Pompously Illegitimate Red Ale
Brewed: 3/4/2012 Kegged: 3/20/2012
It is no secret that I am a fan of Stone Brewery, and especially their Arrogant Bastard Ale. It isn't just that Arrogant Bastard is a great beer, but I love the "attitude" behind the beer.From their website:
"This is an aggressive ale. You probably won’t like it. It is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to be able to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth. We would suggest that you stick to safer and more familiar territory–maybe something with a multi-million dollar ad campaign aimed at convincing you it’s made in a little brewery, or one that implies that their tasteless fizzy yellow beverage will give you more sex appeal. Perhaps you think multi-million dollar ad campaigns make things taste better. Perhaps you’re mouthing your words as you read this. "
Part of the Arrogant Bastard "charm" is that Stone Brewery refuses to share its recipe with anyone. Stone shares anything and everything about every beer it makes, with the exception of Arrogant Bastard. The "Can you Brew It" (CYBI) guys have tried to get help on the recipe, but Mitch Steel (head brewer at Stone) cannot give them anything.
But, still, the CYBI guys continue to try to clone the beer. You can read about this quest on my blog by following this link: http://blog.ericshepard.com/search/label/Arrogant%20Bastard . Personally, I think they had the recipe on attempt #2, but Tasty just could not accept the consensus of the group.
I have decided to create a beer in tribute to Arrogant Bastard and the CYBI quest to clone it. The CYBI attempt #2 uses an ultra simple recipe with a base grain one specialty malt and one type of hop. I am using the same malts, but different hops in order to make it "my" beer.
It will be a great beer. I'm looking forward to drinking it.
For blog articles about this beer see: http://blog.ericshepard.com/search/label/Pompously%20Illegitimate
| Pompously Illegitimate Red Ale --- Batch 1 |
| Style | American Red | Batch Size | 5.50 gal | |||
| Type | All Grain | Boil Size | |
7.00 gal | ||
| Brewhouse Efficiency | |
70.00 | |
Boil Time | |
90 minutes |
Recipe Characteristics
| Recipe Gravity | 1.066 SG | Estimated FG | 1.011 SG | ||||
| Recipe Bitterness | 76.4 IBUs (Rager) | Alcohol by Volume | 7.2 % | ||||
| BU : GU | |
1.161 | |
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| Recipe Color | 20.5 SRM |
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| Measured OG: | |
1.067 |
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Measured FG: | |
1.014 | |
| ADF: | |
79% |
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Measured ABV: | |
7.0% |
Ingredients
| Amt | Name | Type | # | %/IBU |
| 13 lbs | Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) | Grain | 1 | 89.7 % |
| 1 lbs 8.0 oz | Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) | Grain | 2 | 10.3 % |
| 0.38 oz | Columbus (Tomahawk) [17.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min | Hop | 3 | 23.2 IBUs |
| 0.50 oz | Columbus (Tomahawk) [17.00 %] - Boil 45.0 min | Hop | 4 | 27.4 IBUs |
| 1.50 oz | Citra [11.10 %] - Boil 15.0 min | Hop | 5 | 15.9 IBUs |
| 0.50 tsp | Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins) | Fining | 6 | - |
| 1.50 oz | Citra [11.10 %] - Boil 5.0 min | Hop | 7 | 10.0 IBUs |
| 1.0 pkg | Dry English Ale (White Labs #WLP007) [35.49 ml] | Yeast | 8 | - |
| 1.00 tsp | Yeast Nutrient (Primary 3.0 days) | Other | 9 | - |
Mash Profile
| Name | Description | Step Temperature | Step Time |
| Mash In | Add 18.13 qt of water at 159.1 F | 148.0 F | 75 min |
Batch sparge with 2 steps (0.71gal, 3.50gal) of 168.0 F water Recipe Notes
Brewing Record
| Brew Date: | 3/4/2012 |
Strike Temp: | |
160 | ||
| Mash Temps: | 149 up to 152 and down to 148 at the end | |||||
| Pre-boil OG | |
1.060 (1.061 SG) | |
Pre-boil Vol | |
7 gal (7.00 gal) |
| Actual Mash Efficiency | 81.2 |
Pitch Temp | |
62 | ||
| Fermentation | |
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| Day 1: Quick start-up got down to about 60 and then 64 by the afternoon. | ||||||
| Day 2: Blowout early. 63ish morning. Up to almost 66 in the evening | ||||||
| Day 3: Going strong in the morning 64. | ||||||
| Day 4: Seems to be slowing down, but still have activity. 66. | ||||||
Brewing Notes
3/1/2012 Got the ingredients today. I think this might be the biggest mash I've ever done.
3/5/2012 Brewed it up yesterday (see blog for full story). The only thing that concerns me is the cidery taste I got from the starter. I guess we will see. Fermentation did take off quickly and I had to add a blow-off tube early this morning.
3/10/2012 Seems to be finished with the main fermentation. For the most part it started and stayed cool with only a couple degree rise in temp. Got up to 66. I will let it go now.
3/13/2012 Took a gravity reading and tasted the sample. FG came in at 1.014. Sample really tasted good. Lots of citrusy hop aroma and flavor. A bit of malty sweetness in the start with a pretty dry and bitter finish. I am pleased so far and am sure I Would be proud to serve this to Greg Koch and / or Mitch Steele.
3/21/2012 Kegged and filled 6 22oz and 1 PET liter bottle last night. Used the old Mr. Beer carbing method for the bottles. Absolutely fantastic taste. I am going to love this beer. For more information see <a href="http://blog.ericshepard.com/2012/03/kegging-pira.html">my blog</a>
3/21/2012 BTW ... I have the keg on CO2 at 30psi (room temperature). My keggerator is full so it may be awhile before I can drink this.
3/29/2012 Eric's Red blew. The good news is that I can add PIRA to the keggerator now. Put it outside to cool overnight.
3/30/2012 Remembered to add to keggerator today.
3/30/2012 Had my first today. Great great west-coast red. Very hoppy flavor. Not as much aroma as a dry-hopped beer, but still very good. Malt flavor is wonderful. This is a great beer.
4/21/2012 Killed the keg last night. Still have bottles.
4/30/2012 I gave a bottle to a co-worker (and fellow beer geek) Friday. He and his wife tried it over the weekend. "Cliff" told me he really liked the beer. He tried it side-by-side with AB, and told me he in detail how much more he liked mine than AB. Very nice to get that feedback.
3/1/2012 Got the ingredients today. I think this might be the biggest mash I've ever done.
3/5/2012 Brewed it up yesterday (see blog for full story). The only thing that concerns me is the cidery taste I got from the starter. I guess we will see. Fermentation did take off quickly and I had to add a blow-off tube early this morning.
3/10/2012 Seems to be finished with the main fermentation. For the most part it started and stayed cool with only a couple degree rise in temp. Got up to 66. I will let it go now.
3/13/2012 Took a gravity reading and tasted the sample. FG came in at 1.014. Sample really tasted good. Lots of citrusy hop aroma and flavor. A bit of malty sweetness in the start with a pretty dry and bitter finish. I am pleased so far and am sure I Would be proud to serve this to Greg Koch and / or Mitch Steele.
3/21/2012 Kegged and filled 6 22oz and 1 PET liter bottle last night. Used the old Mr. Beer carbing method for the bottles. Absolutely fantastic taste. I am going to love this beer. For more information see <a href="http://blog.ericshepard.com/2012/03/kegging-pira.html">my blog</a>
3/21/2012 BTW ... I have the keg on CO2 at 30psi (room temperature). My keggerator is full so it may be awhile before I can drink this.
3/29/2012 Eric's Red blew. The good news is that I can add PIRA to the keggerator now. Put it outside to cool overnight.
3/30/2012 Remembered to add to keggerator today.
3/30/2012 Had my first today. Great great west-coast red. Very hoppy flavor. Not as much aroma as a dry-hopped beer, but still very good. Malt flavor is wonderful. This is a great beer.
4/21/2012 Killed the keg last night. Still have bottles.
4/30/2012 I gave a bottle to a co-worker (and fellow beer geek) Friday. He and his wife tried it over the weekend. "Cliff" told me he really liked the beer. He tried it side-by-side with AB, and told me he in detail how much more he liked mine than AB. Very nice to get that feedback.