Gumbalhead clone

[Kealia]

Forgive me, but I don't recall who sent me this recipe a while back (SORRY!).

This is being brewed as I type and I bet it will be great as the weather warms up. I plan on stocking the fridge with some Widmer Citra Blonde when it comes out shortly so I'll have a nice variety of summer beers between those two and my Nelson Sauvin Pale Ale.

Variety is the spice of life, right?
(Don't tell my wife I said that! )

Style: American Wheat or Rye Beer
TYPE: All Grain
Batch Size (fermenter): 3.00 gal

Estimated OG: 1.052 SG
Estimated Color: 7.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 36.3 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
7.20 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins Water Agent 1 -
4 lbs 1.7 oz Pale Ale Malt 2-Row (Briess) (3.5 SRM) Grain 2 66.7 %
14.0 oz Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 3 14.2 %
12.8 oz Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 4 13.0 %
6.0 oz Wheat - Red Malt (Briess) (2.3 SRM) Grain 5 6.1 %
0.60 oz Amarillo Gold [8.20 %] - First Wort 60.0 Hop 6 30.7 IBUs
0.60 oz Amarillo Gold [8.20 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 7 5.6 IBUs
1.2 pkg American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) [124.21 Yeast 8 -
0.60 oz Amarillo Gold [8.20 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Day Hop 9 0.0 IBUs

[swenocha]

Looks great. I love me some GBH. Here's the version that I've occasionally done. Interesting differences. Not sure where I got mine... maybe BYO. The wheat in that recipe seems a bit light for a GBH clone, but I'm sure it's mighty tasty.

American Wheat or Rye Beer
Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 2.40 gal

Ingredients
-------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
2.50 lb White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 52.63 %
2.00 lb Pale Ale Malt 2-Row (2.0 SRM) Grain 42.11 %
0.25 lb Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain 5.26 %
0.10 oz Amarillo [6.90 %] (60 min) (First Wort Hop) Hops 5.9 IBU
0.20 oz Amarillo [6.90 %] (60 min) Hops 10.7 IBU
0.75 oz Amarillo (Leaf) [8.70 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops -
0.20 oz Amarillo [6.90 %] (15 min) Hops 5.3 IBU
0.50 oz Amarillo [6.90 %] (5 min) Hops 5.3 IBU
0.33 oz Amarillo [6.90 %] (1 min) Hops 0.8 IBU
1 Pkgs American Ale Yeast Yeast-Ale


Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.056 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.016
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.21 %
Bitterness: 28.0 IBU
Est Color: 5.6 SRM

[bucknut]

Might have been me Ron, looks like the one I got. I've yet to brew it, haven't brewed anything for a couple months now, but I"AM BREWING TODAY Keep us posted.

[Kealia]

That's right it was you! I just looked at the BS file and it has your name on it (duh!).

I forgot to mention that MoreBeer was out of CaraVienne when I went by so I ended up using CaraMunich. Like I said, since I haven't had the original it's likely I won't be disappointed.

Swen, thanks for posting yours. Guess I will have to try them both at some point. I do likes me some Amarillo.

[swenocha]

FWIW, I believe that my recipe needs more late addition. I figure on doubling the late additions next go to get the huge GBH Amarillo aroma/flavor pop. Also, one site I ran into after my last go notes that the book Brewing With Wheat states that FFF uses only 25% wheat for the grain bill (not sure the accuracy of that info, and most clones go 50%, so YMMV), so I may adjust that as well, though I like the character of the beer at 50%. Also, I've found that, though most people use American ale yeast for this, FFF allegedly uses Wyeast 1968 London ESB for their version (it's apparently their house yeast). Again, I was pretty happy with mine, so I don't have to tinker with it outside of bumping the late hop additions, but I may make these other adjustments. Time will tell...

[mashani]

London ESB is going to attenuate a bit less, which will let the malt sweetness be a bit more present. And I could see that amping up the "juiciness" of the Amarillo.

Might be why lots of clones end up with caravienna or other similar crystal malt in it - to get that effect when using a higher attenuating American ale yeast.

Just a thought. I'm a fan on London ESB... so I'd use it, especially if I was not using any crystal.

[Kealia]

That's great input Dave. The recipe called for Caravienne but I had to go with CaraMunich so in theory that should bring a bit more malt forward, I think. But again, I have no basis for comparison so I'm guessing I will be happy with this beer. Maybe at some point I'll arrange a trade with somebody for some actual GBH so I can compare and tweak if needed.

But, that input is invaluable, thanks.

[losman26]

I have done Gumballhead twice, and it's the one beer that never turns out good for me. I can't figure it out. I have used the ESB yeast and the s-04. I'm thinking about probably going with American Ale yeast. After tasting the original gumballhead, I'm almost convinced they use American Ale instead of the ESB for this particular beer. The Zombie dust clone on the other hand is always amazing.

[docpd]

Losman26, could you post your Zombie Dust recipe? That is a truly awesome beer.

[Kealia]

Between the dark fridge and the flash this beer looks MUCH darker than it is, but it's fermenting away at 69/70 perfectly with a nice creamy krausen



Smells good when I open the fridge, but I can't wait to cold crash it and hit it with the Amarillo dry hop, too!

[teutonic terror]

Good luck Kealia and,
thanks for the inspiration guys! I was wondering what to brew this weekend when I came across this thread.

I tried it with the caravienne the one time I brewed it and wasn't impressed.
I'm going to use the aromatic malt this time so I can see the difference and like several of y'all,
I've never tasted this beer, so I'm flying blind!
I'm going to double up my 5 and 10 minute additions and add a 20 minute addition because the last batch
just lacked the hop 'Ummmph".

[Kealia]

Yeah, I'm a bit worried that with no addition between the FWH and the 5-minute that I'll be missing the flavor I want but I need a baseline.
But, Steve sent this my way and I trust his taste in beer so I'm eager to get this bottled.

[mashani]

Yeah, I'm a bit worried that with no addition between the FWH and the 5-minute that I'll be missing the flavor I want but I need a baseline.
But, Steve sent this my way and I trust his taste in beer so I'm eager to get this bottled.

Probably depends on how fast you cool it and if those hops went in commando or you pulled them before you started to cool it.

I have gotten huge amounts of flavor from 20-30 minute hop stands with the hops thrown in at < T0 after I've started to cool. If your hops are commando and you don't filter, then you should get the same effect as a hopstand/whirlpool.

[Kealia]

My chill is pretty quick. I get from 212 to 100 in about 5-7 minutes IIRC.

I agree that hopstands add a lot, but I didn't do one here. They went in commando and I'll dry hop shortly so I'll have good aroma for sure. I know I'll pick up some flavor but time will tell just how much.

[Kealia]

Tomorrow this gets racked to a keg with a keg-hop of Amarillo.
It's been cold crashing in the carboy since yesterday.

I need to kill another keg off to make room!

<insert comments about needing a bigger kegerator here>