Sierra Nevada’s “Skiesta” Clone??

[Schoepp24]

Anyone attempted a clone of SN’s Bavarian Lager “Skiesta”? It’s one of my favorite beers by them but it’s all but vanished this year. Wondering if anyone produced a recipe close to it?

Sierra’s site claims they used:
- Pilsner, Acid, Munich, Biscuit malts
- Magnum, Spalt, Tradition hops
- Definitely a low profile lager yeast because I didn’t detect any yeast character

Before I go attempt 10 batches please someone have some info for me!

 

[jtratcliff]

I've never tried skiesta... is more like a Helles or more like a Vienna Lager?
Since you have the malts and hops you could start off with something like this
helles-like recipe and tweak as needed...

Assuming malts & hops are listed are in order of amount:
8.5lbs Pils
0.5 lbs Acidulated
0.5 lbs Munich
0.5 lbs biscuit
... Add more munich for darker color , maltier flavor... More biscuit for more bready characteristics, more acidulated to drop pH more

Mash and sparge to get about 6.5-7.0 gal into the kettle

0.25 oz Magnum at 60m
0.5 oz Spalter at 20m
0.5 oz Tradition 5m
... Adjust amounts for 15 IBU, timing of spalter and tradition based on how much hop flavor/aroma you want..

 

[Schoepp24]

I've never tried skiesta... is more like a Helles or more like a Vienna Lager?
Since you have the malts and hops you could start off with something like this
helles-like recipe and tweak as needed...

Assuming malts & hops are listed are in order of amount:
8.5lbs Pils
0.5 lbs Acidulated
0.5 lbs Munich
0.5 lbs biscuit
... Add more munich for darker color , maltier flavor... More biscuit for more bready characteristics, more acidulated to drop pH more

Mash and sparge to get about 6.5-7.0 gal into the kettle

0.25 oz Magnum at 60m
0.5 oz Spalter at 20m
0.5 oz Tradition 5m
... Adjust amounts for 15 IBU, timing of spalter and tradition based on how much hop flavor/aroma you want..

It's a lot more like a Helles than a Vienna thats for sure. SRM is verrry very low. I was actually surprised to see they had used Munich because it was so light. It did however have a ton of bready/crackery notes so that has to be the biscuit. Thanks for the recipe!

 

[jtratcliff]

the recipe is just a basic helles recipe (not mine) that I tweaked to use the listed malts and hops... Nothing special or guaranteed to match skiesta but it should get you in the ballpark...

Brewersfriend recipe builder gives this for my choices of malts & hops (other choices will give you slightly different numbers... the Munich I chose, for instance, is only 6L)
Original Gravity 1.051
Final Gravity 1.012
ABV 5.09%
IBU 17.99
SRM 4.76