Daisy Cutter Clone Review

I was able to start trying this beer just 15 days after being brewed. It was in primary for 4 days, secondary on dry hop for 4 days, and now in the keg carbonating for 7. It’s possible this beer still has some time to come into its own. So far it’s a bit grassy. I like the hop aroma, but it is very candy like, it could be more piney or citrusy. The beer definitely has haze. Lacing is good. Color is where I’d like it. It’s really missing the hop flavor punch I was hoping to get by a high level of late hopping. It’s FG is also a lot higher than the commercial example.

To dial it in these are some of the changes I’m considering, and my goals on making those changes. I have not decided exactly which changes I’m going to do yet. I want to avoid making too many changes. However the biggest priority is getting hop flavor into the beer.

Adjust the hopping. My first take on the recipe, I pushed all the non bittering hops to whirlpool,thinking I’d get great hop flavor with that. I was wrong. I think I’ll split the hops back out, and do a 10 and 0/whirlpool. Updated process will be to flame out, then add whirlpool hops, and chill until 190. Allow to rest / settle for 20 minutes, then chill to 60, whirlpool, run off.

I’m not too worried about the malt bill, but I’d like to dry it out a little more. I’m considering trying US-05, but with fresh repitchable 1968 around, I can’t see that happening. Despite the fact more attenuative us-05 would bring the beer closer to the measured fg of the original, 1.007.

Other changes to lower fg would be to alter the grain bill to go to all two row, or to drop the mash temperature to 148/150 for 90, for a much more fermentable wort.
All in all, the beer was good enough for me to kick the 2.5g keg in just under a month from the time it was transfered into it. The fastest I’ve turned over a keg since I’ve started kegging.
Daisy Cutter Clone Brewing Log
Recipe.
Clone discussion on home brew talk.