Snapshot clone

[meridianomrebel]

So, my stepson is turning 21 on the 26th, and he just asked me today if I could brew up a batch of New Belgium's Snapshot for him for his birthday weekend. So yeah, very short notice. I'll be hitting up the LHBS on Monday during lunch and brewing up my best attempt right after I get off work on Monday. So, I'm gonna go ahead and reserve a thread at this very frantic paced attempt to have something brewed and ready to drink in about three weeks.

Anyways, here's a recipe that I found that sounds pretty good:

1.057OG
1.015FG
16IBU
4SRM
5.6%ABV

Amount Fermentable Use
7.0 lb Pale Wheat (CA) Mash
3.0 lb Maris Otter Pale (UK) Mash
2.0 lb Acidulated Malt (DE) Mash
Hops

Amount Hop Time
0.5 oz Cascade (US) 60 min
0.5 oz Cascade (US) 15 min
1.0 oz Citra (US) 0 min
Yeasts

Name Lab/Product
American Ale II Wyeast 1272
Extras

Amount Name Time
2.0 g Coriander Seed 5.0 min
1.0 oz Grains of Paradise 5.0 min

What does everyone think?

 

[meridianomrebel]

Well, it was a very rainy day, but I got it all brewed up on Monday after work. Not alot of pictures due to the rain, but I thought it turned out really well.

The recipe I had posted had the GoP and Coriander amounts backwards, so I swapped those around. I ended up using WLP051 yeast. It was slow to start, but once it got going the yeasties were pretty vicious in both activity and in smell.

 

[pshankstar]

I've enjoyed NB's Snapshot in the past! Please keep us posted as to how you think this clone recipe turns out. Cheers and congrats!

 

[meridianomrebel]

Moved it to secondary yesterday. Took a reading at 1.018, with a target of FG of 1.015. Hate having to rush this to be drank on the 29th, but the plan will be to just keg half and bottle the rest. I tasted the sample I pulled out for the gravity reading and it seemed like it was maybe a bit more sour than the real deal, but I still think it's gonna be fairly close.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

I like this idea, and am looking forward to seeing how it turns out. I've enjoyed Snapshot, and always try to grab it when it is in town. Brewing it would be even better?

I'm asking only because I don't know, and I'm not second-guessing you, but was there any reason for the choice of Maris Otter? I wouldn't have thought of it for this; but having said that, I'm betting it will make a very good choice, with its unique characteristics. I would have guessed that Snapshot would be closer to a Berliner Weiss, but I have no real experience with sour beers.

Keep us updated!

Ron

 

[meridianomrebel]

Oh, the recipe is just one I found online. I'm going the final product is close. If not, I may try your suggestion and see how it goes.

 

[meridianomrebel]

Half got kegged in a 2.5 gallon keg, and the rest bottled. Forced carbed the keg to get it ready in time for this past Saturday. Here's my thoughts on the recipe:
1. As you can tell from the pic, it is cloudy. I imagine that was due to it being rushed to be ready so quickly. I'll post a pic when I pour one from the bottles in a few weeks.
2. In comparison to Snapshot, this one didn't have enough "sour" to it. I do think it is more citrusy than Snapshot, as it has an almost grapefruit type of sweet to it, with just a hint of pepper in the back. There is a little bit of a sour twang to it, but not enough, IMHO.
3. Head retention was excellent with great lacing to the bottom of the glass.

Overall, I thought it was a really good beer. Is it Snapshot? No, it's not, but then we're talking about comparing this to a blended beer. I'll probably make this again and tweak the recipe to make it a bit more sour. I am curious to see how it's gonna taste out of the bottles in a few weeks.

Cheers!