Samuel Adams Boston Lager - Recipe?

[rehnton]

ok, im keen to brew a beer similar to Samuel Adams Boston Lager.
As part of my research / recipe formulation i wanted to re-try this very tasty beer but at almost $28 a six pack i just couldnt part with the $....anyone had any success with this style and have a tried an true recipe?

 

[Jazman]

k+k , extract,partial mash......i have a partial recipe but not sure how close it was to the orignal but was a nice beer ,,commerical beers can be hard to clone exactly

 

[PhilS]

Clone Brews lists a clone for this beer. Are you after an all grain or extract?

 

[3GumsBrewing]

I've got a AG recipe at home that is pretty close. A very tasty beer, and bloody brilliant on tap (in the US)!

A mate here pointed me to this one as well, have not tried it as it is a partial. Let us know if you find more. Boston Lager

Cheers

 

[ozpowell]

From the Sam Adams website:

"Samuel Adams Boston Lager is the best example of the fundamental characteristics of a great beer, offering a full, rich flavor that is both balanced and complex. It is brewed using a decoction mash, a time consuming, traditional four vessel brewing process discarded by many contemporary brewers. This process brings forth a rich sweetness from the malt that makes it well worth the effort. Samuel Adams Boston Lager also uses only the finest of ingredients including two row barley, as well as German Noble aroma hops. The exclusive use of two row barley not only imparts a full, smooth body but also gives the beer a wide spectrum of malt flavor ranging from slightly sweet to caramel to slightly roasted. The Noble hops varieties, Hallertau Mittelfruh and Tettnang Tettnanger, add a wide range of floral, piney and citrus notes, which are present from the aroma, through the flavor, to the lingering smooth finish. We take great pride in the Noble hops used in our beers. They are hand selected by Jim Koch and our other brewers from the world's oldest hops growing area. Among the world's most expensive, they cost twenty times as much as other hops."

Looks like a decoction mash is the way to go if you want to reproduce the Sam Adams malty characters.

I have Clonebrews here somewhere, so I'll try to dig it up and let you know what they suggest (though, I suspect that recipe only uses a single infusion mash).

Cheers,
Michael.

 

[ozpowell]

From Clonebrews (extract + grains):

19L Batch
OG 1049-52
FG 1011-13
IBU 35
SRM 9.5

Steep 230g 60Lovi US Crystal in 1.9L @ 65.5deg for 20 mins
Sparge grains with another 1.9L
Top up with water to make 5.7L in brewpot
Bring to boil and add:
- 1.8kg light lme
- 1.1kg light dme
- 57g Tettnanger (4.5 AAU)

Increase volume in brewpot to 9L and boil for 45mins. Then add:
- 14g Hallertauer mittelfruh
- 1tsp irish moss

Boil for another 13mins. Then add:
- 14g Tettnanger

Boil for 2mins.
Cool wort. Add to fermenter and top up to 19L.

Yeast options:
Wy 2206 Bavarian lager
Wy 2124 Bohemian lager

Ferment at 8-11deg for 5-7 days.
Rack to secondary.
Dry hop:
- 7g Hallertauer mittelfruh.

All grain option:

2 step infusion (in place of decoction):

Mash 4.1kg US 2row pale malt with the above crystal malt at 50deg for 30mins,
then 65.5deg for 60mins. Decrease Tettnang bittering addition to 46g. Increase
boil to 90mins (still adding flavour hops and irish moss @15min and aroma hops at 2mins).

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Michael.

 

[evil_as_skeletor]

From Clonebrews (extract + grains):

19L Batch
OG 1049-52
FG 1011-13
IBU 35
SRM 9.5

Steep 230g 60Lovi US Crystal in 1.9L @ 65.5deg for 20 mins
Sparge grains with another 1.9L
Top up with water to make 5.7L in brewpot
Bring to boil and add:
- 1.8kg light lme
- 1.1kg light dme
- 57g Tettnanger (4.5 AAU)

Increase volume in brewpot to 9L and boil for 45mins. Then add:
- 14g Hallertauer mittelfruh
- 1tsp irish moss

Boil for another 13mins. Then add:
- 14g Tettnanger

Boil for 2mins.
Cool wort. Add to fermenter and top up to 19L.

Yeast options:
Wy 2206 Bavarian lager
Wy 2124 Bohemian lager

Ferment at 8-11deg for 5-7 days.
Rack to secondary.
Dry hop:
- 7g Hallertauer mittelfruh.

All grain option:

2 step infusion (in place of decoction):

Mash 4.1kg US 2row pale malt with the above crystal malt at 50deg for 30mins,
then 65.5deg for 60mins. Decrease Tettnang bittering addition to 46g. Increase
boil to 90mins (still adding flavour hops and irish moss @15min and aroma hops at 2mins).

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Michael.

Ok, let's flog this dead horse....

I am very new here, first post new.
The reason I came to this site, and the reason I am interested in home brew is Samuel Adam's Boston Lager (in combination with being a tight- A$$). IMO this is the best beer I have ever tasted and for my own reasons stirs up a few emotions!

I was wondering, in relation to the recipe listed above; I have a copy of CLONE BREWS - exactly HOW close is this Home Brew recipe to the real dealio?
I mean: I have never actually even made one beer in my whole life and was wondering if I should buy the Cooper's DIY kit and be able to make this first go?

Is that an unrealistic target?

Is someone ever so kind enough to break this down into something that a definite NOOB could make?

I do appreciate and understand that its not a matter of treating it as a 'greens $2 cake mix - just add water' kind of thing, and is more of an intricate process.

Also, Is it recommended that I brew/ferment this inside if i cannot ensure the 20ish degrees C that is required?

Have you guys got any tips for someone that might want to ferment and bottle in a garden shed?....

Thanks so much for this site, this post and the useful replies.

 

[pimpsqueak]

Welcome and nice work on the thread revival

This is just my opinion here, but if I were in your shoes, I'd be putting down a good ol' kit n kilo brew as your first, just to get a feel for the basics and ensure all your equipment is functioning correctly.

At the end of the day, it's just a recipe I suppose. So if you're confident your gear is complete and functional, and you're confident you can follow instructions accurately, then you can certainly have a go at this one straight out of the gate.

Two really important things here are sanitation and temperature control.
Make sure you have a good cleaner and sanitizer and use them according to directions. Don't be tempted to add an extra 10mls in order to make a stronger mix, as it will have no extra benefits.

As for temp control, lagers almost always need to be fermented at relatively low temps, then "lagered" for an extended time. ie. bottled/kegged then kept at 1-4 deg for a month or two. (In very general, sweeping terms)
For the two yeasts in this recipe, 20deg just ain't gonna cut it. They are proper lager yeasts and require lower temps to get the right flavour profile.

You could try using S189 Swiss Lager yeast at 19 deg if you are unable to hit the lower temps. Ross at Craftbrewer (sponsor above) uses it with great success to make his lagers @ 19deg.

I ferment and bottle in my shed, but it's a brick shed at the base of a 3 story unit. Concrete floor and ceiling w/3 brick walls and a steel door makes for average temps 4 or 5 degs lower than outside (during hotter weather). I ferment in a 95L esky which I stack a few ice packs in and that lowers the temp about 5deg lower than the shed temp. I have a Marzen that is sitting at around 12deg and has been there for a week now, just rotating the ice packs.

If you plan to use the shed, get your hands on a cheap indoor/outdoor thermometer and measure the temps for a few days to see what steps (if any) you need to take insulation-wise.

Hope you can make use of some of these tips...

 

[Malted]

Have you guys got any tips for someone that might want to ferment and bottle in a garden shed?....

Huh what, you are not going to brew in Castle Greyskull?

(1) There is quite a good homebrewing community in Adelaide (and the Barossa too I believe) with plenty of folks who will help you.
(2) Which part of town are you in - there are a few helpful homebrew stores around. It is good to start off with having a good talk to the folks that sell you the stuff. Also as above, you can go to a brewers event and meet other brewers (such as the upcoming Adelaide case swap) - you do not have to take beer to these events.

For making good beer, high temps should not be a problem at the moment in Adelaide, it is more about consistent temps.

I'm happy to answer any questions you have (that I am able to answer) if you PM me.

 

[evil_as_skeletor]

Pimpsqueak/Malted

Thanks for your replies and thanks for all the tips.

Ha ha, unfortunately Castle Greyskull is out of the question for brewing, as it is strictly business only up there.

I will have a few reads of your tips, and I will indeed start with the K&K, just using the kit provided in the Cooper's DIY to get my head around it - I humbly appreciate that it may not be the best beer ever created by man at the end of it, and I will need to have a few goes at creating my version of the Boston Lager later down the track.

I am in Camden Park in SA (Near Glenelg-ish) so temps vary a bit throughout the course of the year.

I will invest in a thermometer, and maybe one with a lead and probe type arrangement, as I have read that the fridge (spare one in the garden tin shed) is a handy way of regulating temperatures, although at this stage I am unsure of what temp that may be and if it is anywhere close to the 19degree mark - even when off.

So at this stage I will throw in my first batch for a go, then when that is complete, I will sanitise and have a crack at my Boston Lager.

I would also like a question answered please, before I go; In the Clone Brews recipe, it states a basic A-Z type recipe instruction (Steep, Sparge, Boil, Boil, Cool & Pitch, Ferment, Bottle, Lager), it then goes on to sum up with two more paragraphs; one for Mini Mash, one for All Grain - What are these two methods and are the to be used in conjunction with the basic A-Z recipe or alternatively...?

Also, will I be able to achieve a similar result with the Coopers range of Malts and Enhancers etc?

Thanks so much, I didn't expect such a swift response. What a great community/forum!

Regards, SKELETOR

ps/ Could you give me any more detail on this "upcoming Adelaide case swap", please?

 

[lespaul]

I put down this Boston lager clone and it turned out pretty spot on. From what I hear the bloke is supposed to be a really good brewer.
http://www.beertools.com/html/recipe.php?view=3640

Id still be trying to smash out a few ales and then get into the lagers. The ales are easier, take less time, and generally harder to stuff up... or lash out and get a cheap fridge off ebay and a stc 1000 and you'll be right either way.

Good luck with it

if your looking for more info try the search button up the top right. Use the google selection and youll be able to find all the information you need... trust me its all there and then some

 

[evil_as_skeletor]

I put down this Boston lager clone and it turned out pretty spot on. From what I hear the bloke is supposed to be a really good brewer.
http://www.beertools.com/html/recipe.php?view=3640

Id still be trying to smash out a few ales and then get into the lagers. The ales are easier, take less time, and generally harder to stuff up... or lash out and get a cheap fridge off ebay and a stc 1000 and you'll be right either way.

Good luck with it

if your looking for more info try the search button up the top right. Use the google selection and youll be able to find all the information you need... trust me its all there and then some

Thank you very much!

 

[Kieren]

With the recipe above there is no need to do a mini mash or an all grain mash. Without trying to get too technical, these techniques are used when you start using malted grains to make up the bulk of your fermentable sugars (i.e. no longer using the malt extract tins). Mashing malted grains converts the starch within to fermentable sugars that the yeast can 'eat'. The crystal grain in the recipe has already undergone this conversion at the malster. I would forget about mashing for the time being, it requires extra equipment and time and concentrate on getting your cleaning/sanatising down pat, then your yeast/fermentation management sorted.

For info on malts
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...;showarticle=62

Adelaide case swap
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...=53515&st=0

Also check out Brew Adelaide for other case swaps, get to togethers and general chat
http://brewadelaide.com/forum/index.php

Edit: speeling

 

[evil_as_skeletor]

With the recipe above there is no need to do a mini mash or an all grain mash. Without trying to get too technical, these techniques are used when you start using malted grains to make up the bulk of your fermentable sugars (i.e. no longer using the malt extract tins). Mashing malted grains converts the starch within to fermentable sugars that the yeast can 'eat'. The crystal grain in the recipe has already undergone this conversion at the malster. I would forget about mashing for the time being, it requires extra equipment and time and concentrate on getting your cleaning/sanatising down pat, then your yeast/fermentation management sorted.

For info on malts
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...;showarticle=62

Adelaide case swap
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...=53515&st=0

Also check out Brew Adelaide for other case swaps, get to togethers and general chat
http://brewadelaide.com/forum/index.php

Edit: speeling

Wow, thanks for that.
I will do a bit more reading and decide on my plan of attack.
Cheers guys.

 

[Malted]

Pimpsqueak/Malted

Sheesh, not much else can be said after Keiran's good answer!

You have the right attitude, read more and learn to crawl first - it is a good plan.

I don't want to disappoint you but unfortunately the bar moves because the more you learn, the more you know that there is more to learn. It may start at aiming for SA Boston Lager but where will it all end? I hope in my case it doesn't end, it's a great journey!

 

[evil_as_skeletor]

Sheesh, not much else can be said after Keiran's good answer!

You have the right attitude, read more and learn to crawl first - it is a good plan.

I don't want to disappoint you but unfortunately the bar moves because the more you learn, the more you know that there is more to learn. It may start at aiming for SA Boston Lager but where will it all end? I hope in my case it doesn't end, it's a great journey!

Ha, yeah well you all helped!

I am hoping to enjoy this very much, I need a hobby! I want to learn a whole lot of stuff from now until 'who knows'!

I will check back in at the weekend.

 

[adniels3n]

3 months ago, me & a mate bought a Coopers kit each. Now we have 16 kegs between us. Tonight I posted a pic of our 1st all grain setup. Be careful, it'll suck you in if you let it...

 

[evil_as_skeletor]

3 months ago, me & a mate bought a Coopers kit each. Now we have 16 kegs between us. Tonight I posted a pic of our 1st all grain setup. Be careful, it'll suck you in if you let it...

Excellent

 

[dr K]

Extract Brewing is not my gig...but...Briess Extracts are now available here, check out your LHBS or Grain and Grape at the top of the page. These extracts are specific for brewing and have a high FAN content.
Here is a good start
http://www.brewingwithbriess.com/Products/...#SparklingAmber
Sam Adams use Hallertau hops (possibly Hersbrucker and Mittlefrau, just a guess)
One of the major yeast companies has a yeast called Brewer Patriot or East Coast Ale which is fine for this style of lager, else use a lager yeast, take advice from your supplier.
Good Brew

K

 

[Thirsty Boy]

If you are a beginner - you are going to need to have a chat with your local homebrew store. I don't know the local Adelaide scene.. But I do know that I have had very good dealings with Beerbelly. who will either be able to help you directly or steer you towards someone who can.

For the Sam Adams boston lager. It's basically a hopped up vienna lager. So talk to your HB shop about a Kit/Recipe for an Amber Lager and then you will be needing to dry hop it (putting some hop pellets directly into the fermenter). That's the unique thing about the Sam Adams, unusually for a lager, it is dry hopped. I am almost 100% sure they dry hop with Tettnang Tettnanger - but as Dr K pointed out, they use Hallertau Mittelfruh in the brew as well, so a little bit of that in the dry hop will help you get closer to the Sam Adams profile.

Have this discussion with your local HB shop and they can help steer you towards the beer you want to make with the gear you are willing to buy and the effort you are willing to put in. Will you make a smack on the head copy of the Sam Adams lager first time out?? Probably not, but there is a decent chance you will make a similar sort of beer that shares a bunch of the characteristics you liked in the original beer. From there on in you tweak it till you get the beer you want.

Good luck

TB