Sierra Nevada Clone(Slightly Altered)

[Bamfordjf]

The guy at my LHBS gave me this recipe that he got out of a book or mag and then tweaked it a bit.

Original Recipe:

10.33 lbs Us 2-Row Pale malt
1/2 lb dextrin malt
1/4 lb Crystal 60L

1 oz Nugget-90 min
1/2 oz Perle- 15 min
1 oz Cascade= 1 min

Wyeast 1056

1/2 oz cascade dry hop

Mash @ 122 for 30 min, then 150 for 60 min.

No idea about that 122 for 30 min part(never done any kind of step mash), a 90 min mash, or 90 min boil for that matter.

Changes: Amarillo instead of Nugget, Safale US-05 instead of Wyeast, and no dry hop.

Question: Does that look right? Do I have to mash at 122 for 30 and do a 90 min boil?

Kinda confused.....

 

[moonbrew]

That Recipe is from "Clone Brews". I've brewed that one before and was disappointed. Can't say I was surprised cause I didn't think it looked right anyway...

For this beer, or any similar Pale Ale, with so much 2-Row the step mash is quite unnecessary.

As far as the changes, Amarillo is not a very close substitute for Nugget. Horizon, Simco, Magnum, or one of the other high AAs would prolly be better.

If it were my beer, I would go with the liquid yeast and make an appropriate starter. For the longest time I thought dry yeast was fine and that liquid was for guys who had extra money and extra time. Then when I finally broke down and went to the trouble to pitch a liquid starter I found that liquid yeast is for guys who drink better beer.

As for the dry hop... SN says they don't dry hop their PA, and I believe them, but as a homebrewer we have to compensate for their amazing hopping techniques to get close to that effect. Dry hopping, or more late additions, help with that.

Completely on a side note...
I've been on the quest for a great PA for forever it seams, one on the order of a SNPA. I've brewed every "clone" I could get my hands on and none of them impressed me. However, the best Pale Ale I've ever brewed is the one in Jamil's "Brewing Classic Styles" and can be found here http://beerdujour.com/Recipes/Jamil/Jamils_American_Pale_Ale.html
It's in the same ballpark as a good SNPA. Make sure you chill that bad boy down as fast as you can after flame out, that is the key to making those late additions really pop.

As always, this is just my opinion, but I hope it helps...

 

[Bamfordjf]

Oh well...I'm still going to do it based on what he gave me. Would it still turn out decent if I do the mash @ 150 for 60 and a 60 min boil?

BTW: I'm really not concerned about it being close to Sierra Nevada at all. I just want a good pale ale.

 

[moonbrew]

Oh yeah, 150-152 is fine for a beer like this, and a 60 min mash with a 60 min boil are also just right.

Don't worry, it should be a good PA. It's just that "clone" thing can be a bit misleading sometimes.

Let us know how it comes out.

 

[mithion]

I'd tone down the nugget. The average nugget is a pretty high alpha hops. Although I don't have numbers right in front of me, the original SNPA is brewed with 0.38 oz magnum (10-11%) at 60 minutes. You're adding a full ounce of nugget (somewhere around 13%) at 90 minutes. That will contribute significantly more bitterness. I know you're not concerned with cloning SNPA, but I just want to make sure you're aware of how bitter this beer will be.

In case you do want to brew SNPA pretty closely, here's my version of it.

Grains:

11.00 lbs US 2-row
0.88 lbs Caramel 60L

Hops:

0.80 oz Perle 8.25%AA (First Wort Hop)
0.80 oz Perle 8.25%AA (30 minutes)
1.00 oz Cascade 5.75%AA (15 minutes)
2.00 oz Cascade 5.75%AA (flame out)

You'll hit around 8.0 SRM with about 40 IBUs with this recipe. Of course, the original has a magnum hops addition at 60 minutes, but my LHBS doesn't carry this variety. I choose perle as replacement for the reason that magnum is a high alpha derivative of Hallertau, and so is perle.

If I were to brew this again, I'd try a couple of modifications. First, I would try reducing the crystal 60L by an ounce or two. Second, I brewed this with US-05 the first time. I think WLP001 or Wyeast 1056 will get me much closer.

My dad drinks SNPA almost exclusively and he claimed it was almost identical. Good luck! :rockin:

 

[Killervector]

I did a SNPA clone several years ago and used all perle. I was VERY happy with the result. I didn't taste it side by side, but I know that beer well, and I know I was close.

Gave me a whole new appreciation for Perle hops.

 

[jgourd]

I brewed a SNPA recently from a recipe I found on this forum somewhere:

Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.053 SG
Estimated FG: 1.012 SG
Estimated IBUs: 36.8 IBU
Estimated Color: 9.5 SRM
Brewhouse Efficiency: 68%
Boil Time: 60 minutes

Grains:
11.00# Pale Malt (2-Row) US (91.67%)
1.00# Caramel/Crystal 60L (8.33%)

Hops:
0.40 oz Magnum (14.40%) @60 min
0.50 oz Perle (US) (7.10%) @60 min
1.00 oz Cascade (7.50%) @10 min
2.00 oz Cascade (7.50%) @0 min

Yeast:
White Labs WLP001 (California Ale)

I did a side-by-side after bottle conditioning for about a month. They are almost identical except for the SNPA having a bit more hop aroma. So next time I'll dry hop with about 1 oz. of cascade.