Has anyone tried this...and, do you have any suggestions for duplicating it?

[TasunkaWitko]

Has anyone tried this...and, do you have any suggestions for duplicating it?

I can't seem to find out much about it, except what is on the website.

http://rainierbeer.com/pale-mountain-ale/

Any help would be appreciated. This might be the best Pale Ale I've ever tried, and I'd like to use it as a platform for learning more about the style. Unfortunately, I haven't seen it in the area for about a year or so....

Thanks in advance -

Ron

 

[gunhaus]

Hey Ron,
You could start with something like one of the clone recipes for Bell's 2 hearted which is largely 2 row, and tweak the hops, and the bill a bit to get what you are looking for
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/bells-two-hearted-ale-clone-close-as-they-come.91488/

That Bell's clones is all Centennial, so subbing different flavoring hops might just get you to the profile you want.

John

 

[TasunkaWitko]

That definitely looks like a good place to start, John - thanks ~

Taking a quick look at it, I would have to dial back the IBUs to probably something in the 30s; maybe a Centennial/Cascade combination? I don't know, but half the fun is finding out ~

 

[kristiismean]

per reviews, maybe crystal and centennial or cascade hops might bring it together.
grainbill I would do 2 row and 5% flaked wheat 3% honey malt 2% bisquit.

 

[gunhaus]

I have liked the 2 hearted for a long time, and have made the clone for quite a while as well, it seems pretty well balanced to me. I have used this clone recipe in that past as a jumping off point a number of times, changing up hops, increasing and decreasing gravity some, even messed with adding some fruit/citrus flavors although i am not really a big fan of that method or those styles - But i was in the mood a couple times! It seems to be a nice base from which to experiment. At least for me!

 

[soccerdad]

I bet Sheriff Walt Longmire has tried it

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Thanks, guys - it didn't occur to me to look at the reviews; here are a few that described it pretty well, according to my amateur palate:

Pours copper with a lasting head. Web-like lacing sticks. The smell is of bready grain, soft herbal/floral/citric hop spicing. The taste is of grainy malt - sweet-leaning. It has a bitter-ish dry spicy herbal/citric hop touch in the balanced finish. Slightly on the fizzier side, it is smooth, crisp and refreshing. Light-bodied, it's malt-forward, with just enough dryness from a hop finish, it's a refreshing, balanced "old school" APA. A nice bargain - paid about 10 bucks for a six-pack of 16 oz. bottles at the Safeway in Bremerton, WA. The distributor was just putting it on the shelf - said it just came in, so it was a fresh pack.

Looks pretty coppery for a pale. Smells malty with hints of citrus. Taste malty in the front and citrusy in the back. Clean finish. Overall an easy drinking pale.

Appearance – The beer pours a clear golden amber color with a three finger head of white foam. The head has a good level of retention, slowly fading over time to leave a good level of streaky lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell –The aroma of the brew is strongest of caramel smell mixed with some bready aromas. Along with these smells comes some lighter notes of a grass and herb.

Taste-The taste begins with a quite bready and lightly caramel flavored taste. Along with these flavors are some lighter hop notes of herb and grass. As the taste advances the herb and grass get a bit stronger and are joined by a hint of grapefruit. All the while the bready fades a bit all while some fruity flavors develops on the tongue with the fruity being of a harvest fruit and citrus nature. In the end, one is left with a modestly sweet, and mixed hop flavor to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is on the slightly thinner side with a carbonation level that is rather high. For the mix of sweet and light hop the feel is rather nice and makes for a nice sipping and easy drinking brew.

Appearance: deep copper color, slight beige head. low to medium head retention and moderate lacing.
Aroma: Nice aroma of biscuit malt and some with some earthy/grassy hop notes.
Taste: nice biscuit and graham cracker flavors, with moderate bitterness. More English hops bitterness that is earthy and grassy.
Mouthfeel: well balanced, with a medium body.
Finish: finishes nice, with a bit of grassy/earthy bitterness on the finish.
Overall a very nice session pale ale.

Also, here's the company description:

Made with two-row barley to provide a solid malt backbone and hopped with Yakima Valley hops, this light-bodied Pale Ale is well balanced with a crisp, citrus finish

The reviews plus the company descriptions lead me to "guess" that it's a pretty simple grain bill; I can't imagine a big company getting too complicated, due to cost efficiency? I am guessing maybe two different hops, but perhaps a third?.

So I guess I'm looking for 2-row plus something that will give it a little copper colour and malty, grainy, bready taste, with a combination of Washington-grown hops that start out floral and possibly herbal, finishing citrusy. Does that sound about right?

 

[grampamark]

 

[gunhaus]

Ding ding ding I think you're on it! Whatchya thinking for the color?

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Whatchya thinking for the color?

I'm thinking Munich, but not sure how much; I'm guessing a little more than the "standard 3 to 7% in an APA.

There might "possibly" be a bit of Crystal (20? 40?) in there as well, but something tells me that the Munich "should" cover that.

In fact, I'm starting to think I might have already brewed something that could end up being very similar to this beer: My "Amerikanisch" Pale Ale ended up being about 11% German Munich (15L) with American-grown 2-row for the rest. For the hops, I used all Cascade, to a tune of just over 30 IBUs. It's still fermenting (I should be bottling it sometime next week), but so far smells great. Not quite as "copperish" as this, though, so I could be completely barking up the wrong tree.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Here is some more information to add to the "reservoir of knowledge" regarding this beer:

The recipe and the retro-looking label are both inspired from the post-prohibition pale ales that Rainier brewed back in the 1930’s. At retail the 16 oz. “pounder” bottles convey a complete retro-style that includes an embossed Rainier “R” located where the bottle curves to become the neck of the bottle....

“We’re very excited about the launch of Pale Mountain Ale,” said Kurt Stream in a news release. Stream is the Seattle field representative for Rainier Brewing Company and a local beer historian. Stream continues, “Rainier has such a rich heritage in Seattle and throughout the Northwest. Our goal with this new beer is to honor and build on that.”

“In developing Rainier Pale Mountain Ale, we mined Rainier’s archives for post-prohibition pale ale recipes and worked hard to stay true to the authenticity of the brew while adapting to modern tastes,” said Greg Deuhs in a news release. Deuhs is the current Master Brewer at Pabst Brewing Company, parent company to Rainier. “I’m very proud of what we came up with....”

The newly brewed Rainier beer pours a deep copper color, a bit darker than a traditional Pale Ale. The use of Fuggle and Cascade hops from the Yakima Valley exert a pleasant hop profile that’s expected from this style of beer. Prior to packaging, Pale Mountain Ale is dry hopped for 10 days. From tasting the Pale Mountain Ale, the beer itself offers up some pleasant citrus notes that enhances the approachable light body of the beer....

https://brewpublic.com/beer-history/rainier-brewing-launches-rainier-pale-mountain-ale/

I am not 100% sure where the source gets the information about the hops; it could be on the press releases that are quoted earlier, but that is just a guess. If you follow the link above, you see a photo of the beer in a glass; however, my memory of it is that it is not nearly that dark. I do have a photo of it somewhere and will post it when I find it, but "copperish" is a good description.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Okay, here's something to go on -

This promotional video from Rainier appears to confirm that the hops are Fuggle and Cascade, to the tune of 30-35 IBUs.



Other information:

It is a "Northwest style" pale ale
Light amber in colour
5.3% ABV
Uses a traditional yeast
Dry-hopped for 10 days

If I can figure out the amount of Munich (or maybe Crystal...or a combination of both, maybe?), I just might be able to do this.

Some might be wondering, "WHY? It sounds pretty middle-of-the-road...."

Answer is, I'm not sure, but the combination of the label, the look, the smell, the taste, and the times that I had it all came together to result in a great experience; so here I am, trying to figure it out.

 

[grampamark]

A bit off topic, but, this may be the best 25-second commercial in the history of broadcasting:

 

[TasunkaWitko]

I Remember it...and love it!

 

[TasunkaWitko]

I knew I had some photos somewhere - here they are:

If anyone can look at these and give me an approximate line on the SRM, I'd be grateful;

I'm guessing that Dark Munich (60L) is the way to go with this; based on the reading and what I remember, I "think" that it would be used rather than Crystal (40? 60?) - but I am no damned expert.

I have an idea for a possible recipe that I will try. So far, it is quite simple, consisting of about 90% American 2-Row and 10% of the Dark Munich mentioned above, with American Fuggle Hops to about 32.5 IBUs and dry-hopping with Cascade. I don't know if this is "right," but based on what I know, it seems "close."

My only real remaining question is whether or not I should be adding any "cereal grains" or flaked/terrified anything for the head. My instincts say "no," but my eyes say "maybe." The beer seems - to me - to be too clear for wheat to be used...maybe flaked barley? Or, it could be from the abundance of hops - I do not know.

Post prohibition, American Northwest, not-complicated or elaborate. I think if I keep those in the forefront, I should be close.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Going to give this a try - I think I have most of it figured out, except the grain bill.

I'm guessing 90% 2-row, but any suggestions on what to use in order to get that colour?

Suggestions would be welcome - I have the hood and will order the malts tomorrow or Friday.

Thank you -

Ron

 

[day_trippr]

The right amount of Carared should do the trick. 5%? 10%?

Cheers!

 

[Mer-man]

Yeah, don’t use Munich 2. Wrong flavours. You want Caramel/crystal

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Hey, Everyone -

I decided to go with 90% Briess Pale Ale Malt (3.5L) and 10% Caramel 40. I considered Briess's Carapils Copper, but it didn't quite ring right. This choice might not be perfect, but I think it will get me very close to what I want, and according to Brewers Friend, the color looks spot-on.

I'll use American Fuggle hops in the boil to around 30 IBUs or a little more, then dry hop with Cascade. Since I've never dry hopped before, I'll be winging it, but I'm going for something that will make a presence without being overly-prominent. I'm shooting for something that says PNW in the years post-Prohibition, before everything had to be a hop bomb.

Yeast will be S05

I'm naming this "Vancouver MPA," in tribute to my grandfather, who built ships there in WW2.