Homebrew vs. Commercial

[gr8abe]

Everyone here is a side-by-side comparison of my home brewed version of 3 Floyds' Zombie Dust and my homebrewed version called Undead, unclean. The homebrew version is clearly darker, sticky-er but surprisingly not as malty as I expected (by comparison). The FFF ZD is cleaner and has a more assertive hop.

I didn't initially love my version but after comparing the two, its not as far off as i first thought...


Here's my recipe... (10 gal. All grain)

23 and 1/2 lb of 2 row
1 lb melanoiden
1lb crystal 60
2 lb Munich 10
1lb cara foam

All citra at...
1.25oz (first wort)
2.5 oz (@5)
3oz (@f.o.)
3oz (@whirl pool)
3oz (dry hop/ 5 gallon)

Mash @ 148
Fermented with 1056



aroma,

 

[Imperator85]

One thing to keep in mind is that there will always be differences (slight or greater) in the hops. The same hops from the same location in different years may not taste or smell exactly the same.

 

[gr8abe]

I think the Munich, possibly the crystal is the color culprit, while I would love my beer to beer more aromatic, the malt/ color are the most obvious "faults" in my estimation. This is the first ever clone I've ever done, so in excited to try again.

 

[Dcpcooks]

FFF uses wy 1968 as the House yeast. That would be the first thing I’d change. I’d lower both the crystal and Munich malt and up the base malt a bit to lighten the color.

I’d probably use hop shot to bitter the first addition and up the whirlpool addition and add another round of dry hops.

 

[gr8abe]

@Dcpcooks I didn't know about the yeast. That's fantastic, thank you! Also I totally agree with less color/ malt. The OG/ FG were spot on, but I take your point that if specialty grain goes down something else need to go up to balance it out. It deff needs more aroma hops.

 

[Calder]

Homebrew vs. Commercial
'Discussion in 'General Homebrew Discussion'

I thought this was a general discussion rather than a specific beer. I thought I brewed better than Commercial, but then we got the craft beer revolution, and the Commercial guys are catching up.

I like to use the Commercial beers for ideas, and rather than try an replicate them, I like to brew a similar beer that I like. I see no need to exactly replicate a specific beer.

If you like your beer, stick with it, and it is original. Don't waste your time trying to exactly replicate another beer.