Heady Topper- Can you clone it?

SSBrew - 728
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kcmobrewer said:
Not really sure why he would get flamed for brewing for his own personal reasons....


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Only because it was a general statement, not specific to himself. It was a light-hearted comment anyhow, it's not like I was offended or anything. It's OK, carry on.
 
Haven't gone through all 260+ pages, but any votes for whose has the closest clone recipe? Either member wise or online retail? Thanks. Can't believe what I made would make it to market.
 
PianoMan said:
Haven't gone through all 260+ pages, but any votes for whose has the closest clone recipe? Either member wise or online retail? Thanks. Can't believe what I made would make it to market.
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I think the 4th attempt, done at 63f and a single loose dry hop of 5 days and water at over 500ppm was the best so far for me. Even if it's not HT, who cares? Hell, brewing a clone has pissed my 2nd cousin off so bad, he will not talk to me. So I don't know if I want to call it a clone, call it a damn good IIPA.

PS John Kimmich is my 2nd cousin.
 
After 5 days, I pulled out the first hop sack. I was wondering if I should squeeze out as much beer as I could cuz there at least 6-8oz in the hop sack. I squeezed it into a sanitized bowl, gave it a quit taste,,,,,extremely bitter as to be expected. I did not return the squeezed solution back into the fermenter. Should I have returned it? What about the second bag?
 
trimixdiver1 said:
I think the 4th attempt, done at 63f and a single loose dry hop of 5 days and water at over 500ppm was the best so far for me. Even if it's not HT, who cares? Hell, brewing a clone has pissed my 2nd cousin off so bad, he will not talk to me. So I don't know if I want to call it a clone, call it a damn good IIPA.

PS John Kimmich is my 2nd cousin.
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Why is he mad? That you brewed it or that everyone is trying to clone it?

PackerfaninSanDiego said:
After 5 days, I pulled out the first hop sack. I was wondering if I should squeeze out as much beer as I could cuz there at least 6-8oz in the hop sack. I squeezed it into a sanitized bowl, gave it a quit taste,,,,,extremely bitter as to be expected. I did not return the squeezed solution back into the fermenter. Should I have returned it? What about the second bag?
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Yes. I always do. No issues. I'm not wasting those delicious hops.
 
mtnagel said:
Why is he mad? That you brewed it or that everyone is trying to clone it?



Yes. I always do. No issues. I'm not wasting those delicious hops.
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Who knows, probably both. I went from fully supporting him to: What's headdy topper? Brewers like him, while talented, give professional Brewers a bad name. 99% of pro Brewers, (and I've meet a crap ton of them) are completely cool and will talk to as a peer. Not him, he constantly gave me BS answers every time I asked him about something. So everything you hear him say to a group, take it with a grain of salt. He is the reason why this thread is so long. I asked him what temp do you primary headdy at? He said 70's. Took a tour of the brewery and saw the temperature controllers at 63. Think he also got mad that his wife gave me the wholesale price for 2 cases I bought. She also gave me a hat, tin sign, stickers, a couple glasses for free. I know I'm only a second cousin, but gee wiz, if I were a owner of a brewery that sells 2000 cases for $75 bucks each, I don't understand why selling two for $20 bucks less would result in a moratorium on replies.
 
trimixdiver1 said:
I think the 4th attempt, done at 63f and a single loose dry hop of 5 days and water at over 500ppm was the best so far for me. Even if it's not HT, who cares? Hell, brewing a clone has pissed my 2nd cousin off so bad, he will not talk to me. So I don't know if I want to call it a clone, call it a damn good IIPA.

PS John Kimmich is my 2nd cousin.
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Thought 'The Alchemist' was a family only operation? Call you Blacksheep from now on!

Thanks for the info, i'll try that version next time. And 500ppm of what?
 
PianoMan said:
Thought 'The Alchemist' was a family only operation? Call you Blacksheep from now on!

Thanks for the info, i'll try that version next time. And 500ppm of what?
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I'm in pittsburgh, where he is from. I was busy punching holes in the ocean in the Navy while he was being "groovy" with Noonan.

500 ppm is the total hardness, I used gypsum.
 
ImageUploadedByHome Brew1413676565.598427.jpg
DC Brau The Public

United up by 1 at the half :mug:

Edit: wrong thread. I'll just back slowly out of the room now...
 
Brewed the Farmhouse kit on Saturday, converted it to 6gal, since my eff is at 88%. The day went really smooth. Only ended up with about 4.5 gal into the fermentor, with so much hop and break material at the bottom of my kettle. My boil off seemed more than usual. My OG was 1.076

My water was: CA115 MG20 NA19 CL50 SO4 328
Added 1ml of lactic to mash, my PH meter said 5.39 adjusted

pitched a 2l starter. Ferment started within 6 hours, at 67 and rose to 68.

I'll report back in a few weeks, with my thoughts.
 
PianoMan said:
Think that's the point. If craft beers were cheaper and available nation wide, there would be lesser need to HB. Online retailers can't ship to Texas, we are 2000 miles away from Vermont, so having NB come up with a clone is great for the rest of us. Same with Pliny.
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Thats fine that they make a clone, but dont make the logo be a near knock off to the original and name it something a bit different...Also, give props where its due.
 
HAH! In that case, I'm really glad that NB has a knock-off kit! He's really gonna love that! Don't know the man so best not to say anything of him, but sounds like could karma.


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jammin said:
he didnt say it IS identical, he said pretty much.



do you even figure of speech, bro?
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<off>"Nothing goes over [his] head! [His] reflexes are too fast. [He] would catch it.</off>

I've got 6 jars of conan frozen from a scale up of a heady can. Just waiting on my bru-gear conical to be delivered ... and for the weather to get a little colder (way easier for me to heat a fermentation than cool it). Can't wait to sink my teeth into this recipe!


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dbennett78 said:
Thats fine that they make a clone, but dont make the logo be a near knock off to the original and name it something a bit different...Also, give props where its due.
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You've changed my mind man! Here's my pic just after bottling, 9%, smooth, piney, citus.

Also, I've changed the name and label to something completely different. Thanks DB! What do you guys think?

1413857563310.jpg


1413857576394.jpg
 
brewguyver said:
<off>"Nothing goes over [his] head! [His] reflexes are too fast. [He] would catch it.</off>

I've got 6 jars of conan frozen from a scale up of a heady can. Just waiting on my bru-gear conical to be delivered ... and for the weather to get a little colder (way easier for me to heat a fermentation than cool it). Can't wait to sink my teeth into this recipe!


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We can convert that conical so time of year isn't an issue. Let me know.
Here is mine.
ImageUploadedByHome Brew1413887011.682824.jpg
 
Just kegged mine. I used the Farmhouse kit too. OG 1.078 FG 1.014 8.5%abv. Smells and tastes great. A little hot from the alcohol. Not sure how it compares to HT. It's been to long since I've had one.


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ImageUploadedByHome Brew1414377041.038625.jpg
 
can anyone direct me to the Version 4 recipe page number? Been looking for awhile cant find it thanks
 
why does not wanting to drink a 1.020 finishing beer make me out of my mind?

i don't like beer that sweet. i don't care how much time i put into it - if it's crap, im not gonna drink it
 
If you knew the process in which Heady is made you would know why....Everyone has access to grain and hops and even yeast (Vermont ale yeast) But their process in the brewery is very close to impossible to replicate at home. I don't know how john feels about it but i bet he's not worried about it. Worth trying to get close though for sure.
 
jammin said:
why does not wanting to drink a 1.020 finishing beer make me out of my mind?

i don't like beer that sweet. i don't care how much time i put into it - if it's crap, im not gonna drink it
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its not a great statement to make to another brewer specially if that brewer is not experienced and you come along saying you'd pour that beer down the drain if it was yours, just because he missed his FG by a few points does'nt mean the beer is undrinkable. i fully understand that your statement was your own opinion but it sounded like you were saying the guys beer was done for and not worth even trying.
 

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