Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

Williams 728
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jahlinux

jahlinux

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Just recently discovered Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. Unfortunately it will soon not be available so I did some searching for clone recipes. I did find a good amount of information on the beer. Below are two recipes I found. Recipe #1 closely matches what Steve Dreseler from Sierra Nevada gave on The Jamil Show Can You Brew It 01/31/11. Recipe #2 is from the AHBA site. The recipe in BYO Magazine (Dec 2012) closely matches Recipe #1 except the hop schedule is different. I haven't put the recipes into brewing software yet to match them up to a 5.5 gal batch.

Hoping to get some feedback from people who have brewed a clone of Celebration.

Recipe #1:
Batch Size: 6.0 gal
OG: 1.068
FG: 1.015
Estimated Color: 13.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 68.0 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
13.83 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 87.98 %
1.89 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 12.02 %
(Some suggest to go with English Crystal ~ 40L)

1.01 oz Chinook [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 49.3 IBU
1.64 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (15 min) Hops 8.9 IBU
1.03 oz Centennial [9.70 %] (15 min) Hops 9.8 IBU
1.24 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (0 min) Hops
0.77 oz Centennial [9.70 %] (0 min) Hops

1.02 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops
0.53 oz Centennial [9.70 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops

1 Pkg California Ale (White Labs #WLP001)

Mash at 156F.

Ferment starting at 62F and ramp it up to 68F

BYO Magazine Hop Schedule for a 5 gallon batch:
0.75 oz Chinook (12%) - 100 mins
0.50 oz Centennial (10%) - 100 mins
1.50 oz Cascade (5%) - 10 mins
0.66 oz Centennial - 0 mins
1.33 oz Cascade - 0 mins

0.66 oz Centennial - Dry Hop
1.33 oz Cascade - Dry Hop


Recipe #2:
Batch Size: 5.0 Gallons
OG: 1.066
FG: 1.015
Estimated Color: 8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 54.0 IBU
ABV: 6.6%

Ingredients:
10.0 lb North American 2-row malt
1.5 lb. Crystal malt (25-40° L)
0.5 lb. Dextrin malt

0.75 oz (21 g) Chinook hops, 11% a.a. (90 min)
0.75 oz (21 g) Cascade hops, 6% a.a. (30 min)
0.25 oz (7 g) Cascade hops, 6% a.a. (whirpool)
0.25 oz (7 g) Centennial hops, 10% a.a. (whirlpool)

0.25 oz (7 g) Cascade hops, 6% a.a. (dry hop)
0.25 oz (7 g) Centennial hops, 10% a.a. (dry hop)

Wyeast American Ale yeast or White Labs California Ale yeast

Mash at 154F

Some links to other threads and articles about SN Celebration Ale:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=176201

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=493525&highlight=Celebration

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-recipe/sierra-nevada-celebration-ale/

Brew Your Own Magazine: December 2012 Issue
 
I actually was running through all the information you posted a few weeks back. I was combing through the multiple versions that I've seen on the site, as well as some of the information that I got from within those threads. I brewed a version on the Jan 21st using Beersmith to fill in the gaps. I'll post the info once I have an idea of what the output will be. I just did the dry hop on Saturday and will be staring cold crash in a few days.

Numbers were on point more or less and I was able to get Muntons Crystal 45 (per one of the suggestions) from my LHBS which Im hoping will work in my favor. A few adjustments that I had to take:

- The hops AA% were lower than what Beersmith has by default, so I had to add more hops to hit the target IBU.
- Using my BH efficiency, and mashing at 156/7, I wasn't going to hit my target ABV. I had to go take OG to 1.069 to get the correct ABV. I'm still unsure what my FG will be, I'll know next week (shooting for 1.018).
- I adjusted to do a full 6 gallon batch so I can get a full 5 gal keg after trub/yeast loss.
- Per one of the thread recommendations, I shot for SRM 10. Sample from the Hydro, post boil, looked fairly close, but I didn't have a bottle of it to compare it with. My hopes are to find another 6pack as I get closer to next week and Ill take some side by side photos.
 
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I second the centennial. A lot of it. recipe #1 looks more like what I think it tastes like to me but the byo looks good too. But that's my opinion I've never brewed it. Always wanted to though. Looking forward to your results.
 
I just brewed almost exactly recipe 1 but at 2.5 gallons. It is in the fermenter at 72 hrs and chugging along. Will probably dry hop in a few days, I want to hit it when it is just finishing up the ferment. IM me and we can compare notes.
 
I'm brewing Recipe #1 hopefully the middle of next week. My HBS owner said he had a Crisp Crystal 60 so that's what I'm using. I'm going to use "Fast Pitch" from Northern Brewer for the yeast starter. I've never used it before so hopefully it works as advertised.
 
Yalc said:
I just brewed almost exactly recipe 1 but at 2.5 gallons. It is in the fermenter at 72 hrs and chugging along. Will probably dry hop in a few days, I want to hit it when it is just finishing up the ferment. IM me and we can compare notes.
Click to expand...

Looking forward to tasting notes.
 
I brewed this end of November and still have some to enjoy (bottled late Dec). I brewed essentially #1 version. I didn't like the hops in so long and decided to go FWH with them. Same amount except I upped the Chinook to 1.25oz as the hops were 2yrs old, frozen, well sealed, not vacuum. It was not a clone. Good, but not a clone. It may be the age of the hops (I'm done with buying pounds unless I intend to use rapidly, even w/vacuum sealing them, but that's just another step..). I boiled for 90 min. I used the hop schedule of BYO, wish I used the #1 version schedule. I fermented at 68. My notes also indicate I used British Ale 1335, I've found that to be a bit on the Belgian side to me, so not wanting that in this beer. Need to brew it again, but that's down the line a bit.
 
Kampenken said:
I brewed this end of November and still have some to enjoy (bottled late Dec). I brewed essentially #1 version. I didn't like the hops in so long and decided to go FWH with them. Same amount except I upped the Chinook to 1.25oz as the hops were 2yrs old, frozen, well sealed, not vacuum. It was not a clone. Good, but not a clone. It may be the age of the hops (I'm done with buying pounds unless I intend to use rapidly, even w/vacuum sealing them, but that's just another step..). I boiled for 90 min. I used the hop schedule of BYO, wish I used the #1 version schedule. I fermented at 68. My notes also indicate I used British Ale 1335, I've found that to be a bit on the Belgian side to me, so not wanting that in this beer. Need to brew it again, but that's down the line a bit.
Click to expand...

Good info. Im fairly certain that WLP001 is the yeast to use (from the Chico strain which started at SN). What did you feel was off? Not hoppy enough? Also, did you use any tools to adjust the AA% and make sure you hit the correct IBU etc? I brewed the 60 minute version, simply because I didn't want the evaporation loss and I only have a 10g kettle. Boiling 8.5 gallons is a little scary at hot break and hop additions. I loose about 1.5 gallons an hour so that put me right about 7 gallons before fermenter and I'm guessing about 6 went into the fermenter.

What do you mean you didnt want to boil them for long so you went FWH? Do you mean flame out only?
 
hornet303 said:
Good info. Im fairly certain that WLP001 is the yeast to use (from the Chico strain which started at SN). What did you feel was off? Not hoppy enough? Also, did you use any tools to adjust the AA% and make sure you hit the correct IBU etc? I brewed the 60 minute version, simply because I didn't want the evaporation loss and I only have a 10g kettle. Boiling 8.5 gallons is a little scary at hot break and hop additions. I loose about 1.5 gallons an hour so that put me right about 7 gallons before fermenter and I'm guessing about 6 went into the fermenter.

What do you mean you didnt want to boil them for long so you went FWH? Do you mean flame out only?
Click to expand...

Ok, I am drinking this now side by side a SN Celebration. Wow, damn close! I was going by memory and well, not so good I guess, it had been awhile since I had one. Mine has a very slight more bitter back end taste (more on that later) with a similar malt profile, though I think SN is a little bit sweeter, could be attributable to my lower crystal 60 usage % (6% I used v 12% here, v 8% on the modified BYO recipe I slightly adjusted) taste. I like to keep crystal low. I also carb'd this to 2.3vol (I bottle) and I think that is too much in comparison. My OG/FG was 63/16.

Yes I did use a calculator to adjust for hop utilization due to age. And I used less than they recommended (was burned before). This time that approach seems to have worked well, using less than recommended. My point was that since I was going for a 90min boil, and the hop time was for 100 min (ok, 90 would be tops given my choice of boil time!) I was concerned about it being so long. I like the more mellow bitter profile by going FWH (still surprises me!) so decided to go that route. I think I could've just added the Chinook at 60 and been done with it. I certainly though will try again some time but with fresh hops and with the right yeast!!

Yeah I bet you get close to boil overs with that much wort! Wow 1.5g / hr, I think you can back that boil down a bit! I used to be above 1g, but now with GF am at about 2/3 gal and it works fine.

Let us know when you taste yours, I'm sure you'll like it!:mug:
 
Hey guys thanks for making this post I actually made this beer back in December based off of some of the link you mentioned above. I kind of did a hybrid between the two listed recipes and cut back on the crystal because I thought it was too much. Here is what I brewed:

Batch Size: 5.75 gal post boil
OG: 1.062
FG: 1.016
ABV: 6.1 %
Estimated Color: 11.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 66.0 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 77.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
12 lbs Maris Otter
1.25 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L

0.50 oz Chinook [14.00 %] (60 min)
0.25 oz Centennial [11.1 %] (60 min)
1.00 oz Cascade [9.3 %] (15 min)
0.50 oz Centennial [11.1 %] (15 min)
1.00 oz Cascade [9.3 %] (0 min)
0.50 oz Centennial [11.1 %] (0 min)

*Note: After flame out the 0 min additions were left in for a whirlpool and the previous additions in a hop sack were removed while cooling. Wort was cooled to 70F in 11 minutes.

1.00 oz Cascade [9.3 %] (Dry Hop 5 days)
0.50 oz Centennial [11.1 %] (Dry Hop 5 days)

1 Pkg American Ale (Safale US-05)

Mashed at 154F.

Ferment starting at 68F and ramp it up to 70F for 16 days, then cold crashed at 32.5F for 3 days before kegging.



Overall the beer came out very nice. I wish it were just a bit darker and more red but that could be fixed by using a little more crystal 60L. The maris otter also added a slight faint sweetness in my opinion, but that could have been from the mash temperature. I think it could have used a little more front end bitterness and pine notes to be closer to the real thing. Maybe more Chinook at the 60 minute addition and more Centennial later would have accomplished this? The beer cleared out amazingly, I'll post some photos tomorrow.
 
I would like to see your beer color at 11 SRM compared to a commercial bottle of the beer. I'm hoping that my target of 10 is close.

I just crashed my batch tonight and I'll fine with Biofine clear in a day or two then I'll do a owed transfer to keg on Tuesday. I'm trying to get my process dialed in where I can go grain to glass in 3 weeks. Fairly straightforward recipe and shouldn't be to hard to get it done by then. Most likely not 100% carbed but we'll see. I'll post pictures and tasting notes when I get it in the keg.
 
This recipe is one of the 50 recipes highlighted in the new book called "Brew Your Own - Big Book of Homebrewing".

cover.jpg


IMG_5081-copy.jpg


IMG_5082.jpg
 
I'll be brewing in a few days and I'm using WLP001 yeast. Not sure about starting it out at 62F and letting it ramp to 68F. White Labs says optimum temp is 68-73F. I have a chamber so it's easy to control my temperature. Any thoughts on fermentation temperature? I'm leaning towards just starting at 68F hold for three or four days then raise up to about 72 to finish it off.
 
Some people say starting at 62 will help thr reproduction phase (3 days or so) and ramping up to recommended temp. I used to do the ramp up thing, but lately I've concentrated on hitting pitching rates and keeping it at recommended temp. I'd keep it at 68 if possible. Warming it above recommended may start to get off/fruity flavors unless that's what you're shooting for.
 
Wow looks retty decent and if that is hazy I bet it was darker when it was clear. Would be nice to see a comparison between yours and a commercial bottle. I added biofine clear to my batch today. Will transfer to keg in days.
 
hornet303 said:
Wow looks retty decent and if that is hazy I bet it was darker when it was clear. Would be nice to see a comparison between yours and a commercial bottle. I added biofine clear to my batch today. Will transfer to keg in days.
Click to expand...

I agree looks great. Be sure to post a picture from your batch.
 
I bought a 12pk of Celebration yesterday with intention doing a visual comparison. My beers were packaged 10/31, so we're not exactly fresh anymore, but that being said, your photos look pretty damn close in color and clarity. Ill keep an eye out for a newer batch, but may be hard to find anything newer at this point.

If my 12pk is accurate color and haze, then my beer will be WAY too clear. I could have gone w/o using any clearing agents.
 
Hope I can find some down here to compare, even old. I just crashed and fined mine. Gonna keg on Wednesday.
 
hornet303 said:
I bought a 12pk of Celebration yesterday with intention doing a visual comparison. My beers were packaged 10/31, so we're not exactly fresh anymore, but that being said, your photos look pretty damn close in color and clarity. Ill keep an eye out for a newer batch, but may be hard to find anything newer at this point.

If my 12pk is accurate color and haze, then my beer will be WAY too clear. I could have gone w/o using any clearing agents.
Click to expand...


If you have a chance upload a photo of the real celebration in different lighting like I did. I haven't been able to get any of this years to compare.
 
Ok, so I transferred my beer from primary to keg today. For the most part, it went well, but its slow pushing out of my Speidel into a keg at 2 PSI. I hit my target FG of 1.016 - 1.018. I'm about 7% instead of the 6.8% target. Tasting it, the hop profile is quite a bit off. I'm getting a lot more fruity/citrus vs the more clean pine from the commercial bottle. Nose is pretty similar as well. I need to go back to the recipe and see, but its almost like the predominate hop which is Cascade from what I've seen, should be Centennial instead. Overall, its pretty damn good. Slightly rough on the back end now, but that should mellow out, I'm at 17 days from brew day.

As requested, here are some shots of the commercial beer. Ill post some of mine in comparison once it settles. The samples I pulled were both at the beginning of the transfer and at the end, so they're fairly cloudy.

EDIT: Ok, why are my photos not the proper orientation?

20170207_201433.jpg


20170207_202048.jpg


20170207_201409.jpg
 
hornet303 said:
Ok, so I transferred my beer from primary to keg today. For the most part, it went well, but its slow pushing out of my Speidel into a keg at 2 PSI. I hit my target FG of 1.016 - 1.018. I'm about 7% instead of the 6.8% target. Tasting it, the hop profile is quite a bit off. I'm getting a lot more fruity/citrus vs the more clean pine from the commercial bottle. Nose is pretty similar as well. I need to go back to the recipe and see, but its almost like the predominate hop which is Cascade from what I've seen, should be Centennial instead. Overall, its pretty damn good. Slightly rough on the back end now, but that should mellow out, I'm at 17 days from brew day.

As requested, here are some shots of the commercial beer. Ill post some of mine in comparison once it settles. The samples I pulled were both at the beginning of the transfer and at the end, so they're fairly cloudy.

EDIT: Ok, why are my photos not the proper orientation?
Click to expand...

Oh wow thanks for this. I poured a pint last night from my keg and it isn't gone yet, in fact it was very clear like your photos. I think I just got some sediment in the pour when I posted pics. I have to say the color of mine looks VERY close if not spot on to that!

I completely agree with you about the flavor profile and I was thinking the same thing about needing more Centennial. Took some quick tasting notes for my brew journal since I think the keg is getting low. I'll share what I wrote:

Appearance: Deep copper/burnt orange, not quite red. Nice frothy head that lingered and very clear.

Aroma: Dry hop has slightly faded. Light notes of malt and grapefruit on the nose. Not much pine if any noticeable.

Flavor: Very balance with slightly underwhelming hop presence. Would add more Centennial bittering charge next time. Strong grapfruit an light pine notes with a lingering malt bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied but not too full for an IPA. Carbonation is spot at around 2.5 vols.



Also my OG was 1.062, FG was 1.016
 
DromJohn said:
Celebration Ale is also in Beer Captured and therefore available in kits at Maltose Express.
Click to expand...

Hmm, I don't have any experience with that site, and from looking around they don't publish the recipe on the site itself. Would be interesting to try it, but doubtful its any closer the info that we have now, which is all pretty dated now.
 
Here is the recipe pulled from Brewsmith. As you can see, my dry hop was 3oz which was a bit much if Im trying to match any specific recipe. It should match the 2.5oz that I used in whirlpool. My aroma is strong, and its totally flat so I'm expecting good things. It just doesn't match the same aroma as the commercial beer. If I was to brew it again, I think I'd change the 10 minute addition from 1.8oz of Cascade to 1.8oz of Centennial.

Recipe: Sierra Nevada - Celebration Ale
Style: American IPA
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 8.54 gal
Post Boil Volume: 7.03 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 6.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.069 SG
Estimated Color: 10.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 64.1 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 84.4 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU

13 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 88.2 %
1 lbs 12.8 oz Muntons Crystal - 45L (45.0 SRM) Grain 3 11.8 %
0.80 oz Centennial [8.90 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 19.2 IBUs
0.75 oz Chinook [12.10 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 5 22.2 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 6 -
1.80 oz Cascade [6.90 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 7 11.0 IBUs
1.80 oz Cascade [6.90 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 Hop 8 7.5 IBUs
0.70 oz Centennial [8.90 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 1 Hop 9 4.2 IBUs
1.0 pkg California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) [35. Yeast 10 -
2.00 oz Cascade [6.90 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days Hop 11 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Centennial [8.90 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days Hop 12 0.0 IBUs


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body
Total Grain Weight: 15 lbs 4.8 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 4.78 gal of water at 168.2 F 156.0 F 60 min
Mash Out Add 1.91 gal of water at 202.4 F 168.0 F 10 min

Sparge: Fly sparge with 3.81 gal water at 168.0 F
 
Here is the recipe pulled from Brewsmith. As you can see, my dry hop was 3oz which was a bit much if Im trying to match any specific recipe. It should match the 2.5oz that I used in whirlpool. My aroma is strong, and its totally flat so I'm expecting good things. It just doesn't match the same aroma as the commercial beer. If I was to brew it again, I think I'd change the 10 minute addition from 1.8oz of Cascade to 1.8oz of Centennial.
Click to expand...

Is the goal to brew something exactly like SNC, just to see if you can do it? Or to brew something similar to and inspired by SNC and just as good? Nothing wrong with either one, I'm just curious. (I would pick similar and just as good)
 
z-bob said:
Is the goal to brew something exactly like SNC, just to see if you can do it? Or to brew something similar to and inspired by SNC and just as good? Nothing wrong with either one, I'm just curious. (I would pick similar and just as good)
Click to expand...

Fair question. Scientifically, I think the goal would be to match it exactly. I think there is a certain drive that inspires me in brewing that would be to be able to essentially brew a professional, and well celebrated (pun) beer. I've only been brewing for a bit over 2 years, so there is a decent level of self doubt. As a fan of good beer, it really doesn't matter to me as long as its good. I have a good feeling (only based on drinking murky, flat and warm samples) that this will be a very good batch among myself (toughest critic) and my friends so I'm certainly not at a loss. Similar to Firestone's mantra, these beers inspire me to try to make the perfect pint, which will practically never be accomplished.

I took a shot at making Karl Strauss's Aurora Hoppyalis based on nothing but their marketing material on their website and was way closer to this (flavor wise) which has had numerous recipes floating around the internet for years. Next time I'll increase the mosaic (my beer is on the right, next to the bottle is the commercial beer). Also next time, not as much fining/clearing agent post-fermentation.

I also think that being able to troubleshoot and identify flavors is all part of becoming a better brewer.

20161119_170853.jpg
 
Sampled mine today. Gravity was a little high at 1.017. Recipe calls for 1.015. It's been fermenting for 5 days. Raised the temp of my fermentation chamber to 73F to see if I can get the gravity down a little more. The sample still tasted great. I'll let it sit at 73F for a couple days then I'll dry hop for 7 days.

IMG_1401.jpg
 
Looking good. It will clear up and probably darken up a bit once all the yeast floc out. I wish we could all sit at the same table and do taste each beer to see which is closest.
 
Wow. So clear. Too clear when compared to the original. I'm going to do some side by side-by-side photos this Friday.
 
hornet303 said:
Wow. So clear. Too clear when compared to the original. I'm going to do some side by side-by-side photos this Friday.
Click to expand...


My guess is because Sierra Nevada bottle conditions theirs so you get some haze from the settled yeast in the bottle. Mine is from the keg and it's been kegged about a month and a half.
 
arnobg said:
My guess is because Sierra Nevada bottle conditions theirs so you get some haze from the settled yeast in the bottle. Mine is from the keg and it's been kegged about a month and a half.
Click to expand...

Did you use gelatin or anything else to fine the beer in the keg?
 
Finally got around to doing a side by side comparison with my recently brewed beer and the commercial bottle. There was a few minutes between pours, but overall, I'd say that this is very very similar. My wife and I did a taste comparison and even smelled cascade and centennial hops as we smelled the beers. I'm strongly leaning towards the difference is that the commercial beer smells closer to centennial and my beer is more towards cascade.

Aroma wise, the commercial beer smells similar to sticking your head in a bouquet of roses/flowers. Very floral. Mine smells more fruity and as it warms, more malty. My wife blindly chose my beer as her favorite. I think I would go with commercial beer because it tastes more unique than a typical tropical IPA. If I was to brew this again, I think I still stand by my idea of going centennial primary and cascade secondary.

Also noted, the recipes we're seeing are 2009+ and I'm comparing with a 2016 bottle. They will change from year to year and perhaps my beer would closer resemble something closer to the 2009 period.

EDIT: Whooops forgot to denote which was which. My beer is on the right, commercial is on the left.

20170220_123336 - Copy.jpg
 
Looks great thanks for the comparison. I would brew this again but I would also increase the centennial. Overall great IPA.
 

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