Project Clone: Reverse Engineering DFH Indian Brown

Apparently, my sister has a new favorite beer.

I received an email this morning from her with these simple words:  "All I'm saying is . . . My birthday is in May."  followed by a link to a HBT thread on a Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale clone.

Hint taken, and challenge accepted.

I've never cloned a brew before, although I have brewed recipes offered by others as "clones" with varied results.  From the discussion in the thread she linked, it sound like this recipe--while yielding a very good brown ale--does not produce an exact clone.  Since this is a special request from a personal VIP, I am going to do my homework.  I want a dead ringer.

In Sam Calagione's book "Extreme Brewing," a clone recipe is offered for Indian Brown.  Since this recipe is  not only extract, but also partial boil, I will not be using it.  Still, straight from the "horse's mouth" seems like a good place to start, and there are definitely a few data points here that are useful:

OG:  1.070
FG:  1.015
ABV:  7.2%
IBU:  50

The recipe in "Extreme" also provides hints toward an ingredient bill.  The recipe lists "British" Amber Malt, Crystal 60L, Light Chocolate Malt, and Roasted Barley.  Hops indicated are Warrior and Vanguard.  Dark brown sugar and ringwood ale yeast round out the ingredient list here.

I picked up a 6-pack of DFH IBA this afternoon (hey, gotta be thorough in my research, right?)  The bottle validates the 7.2% ABV and 50 IBUs.  The "marketing" on the six pack yields three possible clues not found in "Extreme":  "brewed with aromatic malt," "caramelized brown sugar," and "dry hopped."  By aromatic malt, are they referring specifically to Belgian Aromatic, or just offering a description of the malts used?  And how do they caramelize the sugar??

The DFH website offers little more in the way of information, but there are two subtle clues on their IBA page.  DFH describes their IBA as having "characteristics of each style that inspired it: the color of an American Brown, the caramel notes of a Scotch Ale, and the hopping regimen of an India Pale Ale."  Hmm...  the caramel notes of Scotch Ale, one of the styles that inspired it?  Could be a little kettle caramelization contributing to the flavor profile?  Many home brew recipes for Scotch Ales call for a portion of the wort to be removed from the boil and reduced down in a separate pot to create that caramelization.  Could play an important role in this recipe.  Wonder if this might also provide the means to caramelize the brown sugar?

The website also mentions Aromatic barley (this time with a capital 'A').  Probably not just a descriptor, but reference to a specific malt.  A quick Google search for "aromatic barley" leads me to this maltster's website.    Looks like up to 5% Aromatic barley may be another missing link.

I think this is a good start.  Tomorrow I'll begin playing around with it in BeerSmith.  Tonight, I guess I should probably explore what clues I can find inside the bottle . . .

Santa Maria IPA

About a year ago, I began home brewing again after a six year hiatus.  In an effort to refamiliarize myself with the all grain process, and with my equipment, I brewed the same recipe three times in three weeks.  It was a Columbus IPA (this kit from MoreBeer). 

Since Columbus day was just around the corner, and as a nod to the single hop varietal used, I named the iterations Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria. 

Its quite a tasty IPA, and I've brewed it several times in the year since.  If I had a house brew, it could very well be this.  Over subsequent brewings,  I've tweaked the hop schedule to my liking--increasing the 60 minute addition by 50% and adding two ounces of dry hops.  I've also experimented with mash temps (this brew continues to teach me about the brewing process and about my own preferences), finally settling in on 152°.  Gives it enough body to stand up to the 7.5oz of hops while still allowing the hop character to shine.

OG:  1.066
FG:  1.015
ABV:  6.7%
Color:  Amber (6.7 SRM)
IBU:  59.8
Carb level:  2.3 vols

American Blonde Ale

Definitely not my typical brew, so it may be a bit out of place as the subject of my first post.  But here goes . . .

It's called Dick's American Ale, and I brewed it with my father-in-law on his 70th birthday--his first brew day.  I wanted something a little lighter to serve to guests at a surprise party we would host to celebrate my in-laws' combined 70th birthdays and 50th wedding anniversary.

Pretty basic recipe that I put together from ingredients I had in house.  Grain bill was 100% base malts (63% American 2 row, 37% Belgian pilsner), with whole leaf Tettnang and wlp001 California Ale Yeast.

OG:  1.053
FG:  1.015
ABV:  5.0
Color:  straw (3.0 SRM)
IBU:  18.9
Carb level:  2.6 vols

Mashed at 152° for 60 minutes, then boiled 90 minutes with .5 oz Tettnang at 60 minutes, 1 oz at 10 minutes, and .5 oz at 5.  Pitched wlp001 at 62° and held it there for four days before  raising it to 70° for an additional 7 days.  Cold crashed, then transferred to keg and force carbed.

Obviously a bit of a rush job, since I was in a hurry to have it ready for the party just three weeks after brew day.  My haste was certainly evident in the high final gravity; no doubt a bit more time in primary would have taken it down a few more points.  Nonetheless, I was quite pleased with the results.

Guests seemed really to enjoy the blonde ale.  It was fizzy and yellow enough not to offend this decidedly non craft brew crowd, but still characterful enough to keep the interest of craft beer drinkers.  Maybe they were just being polite, but I don't think so.  Proof of that was in the number of people who went back for a second and third pint.

My point is this:  although it's taken me years to get it through my thick head, I've finally learned that I don't need to "convert" or "enlighten" anyone.  People like what they like, what they know, what they're comfortable with.  And there's nothing wrong with that.  If I want the people around me to like what I brew, then I need to brew what they like. 

I am already planning my next batch of this one.  Thinking I'll probably move it to 100% pilsner malt, split the 6 gallon batch between two carboys and hit one half with washed 001 reclaimed from this batch for a second American Blonde.  The other half, pitched with a spicy Belgian strain might make a nice Patersbier, which in turn may serve as a 3 gallon starter for a high gravity tripel.

Wow--what a revelation!  Turns out this brew may not be out of place at all, but in fact the perfect subject for my inaugural post.