Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA Clone

As a home brewer on the southern east coast I believe it is my right and responsibility to patronize Dog Fish Head brewery.  I recently took up a challenge from my future brother in-law to try and clone the 60 Minute IPA. I did a little (and I mean a very little) research and found a recipe on Google books for this beer.  The recipe in the book was an extract recipe.  I converted it to all grain. 

The recipe: 5 Gallon Batch 

12 Lbs 2-Row 

6 Oz Amber Malt. 

14 g Amarillo (boil)

14 g Simcoe (boil)

14 g Warrior (boil)

14g Amarillo (0 min) 

28 g (Dry Hop)

14g (Simcoe) 

Mash @ 151 

*The boil hops were all split into 12 small cups that were added to the boil in 5 min increments. 

Ferment @ 66 F (19C) My clone vs the real 60 minute.  My clone is lighter in color and slightly more clear.  The hop character is similar but the clone has a softer bitterness.  The real 60 minute has a much more aggressive and bright hop character than my clone.  I think if I had made some water adjustments I could have come much closer.  All in all its tasty and darn close. 

60 minute vs Clone
60 Minute left : Clone Right 

American Bitter

I have written about my belief that the next big thing in american craft beer should be low alcohol beers.  I have finally decided to try and brew a sub 4% ABV beer.  My plan for this beer is to emulate an English Bitter recipe. but to Americanize it.  The way every other style is "Americanized" is for it to be higher in ABV and more hoppy.  I have designed a small APA (american pale ale) that I call a American Bitter.  It clocks in at 3.3 ABV 25 IBU's. 

The Recipe: 5 Gallons 

6 lbs Golden Promise 
1/2 lbs Munich Malt 
1/2 lbs White Wheat Malt 
1/2 lbs Amber Malt 

9.5g CTZ @ 60 Min 
14 g Cascade @10 Min
14 g Zythos @ 10 Min 
14 g Cascade @ 0 Min
14 g g Zythos @ 0 Min 
28 g Cascade dry hop 6 days 
28 g "Centennial type" dry hop 6 days 

OG 1.040 
FG 1.015 

I brewed this two weeks ago. I unfortunately am at capacity with my kegs.  I will dry hop and report back when I have some tasting notes on this beer.  I have tried it out of the fermentor and it is really good.  It in no way tasted like it is 3.3% beer. It has a really nice cirtus and pine hop character with out being overly hoppy.  

Sierra Nevada Tumbler Clone (Glass Acrobat)

It is currently hot and humid outside.  I am tired of this weather and I can not wait until it is fall.  I live in Virginia, where it is most beautiful in autumn.  In an effort to bring the changing on the season about a bit quicker than mother nature will allow I am brewing a Brown Ale.  

This beer is based on Sierra Nevada Tumber. A beer I love.  I'm calling it "Glass Acrobat". According to Sierra Nevada's web site they use two-row pale malt, a crystal malt, chocolate malt and smoked malt.  According to a Brewing Network interview with Ken Grossman they use a small amount of very fresh (smoked on site) smoked malt in the recipe. The hops sierra uses are Challenger for bittering, and Challanger and Yakima Goldings for finishing. Tumbler OG is 13.6 Plato (1.054 SG) FG is 3.4 Plato (1.014 sg).  I use significantly more smoked malt than Sierra Nevada dose because the smoked malt I can get is significantly less fresh.  Also I had to make some hop substitutes based on availability. The recipe I came up with to attempt to clone this beer is as follows.  

10 gallon Batch. (76% efficiency) 

18 lbs Maris Otter 
2 lbs Crystal 80 Lov
2 Lbs Smoked Malt
1 Lb Chocolate Malt. 

23.5 g CTZ (13.9 AA) 60 min
42 g UK Kent Goldings (5.8 AA) 15 Min 
28 g Challenger (7.5 AA) 15 Min.

Yeast: White Labs 001 (California Ale)
Mash @ 155


I ended up being much more efficient (87%).  My OG is 1.062.

I am looking forward to this beer.  I plan on fermenting all 10 gallons with a reptiched slurry of 001 from a pale ale that I brewed a few weeks ago and then adding a sour mix to 5 gallons and let it sour for 9 to 12 moths.

I will report back with tasting notes.


Update: 

Tumber, My Clone and a control. 

  This batch turned out great.  Its very similar to Tumbler.  My version is much bolder.  The smoke is just slightly more noticeable and the body is slightly fuller.  

Next time I would do a better job adjusting the recipe to my system (OG too high). I will also probably reduce the smoke malt to 1.5 lbs (maybe 1 lb).