Heady Topper Clone?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by geneseohawk, Mar 24, 2012.

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  1. koopa

    koopa Initiate (0) Apr 20, 2008 New Jersey

    It's probably a combo of copious amounts of dry hopping, possibly dry hopping in multiple stages, having packaging that does a good job protecting the integrity of its contents, and having the luxury of canning a fresh batch every week so the consumer has a better chance at consuming it as early in its life as possible.


    BTW my first clone attempted is chugging right along. I hit a 1.072 OG (was aiming for 1.071) and so far my gravity is only down to 1.016 (hoping to reach 1.010). The smells and flavors are quite tropical and the color is somewhere between pineapple and orange juice! I can already tell that even if this clone attempt results in a far cry from HT, it still has the potential to be a great brew in its own right!
     
  2. skivtjerry

    skivtjerry Pooh-Bah (1,841) Mar 10, 2006 Vermont
    Pooh-Bah Society

    There is probably some sugar added too; this can really drop your FG.
     
  3. brkstoutfiend

    brkstoutfiend Initiate (0) Feb 5, 2010 Michigan

    I think he moderately FW hops it and then just pounds the hell out of it for the last 15 minutes to flame out and then dry hops for a week with an insane amount of hops. It says on the can that the floaties are from the hop resin.
     
  4. koopa

    koopa Initiate (0) Apr 20, 2008 New Jersey

    I agree. I added 1# with 15 minutes left in the boil.
     
  5. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,043) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I'm probably misreading what you mean. But simply adding sugar will not lower FG. Replacing some malt with sugar (to hit the same OG) will lower FG. Probably what you meant.
     
  6. kjyost

    kjyost Initiate (0) May 4, 2008 Canada (MB)

    Technically, won't adding sugar drop an FG as it produces more ethanol which has a density lesser than water, bringing down the density of the overall solution (even though there are still the same amounts of dextrine & other unfermentables in solution)? Real technical, and surely not what is meant by someone reading "bring down FG"...
     
  7. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,043) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    True. But this effect is so small that we happily ignore it all the time.
     
  8. kjyost

    kjyost Initiate (0) May 4, 2008 Canada (MB)

    I just felt like being pedantic today :slight_smile:
     
  9. skivtjerry

    skivtjerry Pooh-Bah (1,841) Mar 10, 2006 Vermont
    Pooh-Bah Society

    What I meant was that the sugar replaces some of the malt. Since it attenuates 100% the FG will be lower than for an all malt beer of the same gravity. But to be correct, I should have said "lighten the body" instead.
     
  10. H0rnedFr0gs

    H0rnedFr0gs Initiate (0) Mar 12, 2012 Texas

    Take my opinion on this as strictly a taste kind of deal since I do not brew (but I was completely attracted to this topic) but I had a great local firkin with zythos hops and it totally nailed the taste of topper and more brown than black, the only 2 alchemist brews I've tried.

    Anyway just my 2 cents. Would live for someone to hit on the head so my GF's pop, who does brew, can be put to work :wink:
     
  11. brkstoutfiend

    brkstoutfiend Initiate (0) Feb 5, 2010 Michigan

    I almost think there are Nelsons in there somewhere or maybe he's just magic??
     
  12. geocool

    geocool Savant (1,209) Jun 21, 2006 Massachusetts

    Does anyone think there might be a small amount of Rye in this beer? Maybe 5% or less? I just had one last night and I'm definitely getting an apricot like flavor that I associate with Rye.
     
  13. Kpowers

    Kpowers Aspirant (283) May 31, 2009 Rhode Island

    So what is the outcome here on your clone attempt?
     
  14. skivtjerry

    skivtjerry Pooh-Bah (1,841) Mar 10, 2006 Vermont
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Rye, I don't think so. The apricot you're getting probably comes from the hops (Nugget?). Maybe a little wheat, but that is pure speculation.
     
  15. geocool

    geocool Savant (1,209) Jun 21, 2006 Massachusetts

    You know on second thought I think it's from Amarillo hops, though I've never brewed with Nugget.
     
  16. SkinnyPete

    SkinnyPete Initiate (0) May 27, 2012

    I'm attempting an all late hop double IPA similar (hopefully) to Heady Topper in 2 days. Any word on the clone attempt, koopa? I put together my own recipe and bought ingredients yesterday, then discovered this thread but my attempt is pretty similar to yours. I did buy chinook because a friend supposedly "knows" someone at the brewery and thinks chinook is in there, but I'm really not feeling it. I'm probably going with Amarillo, Simcoe, Citra, Columbus, and Nugget.
     
  17. bobanahalf

    bobanahalf Initiate (0) May 6, 2010 Vermont

    Oh, I am so going for it this weekend. And here's what I'm going with:

    Grain Bill:
    11# Maris Otter
    1# American Wheat
    2.5# DME, extra light

    Hops Bill:
    Four additions at 20, 10, 0, and dry hop. For each addition:
    • 1 oz Simcoe (11.9%)
    • 1/2 oz Magnum (20.5%. hell yea!)
    • 1 oz Columbus (14.5%)
    • 1 oz Centennial (8.7%)
    Safale 05, 1500ml starter

    Boil for 60
    Mash @ 148
    Fly sparge @ 168

    So 8.1% ABV.
    And the calculator is telling me around 90 IBUs.

    A couple of notes:
    • Heady Topper is less expensive than this homebrew, so cloning is obviously not the real motivation.
    • One thing I'm still not comfortable with. These are all pretty high alpha hops. I would've expected less emphasis on the alphas and more on the betas. But that's the beauty of homebrewing. I'll try it the next way next time.
     
  18. hopfenunmaltz

    hopfenunmaltz Pooh-Bah (2,611) Jun 8, 2005 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah Society

    One thing I'm still not comfortable with. These are all pretty high alpha hops. I would've expected less emphasis on the alphas and more on the betas. But that's the beauty of homebrewing. I'll try it the next way next time.
    [/quote]
    Beta Acids really do not do much for a beer unless they are oxidized, then they add bitterness.

    Most of those are high in essential oils, which are what add flavor and aroma.
     
  19. Patrick

    Patrick Initiate (0) Aug 13, 2007 Massachusetts
    Deactivated

    Heady is about $72 a case. Your brew costs more than that?
     
  20. beerific

    beerific Initiate (0) Nov 8, 2010 California

    I have cultured yeast from the cans and used it in an IPA which someone from White Labs tried at NHC. I forgot what beer it was I had given them and told them it used White Labs yeast, to which they guessed 005.
     
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