Sweet Water Brews

[copper2hopper]

Just wondering a couple things about sweet water and if anyone has any solid input. Looking first of all for a solid recipe for their 420 beer and secondly what kind of yeast do they use. Is it a "house strain" that's harvestable from dregs from bottles or is that even possible if they filter before bottling? Any help and advise would help cuz I have a bunch of cascade and centennial coming through for my homegrown hops this year and according to their website that's what is in the 420. Here's their link for reference. Thanks in advance!

http://sweetwaterbrew.com/brews/sweetwater-420/

 

[Fortunete11er]

420 is one of my favorite beers, I make one based on a recipe that I found and it as far as I can tell pretty dead on. Hops are pretty much all cascade hops, have a brew in the keg right now and should be ready in a week or so.

 

[soccerdad]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=48353

 

[BigMack]

I believe they use 1968 for 420 as well as most of their other beers. It is also bottle conditioned so you could try culturing it if you wanted to provided they don't use a separate strain for bottling (which I don't think they do).

From looking at their website it looks like you should pretty easily be able to put together a grain bill and hop schedule. Their grains used seems a bit unclear just stating one grain as 40L which I'm assuming means Crystal 40. Looks like 10# 2 row and 0.5# each Munich 10 and Crystal 40 would get you in the ballpark for their ABV and SRM. Then Centennial and Cascade as your two hops. I might shoot for half the IBUs in a bittering addition of Centennial (about an ounce) and then make up the rest with Centennial and Cascade towards the end of the boil. Dry hop with an ounce of each.

Thats just spitballing a little but from the info they provide it looks like that should get you close.

 

[copper2hopper]

Awesome. Fortunete11er do you have that recipe to compare to soccerdad's? And thank you soccerdad. I agree BigMack it seems like a pretty simple recipe to put together. I think I'll target a 1.056 OG and hope for 1.012 FG using 1968 yeast. I love 1968...very universal to make solid APA and IPA brews. Thanks again guys.

 

[copper2hopper]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1471327289.919452.jpg
Well here's my attempt at a recipe. Any thoughts?

 

[copper2hopper]

And sorry. IBU estimation would be 40ish. Not 50-60.

 

[copper2hopper]

Thanks for feed back everyone! NOT!! Standard HBT lately for me so whatever. But if your interested I brewed this up 2 nights ago and th fermentor is already done showing signs of activity. Standard 1968 strain I guess. I'm gonna let it sit for its two week mark then secondary for dry hopping. I'll keep all you enthusiastic people posted.

 

[derekcw83]

If it's at all similar to their hop hash, I would have added some centennial towards the end. Your color seems a little high, but I'm not 100% on that I just remember it being nearly as light as hop hash as well. Sorry you haven't gotten the responses you've expected. It's happened to me here and there as well.

 

[soccerdad]

I try to not comment on what I do not know. Let us know how the finished beer comes out.

 

[copper2hopper]

Thanks fellas. Will definitely keep you all posted. Just trying to communicate with Wyeast about their 1968 strain and the thorough diacetyl rest that's recommended. I'm doing primary at 67-68. My standard rule of thumb is two weeks for all my primaries but I'm not sure if I need to raise temps a little further for a diacetyl rest or just keep it where it's at and let it ride as the "thorough" rest. Can't wait for a side by side with this one.

 

[copper2hopper]

View attachment 371145View attachment 371146View attachment 371147
Well here it fellas! It's really really close and a solid brew!

First attempted clone at this one and I must say it turned out damn near spot on. The real deal is on the right and mines on the left. Mines a little hazy right now but will improve very soon since these are my first two pours from the tap. My color is slightly darker but should get brighter with time when it clears up. Taste= Awesome and VERY close to identical. Smell= again...damn near identical. The real one from the bottle is a little skunky but that's understandable since it's towards the end of its "enjoy by date".