It's been awhile since I've done this, but it's once again time to clone a commercial beer. It always seems like they turn out more like Pigly, but this time will be better I swear! The great thing about brewing clones is that there is a gold standard against which to compare my beer; I can find flaws in my process (and sometimes recipe) by comparing my version head to head against the professional version. Usually that's not a fun experience, but I've learned a lot since my last clone attempts, so we'll see what happens when I tangle with this guy.
The beer this week is Stone's Arrogant Bastard. I assume you've heard of it. It's literally everywhere--in bottle shops, in grocery stores, in my fridge, hiding in the bushes, watching you while you sleep...--you have no excuse for not having tried it. It's awesome. But what's even better (and unfortunately ridiculously expensive) is the oaked version. As in aged on oak chips. If I'm going to brew this thing I might as well go for the gusto, and try out oak aging for the first time.
In order to avoid an attack of the clone, I've done some thorough research on this beer this time. Or rather I read about people who actually did research. The Can You Brew It podcast on the Brewing Network did a series on cloning Arrogant Bastard where they figured out the deep, dark secrets of Stone's masterpiece, then some guy on the internet perfected the oak aging. He's totally trustworthy I'm sure.
So with all that in mind, here is the recipe I'll be working with. It seems the secret ingredient is the Special B malt, and after tasting the grains at the homebrew shop I'd have to say I'm pretty stoked about this. I can't explain the flavor, but if you taste the beer you'll know what I'm talking about since it's the only specialty malt. The recipe is also loaded with Chinook hops which I stocked up on last summer in anticipation of this beer, but I'm just now getting around to actually getting it brewed. And like all hoppy beers, once it's ready it's best consumed fresh, so I'll need some serious help with the final step in the brewing process: quality control, sensory analysis, etc.
Arrogant Bastard Clone -------------------------- Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal Estimated ABV: 7.7 % Estimated OG: 1.072 SG Estimated FG: 1.014 SG Estimated Color: 18.9 SRM Estimated IBU: 92.0 IBUs Brewhouse Efficiency: 57.00 % Est Mash Efficiency: 65.6 % Boil Time: 90 Minutes Ingredients: ------------ Amt Name %/IBU 16 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) 90.1 % 1 lbs 12.0 oz Special B Malt (115.0 SRM) 9.9 % 1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 90.0 min 39.6 IBUs 1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 45.0 min 34.0 IBUs 1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min 18.4 IBUs 0.25 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins) 1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min 0.0 IBUs 1.0 pkg British Ale Yeast (Wyeast Labs #1098) 2.00 oz Oak Chips (Secondary 7.0 days) Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body Total Grain Weight: 17 lbs 12.0 oz Estimated Cost: $33.28
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