Troeg's Mad Elf

[poptarts]

Going to take a reading tonight, if its in the low teens I will be crashing and bottling it up pretty soon

 

[poptarts]

Wow Im pretty excited. Checked gravity and its at 1.009 so dropped temp down to 0C will be bottling Sunday I think.
Sample looks and tastes pretty damn similar to mad elf.
Mine:

Real:

 

[theck]

Is that this years elf? I found it to be way hot compared to previous years and my batch.

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[poptarts]

its a google image, I will do a side by side here in like 2 months with a 2013 bottle

 

[poptarts]

Update from the brewery. I sent them an email trying to get a bit more information and all I can say is we were pretty far off. I asked for a bit more info on the honey and possible FG numbers. Here is what I got back.

Hi Sam -

Your grain bill looks good. We add our second hop and honey with 20 minutes left in the 90 minute boil.
We use .05 lbs. of honey per gallon and also add some cane sugar to boost starting gravity.
Beer usually finishes around 3.5 plato. We add the cherries about half way through fermentation at a rate of .4 lbs. per gallon.
Hope this helps you get closer to Mad Elf. Cheers!

Sincerely,

Jeff Herb

And the Email we got earlier states 20% Munich for grist.

Your recipe should definitely get you close to Mad Elf. Munich malt makes up 20% of the grist for Mad Elf. We add our second hop and honey with 20 minutes left in the 90 minute boil, then add cherries about half way through fermentation at a rate of .4 lbs. per gal.

Naked Elf has no cherries, honey or chocolate malt. We also lower the gravity of the beer for a lower ABV.

So this is the new recipe I came up with based on these numbers and I think it must be pretty damn close. The good news is they recipe just got a ton cheaper since we went from multiple pounds of honey to only .25 for a 5 gallon batch.

Recipe Link

BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Mad Elf
Brewer: Sam
Asst Brewer: 
Style: Belgian Dark Strong Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0) https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/troegs-mad-elf-435795/

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.79 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.46 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal   
Bottling Volume: 4.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.098 SG
Estimated Color: 12.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 14.7 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72.7 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt                   Name                                     Type          #        %/IBU         
1.00 Items            Campten (Mash 0.0 mins)                  Water Agent   1        -             
1.00 Items            Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins)        Fining        9        -             
0.25 tsp              Yeast Energizer (Boil 15.0 mins)         Other         11       -             
0.50 tsp              Yeast Nutrient (Boil 15.0 mins)          Other         10       -             
13 lbs 3.2 oz         Pilsner (2.3 SRM)                        Grain         2        66.2 %        
1.0 pkg               Trappist High Gravity (Wyeast Labs #3787 Yeast         12       -             
3 lbs 5.3 oz          Munich (10.2 SRM)                        Grain         3        16.7 %         
2.4 oz                Chocolate (Briess) (350.0 SRM)           Grain         4        0.8 %         
1.00 oz               Saaz [3.75 %] - Boil 20.0 min            Hop           8        5.7 IBUs      
0.75 oz               Hallertau [4.50 %] - Boil 90.0 min       Hop           6        9.0 IBUs      
4.0 oz                Honey [Boil for20 min](1.0 SRM)          Extract       7        1.3 %         
1 lbs                 Fruit - Cherry Sweet (0.0 SRM)           Adjunct       14       5.0 %         
1 lbs                 Fruit - Cherry Regular (0.0 SRM)         Adjunct       13       5.0 %         
1 lbs                 Sugar, Table (Sucrose) (1.0 SRM)         Sugar         5        5.0 %         


Mash Schedule: My Regular Mash
Total Grain Weight: 19 lbs 14.4 oz
----------------------------
Name              Description                             Step Temperat Step Time     
Mash In           Add 5.61 gal of water at 161.7 F        151.0 F       90 min        

Sparge: Drain mash tun, Batch sparge with 1 steps (4.38gal) of 168.0 F water

I think we are getting really close now guys

 

[seckert]

Update from the brewery. I sent them an email trying to get a bit more information and all I can say is we were pretty far off. I asked for a bit more info on the honey and possible FG numbers. Here is what I got back.



And the Email we got earlier states 20% Munich for grist.



So this is the new recipe I came up with based on these numbers and I think it must be pretty damn close. The good news is they recipe just got a ton cheaper since we went from multiple pounds of honey to only .25 for a 5 gallon batch.

Recipe Link

BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Mad Elf
Brewer: Sam
Asst Brewer: 
Style: Belgian Dark Strong Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0) https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/troegs-mad-elf-435795/

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.79 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.46 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal   
Bottling Volume: 4.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.098 SG
Estimated Color: 12.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 14.7 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72.7 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt                   Name                                     Type          #        %/IBU         
1.00 Items            Campten (Mash 0.0 mins)                  Water Agent   1        -             
1.00 Items            Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins)        Fining        9        -             
0.25 tsp              Yeast Energizer (Boil 15.0 mins)         Other         11       -             
0.50 tsp              Yeast Nutrient (Boil 15.0 mins)          Other         10       -             
13 lbs 3.2 oz         Pilsner (2.3 SRM)                        Grain         2        66.2 %        
1.0 pkg               Trappist High Gravity (Wyeast Labs #3787 Yeast         12       -             
3 lbs 5.3 oz          Munich (10.2 SRM)                        Grain         3        16.7 %         
2.4 oz                Chocolate (Briess) (350.0 SRM)           Grain         4        0.8 %         
1.00 oz               Saaz [3.75 %] - Boil 20.0 min            Hop           8        5.7 IBUs      
0.75 oz               Hallertau [4.50 %] - Boil 90.0 min       Hop           6        9.0 IBUs      
4.0 oz                Honey [Boil for20 min](1.0 SRM)          Extract       7        1.3 %         
1 lbs                 Fruit - Cherry Sweet (0.0 SRM)           Adjunct       14       5.0 %         
1 lbs                 Fruit - Cherry Regular (0.0 SRM)         Adjunct       13       5.0 %         
1 lbs                 Sugar, Table (Sucrose) (1.0 SRM)         Sugar         5        5.0 %         


Mash Schedule: My Regular Mash
Total Grain Weight: 19 lbs 14.4 oz
----------------------------
Name              Description                             Step Temperat Step Time     
Mash In           Add 5.61 gal of water at 161.7 F        151.0 F       90 min        

Sparge: Drain mash tun, Batch sparge with 1 steps (4.38gal) of 168.0 F water

I think we are getting really close now guys

The Only thing new that I can see from when i emailed them was that they told you they added cane sugar to boost the ABV...I have a feeling they have a cut and paste standard email they send out since the reply you got was almost word for word the same I received back...

 

[seckert]

oh wait nevermind...I see that they also gave you the honey rate...I was confused as i thought they had given you the cherry rate again..whoops...my bad!

 

[poptarts]

Now we just need to email and ask how much sugar per gallon and we got ourselves a spot on clone.

 

[wobrien]

Now we just need to email and ask how much sugar per gallon and we got ourselves a spot on clone.

And also ask for their water profile and fermentation temperature schedule and we won't have to buy it anymore

 

[poptarts]

Ive never been able to buy it

 

[seckert]

I started this clone because i am not able to buy it where i live now...once i move back to PA i will buy it and start making a perfect clone for my favorite beer i moved away from. I will always support the local breweries.

 

[wobrien]

Please don't misconstrue my intent. I always have and always will support local breweries. Cloning beers you love is more for the fun/challenge than to save money. Keep up the good work guys, this has been fun to follow.

Cheers!

 

[poptarts]

Bottled yesterday, ended up with a little over 7 gallons. 3 cases and 1 bottle. 11.3% should be a good time.

 

[seckert]

Bottled yesterday, ended up with a little over 7 gallons. 3 cases and 1 bottle. 11.3% should be a good time.

Mine is on day 2 or 3 of cold crash. I plan on kegging this evening! Should be tasty!

 

[poptarts]

Moved all mine into the ferm chamber sitting at a cozy 21, hope they carb up soon, I want to try this stuff out already.

 

[seckert]

be advised this stuff takes some time to age...in the beginning the high ABV is VERY noticable! after a bit it mellows out and this stuff gets dangerous! haha

 

[poptarts]

Yea I ideally would like to let the majority of it sit around until the holidays. We will see though, that is about the status with all my beer and mead at the moment :/

 

[seckert]

So what you are saying is you need to brew something lighter that you can drink in the mean time to keep you out of the really good stuff until it is ready? haha

 

[theck]

So what you are saying is you need to brew something lighter that you can drink in the mean time to keep you out of the really good stuff until it is ready? haha

What I do ha...

 

[aslander]

6 weeks after brew day, I transfered to keg and force carbed. Yesterday the wife and I had a few glasses. We both like my version better. The cherry flavor is noticeable but to too tart like mad elf, and not too sweet for my tastes. I came in a little over 12%. Overall we like it better than mad elf. I may try a modified recipe based on what you all have been digging up, but there's nothing I can complain about the one I tried.

 

[aslander]

By the way, I will do a side by side of the two soon. I have a few bottles of Mad Elf in the basement that I saved from last season.

 

[millie]

Can someone post and exctract recipe for this one? Id like to try brewing this one.

 

[poptarts]

Its just so pretty.

 

[joyceman]

Can someone post and exctract recipe for this one? Id like to try brewing this one.

This is the recipe I used, when I did extract. Its really PM, beacuse I wanted to get some pilsen in it and didnt have access to pils extract.

Briess Golden Light LME 8.0 lb 65 %
Briess 2-Row Brewers Malt 2.0 lb 16 %
Briess Pilsen Malt 1.0 lb 8 %
Caramunich Malt 40 1.0 lb 8 %
Bairds Chocolate Malt 0.19 lb 1 %

Hallertau (US) 1.0 oz 60 min Boil Pellet 4.3%
Czech Saaz () 1.0 oz 10 min Boil Pellet 5.0%

Belgian Witbier Wyeast 3944 74.0%

Cinnamon Sticks 2.0 each 1.0 min Boil
Cherries 4.0 each 7.0 days Secondary

 

[poptarts]

Something like this will get you alot closer to a real mad elf clone.
http://files.samfoust.com/uploadedfiles/Uploads/mad-elf-extract.html

 

[wobrien]

Its just so pretty.

That looks even better than the real deal. Very nice !

Is that from a bottle or keg?

 

[poptarts]

Thanks , and bottle, no kegging allowed in my house says the wife... for now...

 

[theck]

Thanks , and bottle, no kegging allowed in my house says the wife... for now...

Oh you have to keg. I'll never go back.

 

[seckert]

Agreed! Kegging is the best upgrade I have done in my homebrewing!

 

[millie]

Does anyone have this beer from bewery? Im on west coast, wa and I cant find. Can I order? Im willing to pay for beer as well as shipping cost. Id like to brew this bad but hard to make that call never tasting the origanal. Thxs