'm thinking either would be good.

 

[KCS_brewing]

I used WY 1968 (the Wyeast Fuller's version) and it kicked some a$$. OG 1.083 with a FG of 1.019.

All of my friends found this homebrew to be very, very good. I did find some Wookey Jack on tap earlier this week and found it to be a bit mellower then this recipe, but I also had to omit the Midnight Wheat and substituted a 50/50 blend of Cascade/Centennial for the Amarillo hops. Or perhaps I need to let it age a few more weeks... but that would mean hoarding it somewhere safe.

Anyway thanks again for posting this awesome recipe, it makes a great beer!!!!

 

[sk888smooth]

Wanted to provide my feedback on this brew. AMAZING. Tastes nearly identical to the Wookey Jack I sampled a pint of. I am literally going to brew it again this weekend, but I don't have any English Ale yeast. I only have California Ale and Safale 05. Any suggestions? Worth a trip out the LHBS?

 

[Bramstoker17]

Wanted to provide my feedback on this brew. AMAZING. Tastes nearly identical to the Wookey Jack I sampled a pint of. I am literally going to brew it again this weekend, but I don't have any English Ale yeast. I only have California Ale and Safale 05. Any suggestions? Worth a trip out the LHBS?

I used 05 when I brewed it and I thought turned out great. Haven't tried it side by side with the real deal though, but its close. I'd say go for it unless you're really set on an exact clone.

 

[Sjorge3442]

Wanted to provide my feedback on this brew. AMAZING. Tastes nearly identical to the Wookey Jack I sampled a pint of. I am literally going to brew it again this weekend, but I don't have any English Ale yeast. I only have California Ale and Safale 05. Any suggestions? Worth a trip out the LHBS?

Well Im a huge fan of Cali Ale and Cali V, so I say go for it. I love using Cali V in my black ipas. Then again the 05 will give you really clean flavors, but you will be missing that yeast character that the wookey has. I say use the cali ale. I am brewing this, this weekend to break in my new kegerator and I plan to use Safale 04

 

[sk888smooth]

I went with 05 and will report back the difference. My original go at this one was using English Ale yeast as calls the recipe and it turned out outstanding. hope this matches it! Mmm just had a sip now. So delicious!

 

[Stauffbier]

I'm boiling this right now, and I'm super excited for it to be ready to drink! I'm using the wlp002 as called for, and I'm hoping I manage to get the 80% attenuation that the recipe shows..

 

[samandbekah]

I'm boiling this right now, and I'm super excited for it to be ready to drink! I'm using the wlp002 as called for, and I'm hoping I manage to get the 80% attenuation that the recipe shows..

Good luck and enjoy!! My 4th batch of this is waiting for the dry hop additions... I agree, cannot wait to have this on tap!

 

[sk888smooth]

I fear for the one week gap when my family drinks the rest tomorrow and the next batch is ready next week! I should have bottled some for reserve!

 

[samandbekah]

I fear for the one week gap when my family drinks the rest tomorrow and the next batch is ready next week! I should have bottled some for reserve!

haha I hear ya, that's why I started doing 10 gallon batches of this stuff... its just too good not too...

 

[Stauffbier]

I'm not sure if it's what Skeezer intended, but I ended up steeping the flame-out hops at 170F for a half hour. I also increased the amount of each flame-out hop to two ounces each, because I hate using partial packs of hops. I gotta tell ya.. the inside of my fermentation chamber has never smelled so fantastic! I can tell this beer is going to be phenomenal!

Thanks again for putting it together and sharing the recipe Skeeze!

 

[guillermo81]

i've just tasted this beer before the dryhop and the aroma and flavors are just f*king amazing!!! i'm wondering to use the same malt bill for an imperial stout just chaging the hop bill...

This beer is TERRIFIC!!!

 

[Stauffbier]

i'm wondering to use the same malt bill for an imperial stout just chaging the hop bill...

This beer is TERRIFIC!!!

Not a bad idea. I'm thinking maybe it would be good if you subbed the carafa with black barley for a stout. Just a thought..

I recently made an imperial stout with a bunch of wheat in the grain bill, and it really adds nice body and mouth feel.