Firestone Walker Wookey Jack Clone Attempt

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So my LHBS only carries Wyeast and I don't really want to order WLP002 and wait a few days for it to come in as I was hoping to try out this recipe this weekend.... Anyone have an idea of the real attenuation of WY1968? I've always heard the two are the same since they come from Fullers but does anyone have any real experience swapping them out?
 
I am planning on brewing the above Wookey Jack recipe this weekend. Mostly b/c it saves me an additional trip to the brew shop, I will likely get two tubes of yeast and bypass the starter (or do a small one the day before). After reading the above posts on yeast for this, I'm tempted to pitch one tube of 002 and one of 007...thoughts?
 
Firestones yeast is detailed earlier in this thread; that said, I have brewed this twice using different yeast strains and both batches have been excellent although not quite wookie jack. One of my friends said I was an alchemist after tasting it. Definetly a great beer and a great recipe. I say go for it
 
jstro said:
I am planning on brewing the above Wookey Jack recipe this weekend. Mostly b/c it saves me an additional trip to the brew shop, I will likely get two tubes of yeast and bypass the starter (or do a small one the day before). After reading the above posts on yeast for this, I'm tempted to pitch one tube of 002 and one of 007...thoughts?
Click to expand...

I say go for it man... just post your results!!! This will be my next brew, definitely my favorite clone/homebrew at the moment...

I'd definitely go with a starter... especially if you intend on hitting the temps the recipe calls for. You're going to end up with lots of fermentable wort if so, hate to see that go to waste!
 
If my LHBS dont have carafa 3 special, can i sustitute that malt with blackprinz? or can i use plain cafara 3?

thanks!
 
thank you!!!

FYI... asking Matt Brynildson on twitter about water profile, here is what he said me:

"Wookey Jack brewing salts - we use RO treated water with a 2/3 Gypsum 1/3 CaCl- addition to get the total Ca addition up to 100ppm. Kettle 2"

My only doubt is what does Matt means about kettle 2????? same amount of salts on the kettle?? what do you think?
 
Not sure what that means, but when I enter that into Brun Water I get 1.16 g/gal gypsum and 0.39 g/gal CaCl, which gets 99 ppm Ca, 171 ppm sulfate and 49.2 ppm chloride.

Does that sound right?
 
Finally gonna brew this mofo tomorrow. Went to dry dock (brew hut) after work today and they had everything except the cararye. I bumped the rye by .25lbs and added .25lbs crystal 60. Hopefully that's okay??

Will post results and most likely some drunken jibber jabber.
 
mtnagel said:
Not sure what that means, but when I enter that into Brun Water I get 1.16 g/gal gypsum and 0.39 g/gal CaCl, which gets 99 ppm Ca, 171 ppm sulfate and 49.2 ppm chloride.

Does that sound right?
Click to expand...

and what about residual alkalinity? it would be negative and wort ph would be something like 5.0 or lower...
 
I'm still learning how to use the spreadsheet, but I get an estimated pH of 5.21 when I enter those grains (using "roast malt" for everything except the 2 row - is that correct?).

Can you explain what I'm doing wrong?
 
I think you would enter the rye as a "base malt".

I brewed this on Saturday and added 5grams gypsum to the mash and 4 to the sparge water. Didn't have time for a starter so pitched 2 packets of S-04. Expensive brew but I think it'll be worth it! Thanks for the recipe!
 
mtnagel said:
I'm still learning how to use the spreadsheet, but I get an estimated pH of 5.21 when I enter those grains (using "roast malt" for everything except the 2 row - is that correct?).

Can you explain what I'm doing wrong?
Click to expand...

it all depends of your water report and initial pH...and yes...change your rye malt to base malt...it will increase your final pH
 
guillermo81 said:
it all depends of your water report and initial pH...and yes...change your rye malt to base malt...it will increase your final pH
Click to expand...
But I put that I was using 100 RO water, so it doesn't depend on my water report input. I'm not sure where it gets the pH from when using RO water, but changing the pH on tabs 1 or 2, don't change the estimated pH.

So when I change the rye malt to a base malt (all other are roast malt except the 2 row), the pH goes up to 5.36 with 100% RO, the mineral additions I mentioned (1.16 g/gal gypsum and 0.39 g/gal CaCl) and using 9 gallons mash water and 0 sparge (I BIAB).

Any idea why it's not predicting what you are saying will happen?
 
mtnagel said:
But I put that I was using 100 RO water, so it doesn't depend on my water report input. I'm not sure where it gets the pH from when using RO water, but changing the pH on tabs 1 or 2, don't change the estimated pH.

So when I change the rye malt to a base malt (all other are roast malt except the 2 row), the pH goes up to 5.36 with 100% RO, the mineral additions I mentioned (1.16 g/gal gypsum and 0.39 g/gal CaCl) and using 9 gallons mash water and 0 sparge (I BIAB).

Any idea why it's not predicting what you are saying will happen?
Click to expand...

Even if you are using RO water, you must have a report of your ions, it doesnt mean that your RO water has 0 ppm on all your ions... Put that values on the existing water profile on tab 3 and zero dilution percentage to give a more accurate result...

Also put your cararye as crystal malt on tab 4
 
Hello all,
I am relatively new to homebrewing and I am wanting tot ry this recipe, but I just have one question.
For the dry hopping schedule, is it the first hop addition for days 1-3, and then the second on day 4 til fermentation is complete?
Or do I add the first hop addition on day 3, then on day 7 add the next?

Sorry for the noob question, but this has got me puzzled.
 
What I have seen for multiple dry hops going like this:

- Primary until most of fermentation is complete - probably 3 to 7 days or so.
- Add in first dry hop and let stand for 3 days either in primary or move to secondary and dry hop there.
- After 3 days, remove first dry hop and add second dry hop for 4 days.

The dates are just recommendations and timing is somewhat flexible about when the first dry hop goes and how long each dry hop stays in. I've done 1 week primary, 5 days dry hop #1 and 5 days dry hop #2.
 
First DH addition after fermentation is complete. I brewed this recipe last Saturday and plan on on adding my first DH this Tuesday (10 days). Then racking to secondary and the 2nd dh on fri or sat. Bottling the 3rd week.
 
Mtnagel said it right, schedule is flexible. I just add my first dry hop when I rack to secondary, typically about ten days. I primary in a glass carboy so I can observe fermentation then secondary in a plastic bucket. I usually dry hop in nylon paint strainer bags ( from Home Depot) so the hops are easily removed without having to re rack between hop additions. If you are a noob you should definetly brew this your friends will think you are a brew god, seriously. The recipe is so easy and the end product is so delicious.
 
Maybe, the other reason is I have one of those temp things stuck on my carboy so I like to keep it real during primary. YMMV. I wasn't aware that plastic first then glass is standard protocol.
 
During primary, you want space for the krausen. People do primary in 6 gal carboys, but buckets are very common too.

During secondary, you want to minimize the headspace to avoid oxidation, so that's why many people use 5 gal carboys to secondary.
 
Goodness! Thanks for all of the awesome information. I brewed this today and not a single thing went wrong! Haha I have done a secondary fermentation on all of my brews so far, so I think I will skip the bag idea, but useful information nonetheless. I did a mini mash version of this recipe that I am calling "Rookie Jack" so I will let you guys know how it turns out. Thanks again!
 
mtnagel said:
During primary, you want space for the krausen. People do primary in 6 gal carboys, but buckets are very common too.

During secondary, you want to minimize the headspace to avoid oxidation, so that's why many people use 5 gal carboys to secondary.
Click to expand...

True, but doing dry hopping in a bucket makes it a ton easier to get the hops out if you are using a hop bag.
 
Just wanted to thank everyone for their input in this thread. I brewed close to the OPs recipe in October, and this beer turned out amazing. I'd maybe up the late hops and dry hops a bit, but it turned out great!
 
I find the easiest way to dry hop is to secondary in a 5 gal. keg. Little head space, hops easy to clean out with or without a hop bag. Almost the same price as a carboy and doesn't break while taking up less floor space.

I am drinking one of these tonight(my first, I feel like a virgin:). If I like I will follow your recipe and advice to brew this, thanks
 
Brewed my fourth batch of this yesterday. All have been good but sadly only batch 1 was great. Tasted side by side with FW I liked mine better, it tasted like a fresh version of the commercial product... On batch 2 I had issues with water chemistry and overdid some salt additions. Batch 3 was decidedly underhopped and I think suffered from poor malt substitution choice (I tried Briess caracrystal wheat in place of the cararye I can't seem to find). Batches 1-3 were all fermented with US-05.

So at it again. Only this time no US-05 was available (none in my fridge or at LHBS). So I grabbed the last tube of WLP002 from the store (tube was 2 weeks from expiration :( ) and made a 1.5 L starter. Brewers Friend calculator says that will get me back up to 100 million cells, not enough for this beer but better than nothing. I also had a porter brewed 2 weeks ago ready to rack off a cake of S-04. So I decided to try a double batch, half on the underpitch of 002, half on the "pro-brewer 1.0 high gravity ale" S-04 recommendation (about 400 mL fresh slurry).

Then I overshot OG. Overboiled, didn't have water I trusted available to top up. So instead of 10 gal 1.081 I've got 9 gallons 1.092. Shook the carboys for oxygenation...Pitched as planned and put them in the fermentation chamber set to OP's 62F last night.

I am worried. Is that too low for this gravity and these yeasts and pitch rates? If I am going to increase temp should I bump up in one go or ramp up slowly?
 
Trying to put this together in beersmith but it does not have cara-rye or midnight wheat. tried searching thread but couldn't find it. Anyone have advice on this?
 
So I'm reading all these great things about the recipe. And yes I have had this in Denver and its awesome…this is why I want to make it. Now onto my concerns/confussion

From FW website:
http://www.firestonebeer.com/beers/products/wookey-jack-April-2012-

The ABV and color are off slightly but the biggest difference is the IBU's. Now when I punch the recipe in beer smith exactly as written it gives me the following:

Brew Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Volume: 8.12 gal (would be 7.46 gal if its a 60 min boil)
Boil Time: 90 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.0 %

Estimated OG: 1.081 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.023 SG
Estimated Color: 35.6 SRM (FW website: 45 SRM)
Bitterness: 59.8 IBU (FW Website: 80 IBUs)
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 7.6 % (FW Website: 8.3%)

OP:
Brew Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Volume: 7.46 gal
Boil Time: 90 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.0 %
Estimated Original Gravity: 1.080 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.015 SG
Estimated Color: 39.6 SRM
Bitterness: 61.8 IBU
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 8.6 %

skeezer, how are you calculating your estimates? boil off rate? absorption? deadspace? Please don't feel like I'm trying to criticize your recipe but I would like to get as close as possible. I'm just confused after looking at FW website.
 
juggabrew said:
So I'm reading all these great things about the recipe. And yes I have had this in Denver and its awesome…this is why I want to make it. Now onto my concerns/confussion

From FW website:
http://www.firestonebeer.com/beers/products/wookey-jack-April-2012-

The ABV and color are off slightly but the biggest difference is the IBU's. Now when I punch the recipe in beer smith exactly as written it gives me the following:

Brew Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Volume: 8.12 gal (would be 7.46 gal if its a 60 min boil)
Boil Time: 90 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.0 %

Estimated OG: 1.081 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.023 SG
Estimated Color: 35.6 SRM (FW website: 45 SRM)
Bitterness: 59.8 IBU (FW Website: 80 IBUs)
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 7.6 % (FW Website: 8.3%)

OP:
Brew Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Volume: 7.46 gal
Boil Time: 90 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.0 %
Estimated Original Gravity: 1.080 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.015 SG
Estimated Color: 39.6 SRM
Bitterness: 61.8 IBU
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 8.6 %

skeezer, how are you calculating your estimates? boil off rate? absorption? deadspace? Please don't feel like I'm trying to criticize your recipe but I would like to get as close as possible. I'm just confused after looking at FW website.
Click to expand...

Your FG is high, which is why the ABV is off. You can adjust the yeast attenuation in beersmith. Need to hit the mash temps, use the right amount of healthy yeast, oxygenize, etc.

Beersmith doesn't add IBUs for flameout/hop stand additions, so it is actually higher than beersmith says

Color-not sure, but black is black.

Boil off is equipment specific, yours will be different than mine. I use the standard beersmith for absorption.
 
Of these 4 yeast options, which would you use for this recipe (I already have the first 3):

1) Conan
2) WLP090
3) Wyeast 1272 (harvested from Bell's)
4) buy WLP002
 
I used WY 1968 (the Wyeast Fuller's version) and it kicked some a$$. OG 1.083 with a FG of 1.019.

All of my friends found this homebrew to be very, very good. I did find some Wookey Jack on tap earlier this week and found it to be a bit mellower then this recipe, but I also had to omit the Midnight Wheat and substituted a 50/50 blend of Cascade/Centennial for the Amarillo hops. Or perhaps I need to let it age a few more weeks... but that would mean hoarding it somewhere safe.

Anyway thanks again for posting this awesome recipe, it makes a great beer!!!!
 
Wanted to provide my feedback on this brew. AMAZING. Tastes nearly identical to the Wookey Jack I sampled a pint of. I am literally going to brew it again this weekend, but I don't have any English Ale yeast. I only have California Ale and Safale 05. Any suggestions? Worth a trip out the LHBS?
 

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