Torpedo clone.

[Charlie]

I've got a wild hair, and have decided that I can brew a Torpedo clone. Here's what Sierra has to say about it:

Sierra Nevada Torpedo

ABV: 7.2%
Yeast: Ale Yeast
Malts Two-row Pale, Carapils & Crystal
OG: 17.8 Plato (1.073)
TG: 4.6 Plato (1.018)
Bittering hops: Magnum
Finishing hops: Magnum & Crystal
Dry hopping: Magnum, Crystal & Citra
Bitterness units: 70

I propose to do a 5 gallon batch, dump a pound of Carapils, a pound of Crystal 40, and enough pale two row in to hit 1.075. Estimate their boil hops at 60, their finish at 10, and their dry (but using Amarillo or Cascade to sub for the Citra). Here's my first draft:

O.G. 1.074
T.G. 1.018
ABV 7.2
IBU 70.1
SRM 9.8

9 lbs Marris Otter (MASH)
1 lbs Cara-Pils Dextrine (MASH)
1 lbs Crystal 40L (MASH)

1 oz Magnum 13.5% BOIL 60 minutes

0.5 oz Magnum 13.5% BOIL 45 minutes
0.5 oz Crystal 3.1% BOIL 45 minutes

0.5 oz Magnum 13.5% FINISHING 10 minutes
0.5 oz Crystal 3.1% FINISHING 10 minutes

0.5 oz Magnum 13.5% DRY 0 minutes
0.5 oz Crystal 3.1% DRY 0 minutes
1 oz Amarillo % DRY 0 minutes

Mash at 152 F
Mash Efficiency 75%

Yeast: White Labs WLP-001

That hits the SG, ABV and IBU. I welcome observations and suggestions.

TIA,
Charlie

[brewinhard]

Just had this beer for the first time 2 weeks ago and enjoyed it even though the hop aroma was muted from traveling to the east coast. Only suggestion would be to change the Maris Otter to Briess or some type of North American pale 2-row. That will give you a cleaner malt profile and I would probably guess that is what Sierra Nevada uses. Although I could be wrong....Good luck!

[Charlie]

Only suggestion would be to change the Maris Otter to Briess or some type of North American pale 2-row. That will give you a cleaner malt profile and I would probably guess that is what Sierra Nevada uses. Although I could be wrong....Good luck!

I bet you're right. Briess 2 row it is. After all, this is an American IPA.

Thanks!
Charlie

[brewinhard]

Please post and let me know how it turns out. I am also planning on brewing an IPA soon. Was going to try the Green Flash IPA that the crew just cloned!

[Charlie]

Please post and let me know how it turns out. I am also planning on brewing an IPA soon. Was going to try the Green Flash IPA that the crew just cloned!

Roger. Wilco.

A buddy of mine just brewed the Green Flash clone, and I hope to try it out soon. Unfortunately I don't have those hops in stock, but I will soon have Magnum, Crystal and Amarillo.

Charlie

[Bellmer]

I'm pretty sure I've read a couple of times that the "signature hop" of sierra nevada is centennial, which might make it a better sub for the citra (sp? I've never heard of it...not that that means anything). Other than that my only comment would have been to switch from Marris Otter to American 2-row, but you got that covered already. Let us know how it goes

[Charlie]

I'm pretty sure I've read a couple of times that the "signature hop" of sierra nevada is centennial, which might make it a better sub for the citra (sp? I've never heard of it...not that that means anything). Other than that my only comment would have been to switch from Marris Otter to American 2-row, but you got that covered already. Let us know how it goes

Cool!

I hear that Citra is an experimental hop, and that the whole production is going to Sierra Nevada for the Torpedo IPA. I'm not saying that's correct, and I don't know who's growing it for them, that's just the word on the street.

I've got cascade in the ultralow, and amarillo on the way, but centennial looks like a good sub too. If I get a chance I'll sample some centennial and see what it's like.

This is most definitely a work in progress .

Charlie

[Bellmer]

I'm pretty sure I've read a couple of times that the "signature hop" of sierra nevada is centennial, which might make it a better sub for the citra (sp? I've never heard of it...not that that means anything). Other than that my only comment would have been to switch from Marris Otter to American 2-row, but you got that covered already. Let us know how it goes

Cool!

I hear that Citra is an experimental hop, and that the whole production is going to Sierra Nevada for the Torpedo IPA. I'm not saying that's correct, and I don't know who's growing it for them, that's just the word on the street.

I've got cascade in the ultralow, and amarillo on the way, but centennial looks like a good sub too. If I get a chance I'll sample some centennial and see what it's like.

This is most definitely a work in progress .

Charlie

Centennial is like a super, high-alpha cascade (not super high...more like 8/9% AA). So, if you can imagine cascade on steroids you get a good idea. You could probably sub centennial for cascade (just use less obviously). And I'm not saying I'm correct about it being their signature hop (please someone tell me I'm not crazy), but centennial makes a kick-ass IPA. The recipe sounds solid enough that it won't disappoint you, even if it doesn't quite taste like your target.