Corona Clone With Flavour

[Bubba]

SWMBO enjoys our staple of golden ale made from extract, with CPA cultured yeast and POR, amarillo, steeped grains, but she wants a keg of something a little lighter for summer drinking and has asked me to do something like a corona.

I am thinking about the following but also wanted to hop it up a bit and am wanting some suggestions as she wants a thin beer, but loves hop aroma and a little flavour.

Coopers Mexican Cervesa goo
Coopers BE2 (Mainly Dex, with a little DME and maltodextrin)
US05 or 15g American Ale yeast as it attenuates very cleanly and leaves a thin beer
Rind and juice of 2 limes in boil for about 1/2 hour
Total 23l at 14 days in fermenter at 18c then keg and bottle a few in swing tops.

I want to add some hops to the boil but am not sure what would go best with this type of beer, or what is typically used to add a bit of aroma and flavour without taking away from that typically thin corona style.

Any hop suggestions and how long to boil, or should it be a simple dry hop?

If I do this right it will keep her away from my Golden Ale! :lol:

Bubba

 

[Bubba]

Hi all, just reposting this in the hope someone has any ideas, or should I just leave it unhopped?

 

[Swinging Beef]

Just a small dry hop addition, mate.
Save yourself the fluffing around with the boil.
Its a nice kit, that Cerveza.
Avoid the boil altogether and use a citrusssy hop like Chinook or Cascade

When I have added lime rind to beers before, you only want it in the boil for 5 minutes or less, or all the aromas dissappear pretty quick.

 

[keifer33]

Galena is the hop Corona uses I think and when late hopped has a berry likeness to it. Why not try it without the lime and just pop a chunk in the glass if desired?

 

[[email protected]]

If you want to really lighten the taste add some enzyme. Its about $2 from your good local brew store and will thin out a beer a lot more. My SWMBO will basically only drink pure blonde. I added some enzyme to a batch and got a final gravity of 1.001. Goes down very quickly and easily.

 

[Bubba]

Galena is the hop Corona uses I think and when late hopped has a berry likeness to it. Why not try it without the lime and just pop a chunk in the glass if desired?

Thanks Keifer, LHBS doesnt carry it so do you know a substitue?
With 23l how much would you suggest?

 

[Bubba]

Just a small dry hop addition, mate.
Save yourself the fluffing around with the boil.
Its a nice kit, that Cerveza.
Avoid the boil altogether and use a citrusssy hop like Chinook or Cascade

When I have added lime rind to beers before, you only want it in the boil for 5 minutes or less, or all the aromas dissappear pretty quick.

Yeah, I wasn't sure if the boil would enhance the flavour and aroma of the lime or detract from it.
With the dry hop would you suggest in the fermenter before fermentation or a couple of days after fermentation commences?...20g or more for a 23l batch?

Thanks for the info!

 

[Bubba]

If you want to really lighten the taste add some enzyme. Its about $2 from your good local brew store and will thin out a beer a lot more. My SWMBO will basically only drink pure blonde. I added some enzyme to a batch and got a final gravity of 1.001. Goes down very quickly and easily.

Geez, 1001! Did it have any flavour?

 

[[email protected]]

Geez, 1001! Did it have any flavour?

Does Corona???
You can taste the hops very distinctly. But its pretty lame. But keeps the pure blonde snob happy. And well you can skull them down like water so they will be out of the kegs very soon.

 

[Swinging Beef]

Yeah, I wasn't sure if the boil would enhance the flavour and aroma of the lime or detract from it.
With the dry hop would you suggest in the fermenter before fermentation or a couple of days after fermentation commences?...20g or more for a 23l batch?

Thanks for the info!

I'm reasonably convinced the longer you boil a 'thing' the less you can taste it.
Dry hop once the gravity is nearly stable at the tail end of the ferment.
Then hoik in a fistful of hops and wait another three days or so.
20g?
Up to you. How much do you like hop aroma?
Lots of late hops in a low sweetness beer like this will stick out like dogs nads.
20 - 40g of fresh hops should be the go

 

[Bubba]

I'm reasonably convinced the longer you boil a 'thing' the less you can taste it.
Dry hop once the gravity is nearly stable at the tail end of the ferment.
Then hoik in a fistful of hops and wait another three days or so.
20g?
Up to you. How much do you like hop aroma?
Lots of late hops in a low sweetness beer like this will stick out like dogs nads.
20 - 40g of fresh hops should be the go

Yeah, don't want it to take away from the fact that it is meant to be a "corona"...think a quick 5min lime boil and then 20g Cascade at tail end of ferment. Will let you know what SWMBO thinks, I will try it myself just to compare.

Thanks heaps!

 

[Bubba]

Any idea on yeasts...I haven't used the kit yeasts in Donky's and am thinking somethign very clean and high attenuating like US05 or similar, about 15g for 23l to get it going strong!

 

[Jimboley]

Any idea on yeasts...I haven't used the kit yeasts in Donky's and am thinking somethign very clean and high attenuating like US05 or similar, about 15g for 23l to get it going strong!

If you can keep the ferment temp down below 18C then Saflager W34/70 is great for this beer but Safale US 05 will make a nice beer.
Californian Lager or Kolsch yeast are good too

Keiffa has got the right info on hop Galena is what Corona use. Late hopping of that one will leave some really nice blackcurrant aroma.

I use Japanese Rice Malt not Coopers BE#2.

When tasting XX or Sol or Corona I can sometime get a hint of Munich malt or Aromatic malt.

This is a recipe that has some sucess at brew comps.

1.7kg Coopers Cerveza
500mL Japanese Rice Malt

600g Pilsner Malt
250g Carapils
250g Aromatic malt

15g Galena @ 5 min
15g Galena @ 0 min

Whirlfloc
Yeast Food

Steep grains at 65C for high attenuation
Kit yeast fermented at 17-16C for 5 days the at 22C for 5 days
Yes that kit yeast (a combo yeast) ferments well at lager temps for the first half.
But needs to be allowed to come right up to ale temps in the second half.

When ferment with that yeast at 24C it is all over in 3-4 days and taste fowl. IMHO

This is just my method, not saying that it has to be done this way, but it sure as hell works.

Hope this helps

Happy Brewing!

 

[Bubba]

If you can keep the ferment temp down below 18C then Saflager W34/70 is great for this beer but Safale US 05 will make a nice beer.
Californian Lager or Kolsch yeast are good too

Keiffa has got the right info on hop Galena is what Corona use. Late hopping of that one will leave some really nice blackcurrant aroma.

I use Japanese Rice Malt not Coopers BE#2.

When tasting XX or Sol or Corona I can sometime get a hint of Munich malt or Aromatic malt.

This is a recipe that has some sucess at brew comps.

1.7kg Coopers Cerveza
500mL Japanese Rice Malt

600g Pilsner Malt
250g Carapils
250g Aromatic malt

15g Galena @ 5 min
15g Galena @ 0 min

Whirlfloc
Yeast Food

Steep grains at 65C for high attenuation
Kit yeast fermented at 17-16C for 5 days the at 22C for 5 days
Yes that kit yeast (a combo yeast) ferments well at lager temps for the first half.
But needs to be allowed to come right up to ale temps in the second half.

When ferment with that yeast at 24C it is all over in 3-4 days and taste fowl. IMHO

This is just my method, not saying that it has to be done this way, but it sure as hell works.

Hope this helps

Happy Brewing!

Cheers, looks good, will let you know how I go!

 

[Nick JD]

LHBS doesnt carry it so do you know a substitue?

Brewers Gold hops.

 

[theredone]

just a thought, one that i myself have been toying with for a while, why not ditch the rind and go crazy with late cascade/citra/centenial? i myself havnt tried citra b4 but was thinking of doing a heavily hopped(aroma and flavour, not bittering) cerveza for a while, using at least cascade, and maybe some cent or even some galexy for a passionfruit flavour. saves having to add a lime i guess, and im a huge fan of big late adition hop brews

 

[Jimboley]

just a thought, one that i myself have been toying with for a while, why not ditch the rind and go crazy with late cascade/citra/centenial? i myself havnt tried citra b4 but was thinking of doing a heavily hopped(aroma and flavour, not bittering) cerveza for a while, using at least cascade, and maybe some cent or even some galexy for a passionfruit flavour. saves having to add a lime i guess, and im a huge fan of big late adition hop brews

I've made a couple of Cerveza beers with Citra, the 1st time I over did it. Because theres not much malt the Citra was WILD.
I use about 1g/L after 5 days of ferment. It smelt so good, but just a bit to much flavour.
The next one I used about 0.5g/L Dry at 5 days and it was really good!
Kinnda reminded me of NZ hops but different.
I guess the trick is to not over do the dry hopping, with crazy AA hops, gentle- gentle.

As for Cascade/Centennial I havent gone there yet, but can only imagine that you could use a little more 1-2g/L

The most success was with Sorachi Ace. Nice lemon, finish. I've been planning on making another this week but it's just far to hot at the mo.
Sorachi Cerveza is the same recipe as I listed before, just with no Galena, 5g Sorachi Ace @ 1 min (14%AA) & 15g @ 5 Days

 

[Bubba]

just a thought, one that i myself have been toying with for a while, why not ditch the rind and go crazy with late cascade/citra/centenial? i myself havnt tried citra b4 but was thinking of doing a heavily hopped(aroma and flavour, not bittering) cerveza for a while, using at least cascade, and maybe some cent or even some galexy for a passionfruit flavour. saves having to add a lime i guess, and im a huge fan of big late adition hop brews

Yeah, I might try that after I do the lime rind one with small hop addition first, sounds good though. SWMBO is after something not overly hoppy, but I like the sound of the hop additions so will do both and compare and let you know.
Cheers!

 

[Bubba]

OK, it's done and kegged, and I kept it very, very simple so if SWMBO likes it I can replicate without any effort.

Coopers Mex Cerveza
1k BE2
Another 200g dex
Juiced 2 small limes and added the grated rind, and the juice to a small boil with some of the BE2 in a hop sock (stocking) for 5 minutes only.
Dry hopped 20g Cascade to fermenter
Used kit yeast rather than waste US-05 or my cultured yeasts.
Kept at pretty close to 18-20, may have spiked to 22 after initial fermentation as weather was all over the shop.
SG 1042
FG 1010
Kegged, and kept 5 grolschies to try later.

Tried it last night, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised!

Very, very light in colour, still a little cloudy but that will clear.
Not too thin, I think using BE2 instead of just dex helped, and the cascade comes through on nose and palate just enough to not make you notice it too much.
The lime is a winner, you can taste something, and it takes the sharpness and thinness from the beer, and adds a fresh dimension. Certainly not what I would make for myself, but I can see myself knocking afew of these down pretty quickly after a Saturday afternoon pushing the Victa around for a few hours...very easy drinking.

Oh yeah, by the way SWMBO likes it too!

 

[The Giant]

do this:
1) Pour out a cup's worth of juice, two if you want
2) tip in a little (a few grams does it) yeast nutrient and 4-5 grams of dry yeast
3) cap and put in 15-18C place.
4) check and release pressure everyday (or alternatively, you can glad wrap the mouth of the bottle/bung and airlock it/oztop it)
5) Check gravity in 5-6 days

No need for extra sugar, juice should take you clear of 1040 SG. Use preservative free juice.

OK, it's done and kegged, and I kept it very, very simple so if SWMBO likes it I can replicate without any effort.

Coopers Mex Cerveza
1k BE2
Another 200g dex
Juiced 2 small limes and added the grated rind, and the juice to a small boil with some of the BE2 in a hop sock (stocking) for 5 minutes only.
Dry hopped 20g Cascade to fermenter
Used kit yeast rather than waste US-05 or my cultured yeasts.
Kept at pretty close to 18-20, may have spiked to 22 after initial fermentation as weather was all over the shop.
SG 1042
FG 1010
Kegged, and kept 5 grolschies to try later.

Tried it last night, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised!

Very, very light in colour, still a little cloudy but that will clear.
Not too thin, I think using BE2 instead of just dex helped, and the cascade comes through on nose and palate just enough to not make you notice it too much.
The lime is a winner, you can taste something, and it takes the sharpness and thinness from the beer, and adds a fresh dimension. Certainly not what I would make for myself, but I can see myself knocking afew of these down pretty quickly after a Saturday afternoon pushing the Victa around for a few hours...very easy drinking.

Oh yeah, by the way SWMBO likes it too!

I too am looking to make a corona for the masses for xmas this weekend.

Given it is only my 3rd brew you have inspired me to venture away from just the standard recipe.

I have the same Coopers cerveza mix, BE2, think i will add the extra 200g of dex as you have done. Would this just increase the alcohol content slightly or is it for flavour?

In regards to the limes? Do you find it adds the effect of putting in a lime in the stubby when drinking? or is it very subtle note?

I think I will stay away from the hops, just not confident enough to take this on as well yet. Tempted to try the US05 yeast though instead of the kit yeast though.