Beck's Clone

[wyethm]

After brewing a few ale kits I decided to try to do a Beck's clone. The lady in the HBS said using the kit yeast and brewing at about 20 degrees would be fine.

The recipe was:

Black Rock Export Pilsner
1.5kg Light LME
25g Hallertau @ 20
15g Saaz @ 1

Made to 23 Litres then bulk primed (after taking advice from the guys on here).

After a month in the bottle the carbination is great (thanks to the good advice), but it has a real hoppy/green taste.

If this because I stupidly believed the lady in the HBS and used the kit yeast and fermented at 20 degrees?

Cheers

Mark

 

[Jase71]

Hey Mark,

Out of interest, have you tried many 'hoppy' beers in the past ? Maybe you're experiencing flavour, something that you don't often get with commercial Becks BUL product.

 

[hatchor]

Hey Mark,

Out of interest, have you tried many 'hoppy' beers in the past ? Maybe you're experiencing flavour, something that you don't often get with commercial Becks BUL product.

Tend to agree with Jase, that hop schedule will give a nice hoppy aroma and taste, which I didn't 'recognise' when I first started to brew kits and extracts etc. Also, the 'hoppyness' will balance out the longer it is in the bottle.
Cheers

 

[mwd]

Looks good to me

maybe cut back the hallertau to about 15g@20 but I like a big hop flavour.

Just leave a month or two in the bottle the green taste will mellow out.

Probably not much like Becks but should be an enjoyable anyways.

 

[wyethm]

No, so you're probably right that I'm used to the lighter flavour of commercial beer.

Luckily I have plenty of older beer ready to drink, so I'll leave it too mature for a couple of months.

Thanks.

 

[Jase71]

No, so you're probably right that I'm used to the lighter flavour of commercial beer.

Luckily I have plenty of older beer ready to drink, so I'll leave it too mature for a couple of months.

Thanks.

Mate, What else have you brewed?

That hoppy taste may well be your best friend after a couple of months, then there's no turning back!

 

[brettprevans]

sure its hoppyness your tasting and not 'green apples'? if its green apples (as I suspect it is), then its because of the yeast, temp etc.

I suppose as Jase said maybe your just not used to hops. Becks doesnt have a heap of late hops. the below recipe is pretty darn close to becks and you can see the hop schedule.

Becks Extract Clone
3.5kg Light LME
200g Crystal Malt or carapils
30g hallertau @ 60mins (bittering)
25g hallertau @ 2mins (aroma)
saflager yeast

 

[chappo1970]

sure its hoppyness your tasting and not 'green apples'? if its green apples (as I suspect it is), then its because of the yeast, temp etc.

I gotta agree with CM2, 20C is a tad high and could throw off green flavours

but... this hurts

I agree with Jase (mental note to self "stop agreeing with Jase" ) he did use the kit yeast which usually can take a bit of a whooloping temp wise so it could well be the extra hop additions coming thru and his palate is not used to that in a beer.

So to settle the agruement send me 6 samples express post and I'll settle the debate! :lol:

Edit: BTW Welcome to the forum Kiwi Mark - All Blacks can't play rugby! Hehehehe!

 

[brettprevans]

just another thing on the yeast and style that i should have mentioned.

given that you havent used a true lager yeast, the beer no matter how well made wont taste like becks. so theres no use comparing the 2 as identical beers. So you have to factor in that it will taste differant from imported commercial becks. probably better though than BUL commerical becks!

 

[wyethm]

sure its hoppyness your tasting and not 'green apples'? if its green apples (as I suspect it is), then its because of the yeast, temp etc.

I suppose as Jase said maybe your just not used to hops. Becks doesnt have a heap of late hops. the below recipe is pretty darn close to becks and you can see the hop schedule.

Becks Extract Clone
3.5kg Light LME
200g Crystal Malt or carapils
30g hallertau @ 60mins (bittering)
25g hallertau @ 2mins (aroma)
saflager yeast

I think you're probably right, as it's not really bitter and green apples is probably a closer description. The green apply taste also comes through late, not when the beer initially hits your tongue.

The other brews I'm drinking at present are a Coopers IPA (K&K) and a Brewcraft JSAA clone (K&K with a hops teabag thrown in). They were my first two brews, are both about 3 months old and OK without being great.

I've got Tony's JSAA extract recipe in the fermentor at present.

Cheers

Mark

 

[adam]

personally I do find saaz pellets when used for flavour/aroma can taste a little 'grassy' when youngish.

Cheers, Adam