Torpedo clone.

[Charlie]

Looks like we can get them here now.

They're sold out.

Scheiße Dreck!

Charlie

[Charlie]

I think I mentioned somewhere that the "Torpedo" is a piece of equipment! Here's the facts behind that bit of knowledge:

The name Torpedo stems from an invention that Ken Grossman and the brewers came up with several years ago. The Hop Torpedo is a cylindrical stainless steel vessel that was developed to harness the essential oils and resins in hops, without extracting bitterness. The device essentially works like an espresso machine. A stainless filter basket is packed full of whole cone hops loaded into the vessel and sealed against pressure. The device is then placed in the fermentation cellars where beer from the cylindroconical fermenters is pushed down from the tanks, through the pressurized column of hops and back into the fermenting tank. The flow of beer out of the tanks, into the Torpedo and back into the fermenter can be controlled to extract different levels of flavor, aroma and bitterness. Essentially, it is a new way of dry-hopping that extracts all of the oily resin without the residual bitterness of the traditional method.

Description is here http://beernews.org/2008/11/sierra-nevada-to-bottle-first-new-year-round-release-in-over-28-years/

I happen to have a lexan cylinder, about 1.5" X 12", that is used as a gas purifier. It should hold a couple or three of ounces of leaf hops! I'm going to tap the end caps to 1/4" NPT and make a torpedo.

Update: All kidding aside, I have made my own Torpedo!

Last week I got a couple of 1/2" X 3/8" SS nipples to replace the brass hose barbs on my BK and HLT. Long story short I goofed and got 3/8" barbs instead of 1/2". I tried to use them anyway but my hose was about to fall off and the flow rate suffered. So I bought some 1/2 X 1/2 (which arrived yesterday). What to do with the spare 3/8 barbs? Make a Torpedo, of course!



Here's the lexan cylinder in its native state.



What the end fittings look like.



The end cap has been drilled to 7/8" and tapped 1/2 NPT.



And here's the finished product. I can't wait to try it out on V 0.0.2 of the Torpedo clone.

Charlie

[benfoot]

Charlie - tryin' your recipe this wkend - i am assuming a 5 gal batch.

[Charlie]

Charlie - tryin' your recipe today - how did yours turn out?

It was great! Everything hit the numbers right on. The one fly in the ointment was the dry hops. I hopped when I racked to secondary and the dang thing fermented too long and blew off most of the aroma. What was left was real nice, but only lasted a week after the bottles were conditioned, then it was gone too.

If you're gonna make this one I would:

1. Hold in the primary until fermentation is nearly complete, then rack and add the dry hops. Check other threads to see how long is optimum, but I think no longer than 5 days.

2. Keg the sucker and force carbonate.

3. Drink it pretty quick.

I haven't used the hop torpedo yet. Other equipment issues keep getting in the way.

Charlie (still learning the ins and outs of dry hopping)

i am assuming a 5 gal batch.

Yup. My target is 5.25 gal in the primary.

[Brandon]

I just read through the advanced copy of BYO for next month and it has a Torpedo clone recipe in it as well as an article on the Torpedo with some cool pics.

[runninjim]

Thanks for the ifo, can't wait to get the next issue!

[cdburg]

In case anyone is interested...

From the September 2009 BYO

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA Clone
5 gallons - all-grain

OG = 1.070
FG = 1.018
IBU = 70
SRM = 11
ABV = 7.2%

Ingredients

14 lbs pale malt
11 oz caramel malt (60 degrees L)

1.2 oz of 14% AA Magnum hops (60 mins)
1.0 oz Magnum hops (5 mins)
1.0 oz Crystal hops (5 mins)
.67 oz Magnum hops (dry hop)
.67 oz Crystal hops (dry hops)
.67 oz Citra hops (dry hops)

Yeast: White Labs WLP001 or Wyeast 1056 American Ale

Mash at 152 degrees. Boil for 90 minutes. Ferment at 68 degrees. Dry hop for 10 days to 2 weeks or use a Sierra Nevada "torpedo" to add hop character.

[Charlie]

In case anyone is interested...

I dunno. The bitterness contribution of the magnum and crystal at 5 min is virtually zilch, and no way you're going to get 70 IBU from 1.2 oz Magnum at 60 (or 90, or 120!). And what's with the caramel malt? My clone at SRM 8 was darker than genuine Torpedo, so they overshot the SRM by at least 4 units.

I think I like my recipe better. Wish I could find some citra hops. If I do I'm gonna buy me a whole freaking pound! Maybe this fall..................

Torpedo clone v0.0.2 is scheduled for 8/23/09, and I do have a Torpedo! http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=13902&p=155988#p155988

Charlie