Sierra nevada torpedo clone

[CidahMastah]

FYI - my brother tried this out, he was very impressed. He thinks it is really close and is going to do a side by side with the commercial version tonight (he thinks).

 

[CidahMastah]

Hey guys - here is the update from my brother for the Austin Home Brew Supply Clone:
Has anyone done the Austin Homebrew Supply All Grain clone? I would be interested to see their recipe.

Bros comments:

"Did the side-by-side comparison on the Torpedo yesterday. It was scary. I was able to duplicate the entire process - both bottles were 6 inches from each other in the garage so they started at the exact same temperature. I poured them into identical mugs nicely frosted from the freezer. I couldn't identify any difference in coloration so I actually had to put a rubber band around the base of one mug to tell them apart. Aromatically, my nose couldn't pick up any noticeable difference. I immediately did a tasting - individually sipping a few times from each with a pause in between and then back-to-back tastings. I tried one after another and then switched. After that I went to the couch and spent the next 40 minutes enjoying them. I wanted to find out what happened as each came up in temperature all the way to nearly room temp. I have to tell you, I could not pick one over the other in a blind test. At times I was convinced your brew was a little brighter but I may have just had that expectation. In my opinion, the clone is every bit as good as the original right down to carbonation level."



Just did a quick comparison of what I think the AHS All grain recipe is. I would assume the hop schedule is the same, so just the grains would be the issue.

BYO vs. AHS
Both recipes place the base grain to specialties ration very close:

BYO:
2ROW - 95.30%
C60 - 4.7%
SRM = 8.5

AHS:
2ROW - 95.05%
*C60 - 4.95%
SRM = 8.4

*I assume C60 is the specialty used from AHS since there are only two grains used in the BYO, 2row and C60.


Now I just need to compare the hop schedule from AHS extract kit to the hop schedule from BYO. I did a full boil for my AHS extract kit.

 

[McDingleberry]

Hey guys - here is the update from my brother for the Austin Home Brew Supply Clone:
Has anyone done the Austin Homebrew Supply All Grain clone? I would be interested to see their recipe.

Bros comments:

"Did the side-by-side comparison on the Torpedo yesterday. It was scary. I was able to duplicate the entire process - both bottles were 6 inches from each other in the garage so they started at the exact same temperature. I poured them into identical mugs nicely frosted from the freezer. I couldn't identify any difference in coloration so I actually had to put a rubber band around the base of one mug to tell them apart. Aromatically, my nose couldn't pick up any noticeable difference. I immediately did a tasting - individually sipping a few times from each with a pause in between and then back-to-back tastings. I tried one after another and then switched. After that I went to the couch and spent the next 40 minutes enjoying them. I wanted to find out what happened as each came up in temperature all the way to nearly room temp. I have to tell you, I could not pick one over the other in a blind test. At times I was convinced your brew was a little brighter but I may have just had that expectation. In my opinion, the clone is every bit as good as the original right down to carbonation level."



Just did a quick comparison of what I think the AHS All grain recipe is. I would assume the hop schedule is the same, so just the grains would be the issue.

BYO vs. AHS
Both recipes place the base grain to specialties ration very close:

BYO:
2ROW - 95.30%
C60 - 4.7%
SRM = 8.5

AHS:
2ROW - 95.05%
*C60 - 4.95%
SRM = 8.4

*I assume C60 is the specialty used from AHS since there are only two grains used in the BYO, 2row and C60.


Now I just need to compare the hop schedule from AHS extract kit to the hop schedule from BYO. I did a full boil for my AHS extract kit.

Wow, that's awesome. I may need to make that my next batch.

 

[prolific]

Now, to finally follow up on my AG batch. After 2 weeks of primary, I transferred to secondary and added dry hops as described earlier:

.5oz Magnum
.75oz Crystal
.75oz Cascade (couldn't get Citra)

After only a week, I was out of all other beers in the kegerator so I kegged this rather than waiting another 1-2 weeks to let it clarify. While kegging, i took a gravity measurement and I was shocked to see it at 1.010. Basically, this brought the beer to about 8.6% alc, which is certainly stronger than the commercial beer, but still very very good.

In a side by side, I'm sure the two would taste a bit different, but like I said, it is still very good. I am very happy overall, and I will definitely make it again.

Drank a few too many the other night and was surely reminded the next morning.

 

[CidahMastah]

Prolific - I bet with the citra you would be on for the clone. Your grain bill was different than the BYO recipe (you had upped it). Did you keep it in the same ratio as I noted above?

I am thinking the cascade is what threw off your absolute "clone" taste. Those citra are unreal in dry hopping flavor. I used .25 oz I had left over in a pale ale, and it was awesome.

 

[CidahMastah]

Just answered my own question:

Prolific's grain bill:
BYO:
2ROW - 94.2%
C60 - 5.88%
SRM = 11

So though small, all those little differences add up ad the end of the day. I think the biggest flavor difference is the hop substitution.

At the end of the day, I don't think any slight variation would produce a bad tasting beer.

 

[prolific]

Just answered my own question:
At the end of the day, I don't think any slight variation would produce a bad tasting beer.

Exactly. The reason I follow a clone recipe is because I know it is a good start for a very good beer. I'd almost rather my beer tastes a little different just for variety.

 

[CidahMastah]

I usually don't care too much if the clone matches exactly. However this one I was doing more for my bro. Don't get me wrong, I love the beer, just this is his favorite so a high standard was required. UBU ale is another one I am working on that I haven't made it perfect... all in good time!

 

[jhenderson27]

So i am doing this recipe to the T. The only difference is crystal hops are no where to be found. So i am replacing with German Hallertau with the same AA. I am doing the exact AG specs per BYO/Cidah. I actually spoke with him while buying supplies. I will be brewing Saturday and will comment back. I am super excited about this one.

 

[CidahMastah]

Enjoy!

I just did another monster hop buy and grabbed a bunch of crystal magnum and citra as well (once I heard from jhenderson about the crystal hops). Figured I better do a big hop buy for my planned brews. I know I will be doing the AG recipe at least a few times this summer ... among many other recipes!

 

[Mustangfreak]

I'll have to try this out!!!

 

[CidahMastah]

Now I just need to compare the hop schedule from AHS extract kit to the hop schedule from BYO.

I looked at the hop schedules last night. They are identical between the BYO and AHS extract kit.

So looks like the recipe should produce a "cloned" brew. Post back if you hit the AG version as state on the BYO. I won't be able to brew this for a month or so at least because my brews are all sinked up. Unless I do a couple back to back 10G brews....

 

[CidahMastah]

Another guy I know, very into the craft brews, grabbed a 6 pack of sierra this weekend and compared to my brew. He said:

"I must say after purchasing torpedo, I think yours is better. It almost had a "fresher" taste IMO. Not that it stopped me from drinking 2-3 of sierra Nevada's version."

Man with all the PR I am getting on this one, I better be able to replicate in an all grain version!

 

[jhenderson27]

Hit a perfect 1.068. Mash temp started at 154 and over the hour hung at 152*. Smelled great. Brewed it up and came in with 4.8g. Just a tad under 5. Used S-05 and ferm took off quickly. Good krausen and a fantastic hop smell from the airlock. Will keep posted on how it comes out. Depending on time it may be kegged or bottled.

 

[jhenderson27]

SN torpedo on left. Mine on right. Overall do i dare say mine is more crisp, better head retention, more of a lingering hop and malt taste met with a fantastic aroma up front. Kudos to Cidah, one hell of a recipe!

 

[CidahMastah]

Late on this but... nice!!

So it can be done with AG as well haha... excellent... (Mr. Burns voice)

 

[scoundrel]

I mentioned this in another thread but it may be worth propagating the yeast from the dregs of the Torpedo bottles for a more authentic taste. I did this with SN Kellerweis and it was noticeably different than WLP300.

 

[eanmcnulty]

I mentioned this in another thread but it may be worth propagating the yeast from the dregs of the Torpedo bottles for a more authentic taste. I did this with SN Kellerweis and it was noticeably different than WLP300.

Was it just different, or was it more like the real SN Kellerweis?
I have not propagated yeast yet, and I am considering brewing Torpedo.
Also, have you tried it with SNPA? I was just going to use Safale US-05.

 

[scoundrel]

Was it just different, or was it more like the real SN Kellerweis?
I have not propagated yeast yet, and I am considering brewing Torpedo.
Also, have you tried it with SNPA? I was just going to use Safale US-05.

I haven't attempted a Kellerweis clone yet but I whipped up two batches of Norther Brewer's Bavarian Hefeweizen as a test. The one with Kellerweis was cloudier and has a hint of spice that WLP300 didn't have. I had a few friends do blind taste tests and the Kellerweis version won every time.

I haven't tried it with SNPA but my understanding is that with the exception of Kellerweis, SN pretty much uses their "house" yeast in all of their beers. That being said, if I harvest yeast for a PA, I'll probably get from their PA and if I do a Torpedo clone, I'll probably harvest from Torpedo bottles. SN has a distinctive taste and I'm sure the yeast contributes to it.

The best part about harvesting yeast is that you get to drink the beer and it produces enough yeast for several batches. It helps keep the cost down.

 

[eanmcnulty]

I think I will be propagating yeast this summer. Thanks for the info.

 

[iky0]

wow that is a lot of hops, and strong ones too. No wonder that beer is so potent.

 

[gfd622]

This recipe is still one of my favorites (as originally posted). I finally bought a turkey fryer and so full boils are now all I do, and it's amazing how much better the flavor is with a full boil. I have reduced my fermentation time a bit (21-28 days total, start to finish), only because all of my fermenters are full, and I keep making more. I just tried an all grain version of this last week (for that, I just substituted 11 lb of 2-row for the DME, all else the same), so we'll see how that turns out. It's still a good brew.

Now to work on my SN Porter. Any thoughts on that one?

 

[eanmcnulty]

This recipe is still one of my favorites (as originally posted). I finally bought a turkey fryer and so full boils are now all I do, and it's amazing how much better the flavor is with a full boil. I have reduced my fermentation time a bit (21-28 days total, start to finish), only because all of my fermenters are full, and I keep making more. I just tried an all grain version of this last week (for that, I just substituted 11 lb of 2-row for the DME, all else the same), so we'll see how that turns out. It's still a good brew.

Now to work on my SN Porter. Any thoughts on that one?

Start a new thread called Sierra Nevada Porter, and I will work on a version of it also.

 

[CidahMastah]

Start a new thread called Sierra Nevada Porter, and I will work on a version of it also.

I will have to check the BYO magazine - I think they might have a clone in that as well. Based on how close the torpedo clone was, I bet the porter is spot on too.

 

[scoundrel]

I could have sworn when listening to the BN interview with Sierra Nevada, that this is an all Citra beer.

 

[CidahMastah]

I could have sworn when listening to the BN interview with Sierra Nevada, that this is an all Citra beer.

brewed and tasted side by side the BYO clone recipe was dead on. I don't think it is possible that this could be an all citra brew. The flavors are too complex for a single hop IMO.

Their website even states the different hops used (check this out): http://www.sierranevada.com/beers/torpedo.html



alcohol content 7.2% by volume
yeast Ale Yeast
beginning gravity 17.3 Plato
bittering hops Magnum
ending gravity 4.2 Plato
finishing hops Magnum & Crystal
bitterness units 65
dry hopping Magnum, Crystal & Citra
malts Two-row Pale, & Crystal

 

[Polorl69]

Has anyone played around with adding the DME late in the boil, or adding , say, half at the start and the rest near the end? I'm new to late extract additions and was curious if it would have any effect.

When I do my IPA's I usually add half my DME at first boil and then I add the rest at about 20 minutes. It helps on keeping a lighter color. More of a "west coast" IPA

 

[CidahMastah]

A few pictures of my results with the BYO recipe. These were my first pulls off the keg. You can see the hop matter in the glass and that it hasn't cleared just yet. My favorite time to grab an IPA - Thick with yeast and hop lupulin. Simply fantastic

 

[jeffdill]

This is really a great recipe. By far my best homebrew! It's crazy how fast I drank this batch. My local homebrew shop didn't have all the hops the OP listed so I went with this for the hop profile:

1.5oz Yakima Magnum (60')
1 oz Mt. Hood (5')
1 oz Yakima Magnum (5')
0.5 oz Yakima Magnum (dry hop)
1 oz Centennial (dry hop)

I accidentally let it ferment at about 90 degrees (went out of town and forgot to turn on AC) and it still turned out fine!

 

[elproducto]

A few pictures of my results with the BYO recipe. These were my first pulls off the keg. You can see the hop matter in the glass and that it hasn't cleared just yet. My favorite time to grab an IPA - Thick with yeast and hop lupulin. Simply fantastic

I love Torpedo.. I need to brew this.

CidahMastah your clone looks identical to my memory of Torpedo. Awesome.