RecipeDB - Little Creatures Bright Ale Clone

[Tony]

Little Creatures Bright Ale Clone

Ale - American Pale Ale
All Grain

74 Votes

Brewer's Notes

this beer is so close to the origional its not funny. Light, easy to drink maltyness ballances the hops perfectly. neither is overpowering.
Hop aroma and hop flavor are spot on too with about equal flavor in mouth and aroma in the nose when sipping, drinking or sculling...... which ever you prefer.
Mash it at 65 to 66 deg.
firmented at 19 deg with us-56
Its scary how easy this is to drink!

Brewed down to 1.008.... about 5% which is a bit stronger but who's complainig
Colour was about 6.7 EBC

Dont know what happened to the hops alpha rattings. AHB seems to have the engineering units set to 16. I typed in 5.9 for the cascade and 6.8 for the B SAAZ

Malt & Fermentables

%	KG	Fermentable
	7 kg	JWM Export Pilsner
	2 kg	Weyermann Vienna
	0.6 kg	JWM Wheat Malt
	0.6 kg	Weyermann Carapils(Carafoam)

Hops

Time	Grams	Variety	Form	AA
	40 g	Cascade (Pellet, 5.5AA%, 0mins)
	40 g	Saaz B (NZ) (pellet, 8.0AA%, 0mins)
	30 g	Cascade (Pellet, 5.5AA%, 20mins)
	30 g	Saaz B (NZ) (pellet, 8.0AA%, 20mins)
	20 g	Cascade (Pellet, 5.5AA%, 45mins)
	20 g	Saaz B (NZ) (pellet, 8.0AA%, 45mins)

Yeast

200 ml

White Labs WLP001 - California Ale

Misc

1 g

Irish Moss

52L Batch Size

Brew Details

• Original Gravity 1.046 (calc)
• Final Gravity 1.011 (calc)
• Bitterness 24.9 IBU
• Efficiency 75%
• Alcohol 4.55%
• Colour 7 EBC
• Batch Size 52L

Fermentation

• Primary 7 days
• Secondary 7 days
• Conditioning 2 days

 

[bonj]

I love this recipe. It's a house brew here.

I generally make this to about 5.5%. A side by side taste test of mine vs. the LC version yields almost identical flavour (apart from a few flaws of mine like diacetyl in the last one (my fault rushing it out by xmas)). Hop flavour is identical, but mine was bitterer and had more hop aroma and flavour. Probably a result of reducing the recipe to a 20L batch and the resultant rounding of hop amounts.

This is a top recipe. If you like the LC Bright Ale, you'll like this one too.

 

[ham2k]

One of my first AG attempts. I'm sure I didn't get it right but hopefully all my half-arsed attempts taste this good. Definitely one recipe I'll keep doing.

 

[kabooby]

Made this a few weeks ago

Replaced the JWM Pils with Ale because I had heaps of it and replaced the Saaz B with Amarillo,

It has just finished fermenting and taste great so far. A nice easy drinking well balanced ale

I will report back once it is chilled and carbed


Kabooby

 

[bonj]

Interesting.

I have been using galaxy, and the latest version uses amarillo instead of cascade. It is probably carbed by now, just waiting for a tap.

 

[youngy]

Hi All,

I am about to do my first AG in the next week or so. I am going to order some things from craftbrewer and get some grain from them at the same time for this brew. Can I subsitute some of the grains to a different brand that craftbrewer stocks?

Cheers,

Craig

 

[bonj]

You sure can. I use galaxy as my pilsner malt, and whatever wheat and vienna craftbrewer has in stock. I use B Saaz and NZ Cascade for the hops too, and Amarillo works well as a substitute for the Cascade if it's not available. It's a different flavour, but still very tasty.

 

[kabooby]

Got mine on tap at the moment. Taste great

The Amarillo and cascade go well together

Kabooby :chug:

 

[youngy]

Cheers.

off to the craftbrewer website again

I'm going the Amarillo and cascade also.

Youngy

 

[primusbrew]

Hi,

I am very interested in brewing this recipe (love the Bright Ale). The only problem that I have is that I am not quite up to doing a full All Grain beer, in terms of both expertise as well as equipment on hand. I was thinking of replacing the pilsner malt with some extract and then just doing a partial mash with the rest of the grains. I have scaled the recipe down to 23L and this results in 3.1 kg of pilsener malt.

How much and what type of extract (which brand, dry or liquid) should I use to replace the 3.1kg of pilsner malt?

Will this beer be worth doing as a partial?

Thanks,

Jesse

 

[Dave86]

Hi,

I am very interested in brewing this recipe (love the Bright Ale). The only problem that I have is that I am not quite up to doing a full All Grain beer, in terms of both expertise as well as equipment on hand. I was thinking of replacing the pilsner malt with some extract and then just doing a partial mash with the rest of the grains. I have scaled the recipe down to 23L and this results in 3.1 kg of pilsener malt.

How much and what type of extract (which brand, dry or liquid) should I use to replace the 3.1kg of pilsner malt?

Will this beer be worth doing as a partial?

Thanks,

Jesse

Not sure exactly how much you'll need, that depends on the efficiency of your mash, but morgans make "masterblend" extracts and tell you whats in each can. They havge a "lager malt" which comes in a 1 kg can here which sounds like the business for replacing pils malt. Just work out how many gravity points you're looking for and use a recipe calculator to work out roughly how much extract you need. 2kg should give you about 28 points i would think

 

[Alouyius Phlegm]

Hi,

I am very interested in brewing this recipe (love the Bright Ale). The only problem that I have is that I am not quite up to doing a full All Grain beer, in terms of both expertise as well as equipment on hand. I was thinking of replacing the pilsner malt with some extract and then just doing a partial mash with the rest of the grains. I have scaled the recipe down to 23L and this results in 3.1 kg of pilsener malt.

How much and what type of extract (which brand, dry or liquid) should I use to replace the 3.1kg of pilsner malt?

Will this beer be worth doing as a partial?

Thanks,

Jesse

HI Jesse,

I'm the same and was mucking about with trying the following as an extract version
2.7 kg Light Dry Extract or a combination of (2.1 LDE and .6 Pale Liquid Extract) (Ive used the LDE to replace Pilsner and Vienna grains and WDE to replace the wheat malt
180g Wheat Dry Extract
180g Cracked Crystal grains

Mix crystal with 3 litres of water and bring to boil. Boil for 20 minutes then remove from heat and strain liquid into boil pan. Run another 2 litres of boiling water through strainer into the boil pan. Add the Dry extracts to this liquid and bring to boil.

Commence a 60 minute rolling boil
With 45 min remaining add 10 g saaz 10g cascade
With 20 min remaining add 15 g saaz 15g cascade
With 5 min remaining add 20g saaz 20 g cascade.
Flame out at 0 minutes.

Us05

Ok suggestions please.. Should final hops be added at flame out or dry hopped?

Ive used the Light Dry Malt extract to replace Pilsner and Vienna grains and Dry wheat Extract to replace the wheat malt. Crystal for the Carapils (only cos I have crystal) as per Tony's All grain recipe Little creatures Bright ale...

Would there be any noticeable difference by using 2.1 Light Dry Malt Extract and .6 Pale Liquid extract instead of 2.7 Light dry malt extract? I've no idea... Is 180g of wheat going to do anything too

Also am I using enough water in the boil for these ingredients?

or have i just overcomplicated this whole thing......

cheers

 

[Alouyius Phlegm]

HI Jesse,

I'm the same and was mucking about with trying the following as an extract version
2.7 kg Light Dry Extract or a combination of (2.1 LDE and .6 Pale Liquid Extract) (I've used the LDE to replace Pilsner and Vienna grains and WDE to replace the wheat malt
180g Wheat Dry Extract
180g Cracked Crystal grains

Mix crystal with 3 litres of water and bring to boil. Boil for 20 minutes then remove from heat and strain liquid into boil pan. Run another 2 litres of boiling water through strainer into the boil pan. Add the Dry extracts to this liquid and bring to boil.

Commence a 60 minute rolling boil
With 45 min remaining add 10 g saaz 10g cascade
With 20 min remaining add 15 g saaz 15g cascade
With 5 min remaining add 20g saaz 20 g cascade.
Flame out at 0 minutes.

Us05

Ok suggestions please.. Should final hops be added at flame out or dry hopped?

I've used the Light Dry Malt extract to replace Pilsner and Vienna grains and Dry wheat Extract to replace the wheat malt. Crystal for the Carapils (only cos I have crystal) as per Tony's All grain recipe Little creatures Bright ale...

Would there be any noticeable difference by using 2.1 Light Dry Malt Extract and .6 Pale Liquid extract instead of 2.7 Light dry malt extract? I've no idea... Is 180g of wheat going to do anything too

Also am I using enough water in the boil for these ingredients?

or have i just overcomplicated this whole thing......

cheers

Sorry, thought I'd bump this and see what people may make of this as an extract recipe. (ie whether its likely to get close to Tony's AG which seems to be a winner)...

Cheers

 

[Tony]

Made this a few weeks ago

Replaced the JWM Pils with Ale because I had heaps of it and replaced the Saaz B with Amarillo,

It has just finished fermenting and taste great so far. A nice easy drinking well balanced ale

I will report back once it is chilled and carbed


Kabooby

I made this same thing once with JW Ale malt and about 4 or 5% JW caramalt

same gravity, bitterness ect but replaced the cascade with amarillo. So it was B-Saaz/Amarillo.

It had a richer malt character and a definate passionfruit/citrus character. Worth trying!.

On the subject of extract versons.

I wouldnt say there is any real "replacement fro things like vienna malt ect. The vienna doesnt make a huge difference to the beer, just a subtle increae in maltiness.

I would just use pale liquid malt extract and maybe 20% dextrose to thin it down a bit. Add the wheat extract if you like.......... cant hurt.

hop as per the recipe.

And dont bother with the crystal......... leave it out all together.

You have me all keen......... might have to brew this one again soon

cheers

 

[Alouyius Phlegm]

I made this same thing once with JW Ale malt and about 4 or 5% JW caramalt

same gravity, bitterness ect but replaced the cascade with amarillo. So it was B-Saaz/Amarillo.

It had a richer malt character and a definate passionfruit/citrus character. Worth trying!.

On the subject of extract versons.

I wouldnt say there is any real "replacement fro things like vienna malt ect. The vienna doesnt make a huge difference to the beer, just a subtle increae in maltiness.

I would just use pale liquid malt extract and maybe 20% dextrose to thin it down a bit. Add the wheat extract if you like.......... cant hurt.

hop as per the recipe.

And dont bother with the crystal......... leave it out all together.

You have me all keen......... might have to brew this one again soon

cheers

Hey Tony,
Thanks for your input with this. Really keen to give this a go, with the suggestions made, as my new one into the fermenter... LCBA is a cracking drop, and hopefully I can do some justice to your recipe. Pity I don't keg, cos it'll seem a very long wait to give it a go

Appreciate it. Will let you know the results

Ta

 

[A3k]

Hi all,
Im going make this all grain recipe this weekend. Unfortunately the HBS doesnt have BSaaz, just Czech Saaz. How much difference is this likely to make.

Hes also not sure if hell have cascade, so I may have to use Amarillo.

I know this will make a good beer, just wondering what to expect.

Cheers,
Al

 

[Benniee]

I've made this one a couple of times now, and it's a great beer. I find everything is in balance nicely.

I tend to get a little bit of haze in mine though, which I'm certain is related to my equipment+process.

I've never had the Little Creatures Bright Ale though, so I can comment on it as a clone brew.

Benniee

 

[Wardhog]

Hi all,
Im going make this all grain recipe this weekend. Unfortunately the HBS doesnt have BSaaz, just Czech Saaz. How much difference is this likely to make.

Hes also not sure if hell have cascade, so I may have to use Amarillo.

I know this will make a good beer, just wondering what to expect.

Cheers,
Al

B Saaz and Czech Saaz are really different animals, I've found. B Saaz has a fruity, citrusy kind of flavour that's more in line with the American C hops, while Czech Saaz is your more traditional herby spicy kind of a hop. You're better off with Amarillo than Czech Saaz with what you're trying to do.

And if there's no Cascade - well, an all amarillo beer won't disappoint you.

 

[Tony]

:lol: Wardhog..... A3k posted that 2 1/2 months back. How did you go with it A3k. what did you end up using and feedback?

I think this beer lends itsself to a lot of hop combinations and is a great base for testing different characters and mixes as such. I recon SAAZ and amarillo would be a great conbo.

A combo i really want to try one day is SAAZ and EKG, both slightly spicy and floral.

another good one is Pacific Hallertau and POR!

If your getting chill haze with the recipe, add 1% Weyermann acidulated malt and do a 15 min protein rest at 2l/kg. Infuse up to mash temp with boiling water. This usually gets you to the 3l/kg mark.

Also doesnt hurt to add 1/2 a teaspoon of calcium cloride to the dough in and mash infusion water to lower ph and accentuate and soften the malt.

cheers

 

[A3k]

Hey guys,
Yeah the recipe turned out awesome,

I used the same grains, but different hops as Tony mentioned.
Mine turned out a fair bit more bitter than the bright ale recipe though, which was evident, and Id probably reduce it if I did it again. And I wouldnt go saying it was overly similar to LCBA, but still a great beer. More like JS Golden Ale which youd expect with the Amarillo. The Saaz wasnt overly noticeable, but was still good in it. Ive done a couple of all Amarillo Golden Ale clones, but I liked the Saaz in it to mix it up a little.

I also used S05, but Im not sure how much difference this wouldve made. Never actually used the Californian ale, but sounds pretty similar.

This was a big hit with my mates too. Gone very quick.

10.00 gm Amarillo Gold [8.20 %] (45 min) Hops 9.0 IBU
10.00 gm Simcoe [12.30 %] (45 min) Hops 13.4 IBU
20.00 gm Saaz [2.50 %] (20 min) Hops 3.6 IBU
15.00 gm Amarillo Gold [8.20 %] (20 min) Hops 8.9 IBU
30.00 gm Saaz [2.50 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
20.00 gm Amarillo Gold [8.20 %] (0 min) (Aroma HopHops -