Heady Topper- Can you clone it?

[trimixdiver1]

750ppm so4!!! Wow! That's super high for sulfate. I think when John talks about hardness levels around 700 that is total water hardness which takes in to account a lot more than just the sulfate level. Calcium, sulfate, magnesium etc. All together add up to total hardness.

Yes 750 total, it was 475 SO4.

 

[ianmatth]

The real Heady Topper calculates at 468 sulfate (read the 3rd post in this thread for an explanation of that.)
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=481031

 

[brewski09]

Quick help here guys!

Not exactly a heady clone, but heady style with NZ and Australian hops.

I'm going to FWH, 20~min addition, then loads of 5min to Flamout, Hopstand, and a few stages of dry hopping.

BUT, my issue. No ferm chamber. Using yeast bay vermont, and my ambient is 67 degrees. How many days should I keep it in a swamp cooler before letting it ramp up?

Cheers!

I typically have waited for the yeast to kick off but have done a few packed in ice for logistics reasons and it's been fine. I would chill to your target deem temp before pitching the yeast regardless.

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

I generally cool to 180 or so before throwing these hops in, and then the wort is still cooling a bit on its own..... maybe down to 140-150 over the 30 minutes. Every 5-10 minutes I swirl the wort with my immersion chiller to kind of distribute the hops in the wort again and get maximum contact.

If you throw in at 0 minutes, wort is at 212 and some of the hop oils will basically "boil off" quickly at those temps. Chilling a bit allows the flavor and aroma of the hops to come through better..... at least that is the theory I believe.

I'm experimenting with turning off the boil, wait a few minutes then adding hops. I, however, cover so any hop infused steam drips back to in kettle. Only done 2 this way. I also skip the dry hopping, but add them in the whirlpool. So far so good. This is a citrus IPA..sorry no HT pics.

View attachment 1429834136146.jpg

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

My 1st HT attempt was sooo bad, haven't got the nerve to try again.

 

[aslander]

My 1st HT attempt was sooo bad, haven't got the nerve to try again.

Really? Bad overall? Or just bad as in not close to the real thing? I feel like it would be hard for anything close to this to come out bad. I changed around some of the hops and quantity and it still came out fantastic.

 

[Braufessor]

I feel like it would be hard for anything close to this to come out bad.

I have had a couple batches come out not great..... biggest thing in those batches is that the yeast pooped out on me at 1.016-1.018 range...... Once I got a better routine down for this yeast, I have had good success since then with it getting to 1.010-12.

But, those sweet batches were not good.

 

[trimixdiver1]

The one I just did with older yeast and hops that spent 6 months in the freezer was good but not HT. The beer is almost clear at 5 weeks! I'm saying that's from not using the freshest hops. I usually buy 1lb bags, no more, I will be buying 1oz bags so the hops are the freshest they can be.

 

[BreezyBrew]

I have had a couple batches come out not great..... biggest thing in those batches is that the yeast pooped out on me at 1.016-1.018 range...... Once I got a better routine down for this yeast, I have had good success since then with it getting to 1.010-12.

But, those sweet batches were not good.

The struggle is real. Thanks for sharing. I thought I was the only one who can't get their AA low enough sometimes.

 

[Braufessor]

I have used a recent batch of conan yeast to make about 8-10 beers, and it has worked great for me. I did two things that I think really helped.

#1 - I quit crashing/decanting my starter. I no longer make a big 2+ liter starter, crash, decant and pitch. I make a small, 1L starter and pitch it at 18-24 hours while it is actively fermenting. I pitch the entire liter.
You need to have a good pitch of healthy yeast to begin with. So if I was starting from a pouch/vial, I would perhaps make a starter, crash it and then start with that stepped up starter. Or, if harvesting I will take a pint jar of harvested yeast from my fridge to use. A fresh double pitch of Gigayeast might also be fine to start with....... But, from there, I make a 1L starter 18-24 hours before I plan to pitch the yeast into the fermenter. I have it on the stirplate, it is ACTIVELY fermenting, and I pitch it ALL (only 1liter) into my fermenter/wort. This seems to give me a much better start to fermentation and it seems to go through the sugar and finish out better.

#2 - I generally chill to 58-60. My basement is about 60 degrees. So, I pitch at 58, the heat generated by the fermentation usually brings the temperature of the beer up (gradually over 3-4 days) from 58-60-62-64-66. As soon as I see fermentation start to slow a bit, or see that temp. drop to 65-64-63.... I take the fermenter upstairs where it is 66-68-70 ambient temperature and let it finish out through day 10-14 or so. I have found that they have all been finishing nicely now in the 1.010-1.012 range - which is where I want them.

 

[reddskinnfan]

Here is what I finally went with:

Boil Size: 12.68 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Equipment: *My Kegs
End of Boil Volume 11.18 gal
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Final Bottling Volume: 10.00 gal
Est Mash Efficiency 76.8 %

Ingredients:

5.40 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins)
2.70 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 0.0 mins)
8.0 oz Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM)
23 lbs Pale Malt, Optic (Thomas Fawcett) (3.0 SRM)
3 lbs Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM)
1 lbs Carared (Weyermann) (24.0 SRM)
0.68 oz HopShot [61.10 %] - Boil 60.0 min
3.00 oz Simcoe [13.20 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 30.0 min
1.50 oz Citra [14.20 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 30.0 min
1.50 oz Mosaic (HBC 369) [12.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 30.0 min
1.00 oz Chinook [14.30 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 30.0 min
1.00 oz Summit [16.70 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 30.0 min
1.0 pkg Vermont IPA (GigaYeast #GY054)
1 lbs Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0.0 SRM)
3.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 8.0 Days
1.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Dry Hop 8.0 Days
1.50 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 8.0 Days
1.00 oz Columbus/Tomahawk/Zeus (CTZ) [15.50 %] - Dry Hop 8.0 Days
1.00 oz Comet [9.50 %] - Dry Hop 8.0 Days


Beer Profile:

Est Original Gravity: 1.075 SG Measured Original Gravity: 1.072 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 8.4 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 8.2 %
Bitterness: 130.1 IBUs Calories: 242.2 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 6.8 SRM

Mash Profile:

Mash Name: *Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge Total Grain Weight: 28 lbs 8.0 oz
Sparge Water: 6.49 gal Grain Temperature: 59.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 170.0 F Tun Temperature: 65.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE Mash PH: 5.30
Mash In Add 41.25 qt of water at 161.7 F. Mash temp settled at 148 F for 75 min.

Sparge Step: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun, 6.49gal) of 170.0 F water

Carbonation and Storage:

Carbonation Type: Keg Volumes of CO2: 2.3
Pressure/Weight: 12.54 PSI Carbonation Used: Keg with 12.54 PSI
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 45.0 F Age for: 30.00 days
Fermentation: Ale, Single Stage Storage Temperature: 65.0 F

Notes:

Steep/Whirlpool hops added at flame-out. Covered beer and let steep for 40 min.

Will be doing the first 4 day dry hop with half of the dry hops, on Tuesday.

 

[jammin]

I have had a couple batches come out not great..... biggest thing in those batches is that the yeast pooped out on me at 1.016-1.018 range...... Once I got a better routine down for this yeast, I have had good success since then with it getting to 1.010-12.

But, those sweet batches were not good.

i got completely crucified here when i said a batch finishing at 1.020 would be a drain pour for me....

 

[Braufessor]

i got completely crucified here when i said a batch finishing at 1.020 would be a drain pour for me....

Ha..... not by me I would dump a 1.020 as well if I could not fix it and get it to finish out

 

[brewski09]

It depends on what you are shooting for. My DFH 90 minute finished right around 1.018-1.020. I like the malts in that beer so it's a good thing. I think they would conflict with this beer, but I wouldn't dump it, I'd do some sort of blend first with a super ferment able wort. Now 1.030+ is a drain pour as I've never managed to fix one like that

I do remember you getting rocked a while back. Happy to see you are still here.

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

Really? Bad overall? Or just bad as in not close to the real thing? I feel like it would be hard for anything close to this to come out bad. I changed around some of the hops and quantity and it still came out fantastic.

It was bad overall. I used safeale5, but think it got too oxygenated. I've only had 2 HT, both in a beer swap and I tossed them. Think they were ultra-old. Nothing what people say about the flavor. So, no, i have no idea what HT taste like, but it couldn't be what I made. I'm not set up for liquid yeast either so may not attempt again until I am setup.

 

[rustedbucket]

What do you mean you're not set up for liquid yeast? It would be easy to pitch one pack of GY054 for a 5g batch and call it a day (4g potentially for viability in the longhand).

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

What do you mean you're not set up for liquid yeast? It would be easy to pitch one pack of GY054 for a 5g batch and call it a day (4g potentially for viability in the longhand).

I mean for yeast starting. I have zero experience with GY054. Thanks il'l look it up.

 

[ianmatth]

I've only had 2 HT, both in a beer swap and I tossed them. Think they were ultra-old. Nothing what people say about the flavor. So, no, i have no idea what HT taste like.

Not saying that what you made was on target, but I'm thinking maybe HT just isn't your taste. John Kimmich says HT gets even better after 10 weeks and I agree 100% as the best beer I ever had was a HT I had sitting in the fridge for 5 months.

 

[Calichusetts]

Not saying that what you made was on target, but I'm thinking maybe HT just isn't your taste. John Kimmich says HT gets even better after 10 weeks and I agree 100% as the best beer I ever had was a HT I had sitting in the fridge for 5 months.

No way. I've had a sixer over several weeks. Would love to see the 10 week source. Maybe from brew day? Never heard this. 5 months is crazy in terms of the fading. Remember, we don't have their equipment and techniques.

 

[mtnagel]

Not saying that what you made was on target, but I'm thinking maybe HT just isn't your taste. John Kimmich says HT gets even better after 10 weeks and I agree 100% as the best beer I ever had was a HT I had sitting in the fridge for 5 months.

Blasphemy!

 

[mag00n]

Not saying that what you made was on target, but I'm thinking maybe HT just isn't your taste. John Kimmich says HT gets even better after 10 weeks and I agree 100% as the best beer I ever had was a HT I had sitting in the fridge for 5 months.

Pretty sure he said 10 Days not 10 weeks...

 

[batty]

Not saying that what you made was on target, but I'm thinking maybe HT just isn't your taste. John Kimmich says HT gets even better after 10 weeks and I agree 100% as the best beer I ever had was a HT I had sitting in the fridge for 5 months.

Are you trolling here? I agree with others this is crazy. I had a HT case 1 can every few weeks for almost 6 months and it has gone steadily downhill. Also note in the can "best when it is young, fresh and hazy"

 

[dstar26t]

youtube link removed

 

[Brewbien]

No way. I've had a sixer over several weeks. Would love to see the 10 week source. Maybe from brew day? Never heard this. 5 months is crazy in terms of the fading. Remember, we don't have their equipment and techniques.

I remember this video from the early days of this thread. Start watching at 4:20.

[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=amgfgU5-lhs[/ame]

 

[Brewbien]

@Dstar26t beat me to it...

 

[Calichusetts]

Crazy...I would still say that since we don't have the techniques and equipment available any homebrew version will age much faster. Guess I prefer it more aggressive than John does. I really didn't think it was anything special once the hop really fade, at least I would not put it above the other top notch hoppy beers.

 

[irishrover32]

are people happy with the yeast profile on the beer or do they think its lacking, i was wondering what a profile like whats used on fullers London pride (heard on CAN YOU BREW IT) would do to this beer obviously they're both English strains so maybe this could be a way to really exude those fruity esters??

 

[joehoppy]

2nd and 3rd generation have been better for me. First is kinda lacking.

 

[1fast636]

Well did a side by side think farm house messed with the grain or I had one hell of a vigorous boil bit conclusion

A) color far off
B) aroma dead identical
C) heady has this amazing citrus like bite on the back end mine is missing
D) mine drinks smoother and easier with that less aggressive bitter punch at the end

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1430525886.468037.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1430525967.554359.jpg

 

[Clankenbrew]

That heady should be in a unicorn glass. Just sayin!