Help with Founders Rubaeus Clone

[loeks]

I haven't had any luck finding any info on this on HBT, so I thought it would be a good reason to do my first ever post on here. Has anyone else given this any thought? Any help would be much appreciated.

I have a feeling the base is kinda hefe-ish, and here is what I am thinking so far:

5.7 target abv
15 target ibus

Maris Otter (47%)
Torrified wheat (47%)
Munich (5%)
Special B (1%)

Fuggles at 60 min
A lot of raspberries (crushed) at flameout
A lot of raspberries in secondary

S-04

 

[stompbox]

My wife loves this beer.

 

[loeks]

My wife loves this beer.

Mine too! That's why I wanted to brew it. I just had a sip of it this weekend, and I'm starting to think it's more along the lines of a cream ale or BMC as the base, rather than a Hefe.

Anyone with thoughts or experiences like this? Has anyone made a beer that tastes pretty much just like Raspberry jam?:cross:

 

[Roadie]

I'm trying to find a clone recipe for this as well since SWMBO loves this beer and it's season is about over; availability is from May - August. Can't believe no one has a recipe for this stuff. Anyone... anyone...

 

[loeks]

I'm trying to find a clone recipe for this as well since SWMBO loves this beer and it's season is about over; availability is from May - August. Can't believe no one has a recipe for this stuff. Anyone... anyone...

I meant to post this earlier in case someone else came across this later on. I did find a recipe on another website. Haven't brewed it, and prob not planning on doing so for a while now:

https://www.brewtoad.com/recipes/rubaeus-clone

 

[Roadie]

I saw that but have it on good authority that the grain bill in that recipe is wrong. August is the last month that this beer will be available until next May so plan on brewing this relatively soon.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[loeks]

I saw that but have it on good authority that the grain bill in that recipe is wrong. August is the last month that this beer will be available until next May so plan on brewing this relatively soon.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

I live about a half hour away from Founders, so we have been getting there a lot lately so my wife can have Rubaeus a couple more times before its gone.

Best of luck on figuring out the grain bill. The last time I had it, I recall thinking that it didn't taste like too complicated of a base grain bill FWIW. Just a crap load of Raspberries.

 

[loeks]

Another thought on how to get all that fruit flavor: Lower attenuating yeast + more sugar than the yeast can consume = residual fruit flavor?

 

[Roadie]

I live about a half hour away from Founders, so we have been getting there a lot lately so my wife can have Rubaeus a couple more times before its gone.



Best of luck on figuring out the grain bill. The last time I had it, I recall thinking that it didn't taste like too complicated of a base grain bill FWIW. Just a crap load of Raspberries.

Thanks. Think I'll try something like 60% 2 row; 20% Maris Otter; 15% wheat malt and 5% carapils then adjust as necessary. Thinking 4 - 5 lbs of raspberries per 5 gallon batch in secondary.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[Roadie]

Double post

 

[loeks]

Thanks. Think I'll try something like 60% 2 row; 20% Maria Otter; 15% wheat malt and 5% carapils then adjust as necessary. Thinking 4 - 5 lbs of raspberries per 5 gallon batch in secondary.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

Sounds legit. I would probably do rasperries in primary as well as secondary too. Let me know how it turns out.

 

[Roadie]

Will do. I sanitized 4.5 lbs of raspberries yesterday and they are in the freezer until needed.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[Roadie]

Brewing this tomorrow! Hopefully it comes out good as the real thing is about to go into hibernation.

 

[UncleRusty]

Pretty excited to hear how this turns out. I'm looking to brew a similar batch soon. What strain of yeast did you end up settling on for this, just good ol S04?

 

[loeks]

Brewing this tomorrow! Hopefully it comes out good as the real thing is about to go into hibernation.

Keep us updated on how it's going if you think of it

 

[Roadie]

Racked base beer over raspberries yesterday. Smelled awesome! Next time I do fruit though I'll be secondarying in a bucket. I basically had a 1" - 2" thick blob the size of a book to get into a carboy neck. Messy!


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[loeks]

Racked base beer over raspberries yesterday. Smelled awesome! Next time I do fruit though I'll be secondarying in a bucket. I basically had a 1" - 2" thick blob the size of a book to get into a carboy neck. Messy!


Almost Famous Brewing Company

Good call on using a bucket in secondary next time. Did you use any raspberries in primary at all?

 

[Roadie]

Good call on using a bucket in secondary next time. Did you use any raspberries in primary at all?

No, just in secondary.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[UncleRusty]

Brewing this over the weekend here. What temperature did you mash at? I'm thinking around 154-155 would be a good target for this type of recipe.

 

[Roadie]

I mashed at 152. SRM of my beer was way to light. It's carbing now but already SWMBO tried it before I racked to keg and informed me that I'm going to be unable to pour it at a festival in a couple weeks because she already likes it too much and wants to keep it for herself.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[Roadie]

The carb'd beer is tasty. VERY light colored but SWMBO really likes it. Have not done a taste testing yet vs Rubaeus but that will be happening soon. I will probably use a couple cans of puree and a couple pounds of frozen raspberries next time and I think the puree will give it a much darker color, otherwise happy with how this came out for a first try.

 

[Roadie]

Pretty excited to hear how this turns out. I'm looking to brew a similar batch soon. What strain of yeast did you end up settling on for this, just good ol S04?

Sorry just saw this. I used WLP001 (White Labs - CA Ale) which we use a lot and like it's neutral profile.

 

[loeks]

The carb'd beer is tasty. VERY light colored but SWMBO really likes it. Have not done a taste testing yet vs Rubaeus but that will be happening soon. I will probably use a couple cans of puree and a couple pounds of frozen raspberries next time and I think the puree will give it a much darker color, otherwise happy with how this came out for a first try.

I'd love to see pics if you think of it

 

[Roadie]

I'd love to see pics if you think of it

It has a pinkish color that may be hard to tell in photos. Definite raspberry aroma/taste.



Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[loeks]

The head looks awesome. You're right about the color, but who cares if it tastes great, eh?

 

[Roadie]

Yep tastes great. I think Founders uses juice concentrate which gives it a darker color. Still need to do a taste test between the two.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[theoracle]

I brewed this 3 weeks ago and I'm working on it in the secondary fermenter. I used one pound frozen raspberries in the primary that were pureed. I used 3 lbs whole raspberries in secondary and 2 pounds pureed raspberries. The flavor really comes through when the raspberries are able to sit for a bit. I noticed the color was not spot on as well so I added 32 oz of black cherry juice. Now it has that good wine like color and more of a complexity. I also brewed the recipe on brewtoad, but was able to tweak in the secondary. Keep you posted when its in the bottle.

 

[theoracle]

 

[Roadie]

I brewed this 3 weeks ago and I'm working on it in the secondary fermenter. I used one pound frozen raspberries in the primary that were pureed. I used 3 lbs whole raspberries in secondary and 2 pounds pureed raspberries. The flavor really comes through when the raspberries are able to sit for a bit. I noticed the color was not spot on as well so I added 32 oz of black cherry juice. Now it has that good wine like color and more of a complexity. I also brewed the recipe on brewtoad, but was able to tweak in the secondary. Keep you posted when its in the bottle.

Sounds great! I will change my percentages a little next time on the grain bill but according to Founders those are the grains so just a matter of tweaking. Mine is a little more tart but has more raspberry aroma than the original so all-in-all a good beer though not cloned yet.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[theoracle]

Well, we know they use 3,000 lb of raspberries for each batch, I'd like to find out their batch sizes. I don't think they use any juice, because then it would be less expensive beer. I think the color comes from black raspberries mixed with red from Oregon.