Dogfish Head 90 Clone

[hmpitags2006]

Hey y'all I got my BYO magazine with the 13 hoppiest beers and I want to do a DFH 90 clone, but I have a couple of questions with their recipe. I can't do all grain so I usually do a mini-mash. I just want to make sure I am understanding what they are saying here.

8.0lbs DME (doesn't say which type I am assuming light)

1.75lbs Pilsner Malt (also doesn't say which type so I am also assuming on this Undermodified Pilsen Malt)

1.66lbs Amber Malt (35*L which I don't know what that means and I am not sure if this is LME or what)

2.0oz Amarillo ~8.0% alpha 90-0
0.62oz Simcoe ~13% alpha 90-0
0.53oz Warrior ~15% alpha 90-0
1.0oz Amarillo (dry hop)
0.5oz Simcoe (dry hop)
0.5oz Warrior (dry hop)
1 tsp. Irish Moss (15 min)
Wyeast 1099 (Whitebread ale)

Their All-Grain recipe had
16.5 lbs Pilsner Malt
1.66 lbs Amber Malt (35*L) again not sure what that is

Sorry for all the questions y'all

-G

[danno]

Crisp Malting makes an Amber malt, Northern Brewer carries it, I'd think most of your better homebrew shops would as well. ince you're doing a mini-mash, it really doesn't matter if you use well modified or under-modified Pilsner malt... so, you'd be doing a mini-mash with the Pilsner and the Amber...

hopefully this helps...

[hmpitags2006]

danno,
Do you think the amber is liquid malt extract? I am guessing so, but I am not sure. I was planning on going through Austin Homebrew Supply.

[dparsons]

8.0lbs DME (doesn't say which type I am assuming light)


Yes, light.


1.75lbs Pilsner Malt (also doesn't say which type so I am also assuming on this Undermodified Pilsen Malt)


For a minimash I would not assume undermodified necessarily. The more complex mashing would more likely be undertaken with all grain. Most of your malt is in the DME so doing the added mashing steps or not, or using fully- or under- modified malt won't make a lot of difference. The only way you'll get the contribution of undermodified Pilsner malt is if you buy DME made from it.


1.66lbs Amber Malt (35*L which I don't know what that means and I am not sure if this is LME or what)


Amber malt is a lightly toasted malt that (in this case) has a color rating of 35 degrees Lintner. Its not as common a malt so you could substitute something like Biscuit or CaraVienne if that is more conveniently available.



Sorry for all the questions y'all


np. Its what we live for. :cool:

[hmpitags2006]

Ok I have been told if I can't find the amber to go with biscuit malt, Victory malt, or Special B malt. Which one of these should I try? Also how do you do a starter for the yeast?

[BrewDog]

Special B is a very dark roasted malt. It adds a raisiny, pruny flavor. You definitely don't want that in a DFH 90 clone

Victory is Breiss' brand name for their biscuit malt. It is distinct from other brands of biscuit malt in that it adds a noticible nutty (think of grape-nuts) flavor. (I personally love it in my Pale Ale and IPA. It adds a complexity you don't usually find in most pale ales.)

Biscuit malt is generically the other malterster's biscuit malts. They are similar but "breadier" than Victory. More like toast.

I'd go with either Victory or Biscuit for this, but I think Victory will give it a little bit of an edge in terms of adding a little bit more malt complexity in the face of all those hops. Remember, DFH 90 is a hop bomb and so you might or might not be able to tell the difference between these two.

[edit]
This page (http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter6-5.html) has directions on how to make a yeast starter. (Scroll down.)

[dparsons]

Agreed. Special B would be weird in in a DFH 90 clone.

[hmpitags2006]

Thanks Y'all that is exactly what I needed to know. I will start this later this week, and I will let y'all know how it goes.

-G

[Mad Scientist]

hmpitags2006,

If you get up to Houston there are two very good HBS's there, depending on which side of town you go to. Deflacos is near Astroworld. And the Brewstop on Kuykendahl, just north of 1960...if memory serves, the sign says Howmebrew store or Hombrew Supplies.....

I order from AHS, but if you want to swing into a LHBS and lay the questions on them.....

BTW, DME - dry malt extract, LME = liquid malt extract

edit: Hmmm....an Aggie in Galveston....you a TAMUG? BTW, there is another brewer who posts here fom galvestion, you should hook up with him, if you haven't already look for a thread titled 'Save Our Flat Stout'.

[hmpitags2006]

Yeah I go to TAMUG and I graduate this december. I would head up that way to Houston but it is well over an hour and a half to get up there, plus how exp. gas is I will just go through AHBS. I know what DME and LME meant, I was just unsure what the amber was.

[Mad Scientist]

Thought you asked what DME stood for...oh well...

I understand the gas cost issue....thought might suggest the brew stores if you wanted a local place or travel up to Houston often.

[hmpitags2006]

There is one closer to me it is pretty new but they are pretty awful in terms of knowledge. It is B&S (I think the name is funny) brewers guild or something like that up near Kemah (30 miles vs 75 miles).

[HogieWan]

Toasted malt is very similar to biscuit - just put 2-row pale in the oven at 350* for 10-15 minutes