Sharps 'Doom Bar' Clone wanted

[stee41]

I love this easy drinking beer, I contacted the brewery but will give me no info as to the Grain bill or hop additions!

any help appreciated guys

happy brewing

[EsJay_Brewing]

I would be pretty sure it is the following

Pale Malt 95%
Wheat Malt 5%

The darker colour to it probably using a colourant to keep the dry clean taste rather than bringing in flavours from Choco/Black/Brown etc

Hops

Pioneer (Boil)
Pilgrim (Boil)
SG (After Boil)

[Deebee]

I would be pretty sure it is the following

Pale Malt 95%
Wheat Malt 5%

The darker colour to it probably using a colourant to keep the dry clean taste rather than bringing in flavours from Choco/Black/Brown etc

Hops

Pioneer (Boil)
Pilgrim (Boil)
SG (After Boil)

I appreciate this thread is old now but after a recent trip to portreath i sort of fell for this beer.
i have been in touch with Stuart at Sharps and have been given the following info.

So, here it comes.


The only thing i ask is that when one of you good folks manages to decipher the recipe, that you let me know.

Anyway here is the information i got.


Hi Dave
Doom is
Malt is pale ale malt, crystal, roast barley
Hops are Northdown, Northern Brewer and Perle
Yeast is a Whitbread B derivative
Water is 2:1 sulphate to chloride 220ppm Ca2+ zero carbonate or bicarbonate

As for the hops the schedule is as follows

5% Start of boil, rest at end, steep for 1 hour before transfer to FV

EBU 22
OG 1040
PG 1009
pH 4.1

Happy brewing!

Cheers
Stuart


So, there you have it. an someone please let me know the breakdown of malt and hop additions please.

[Yeasty Rob]

Sharps are tight lipped about the actual recipe and I don't blame them, so no surprise theres no quantities in his email. Doom Bar has gained huge popularity across the country over the years and I know a lot of usual lager drinkers have started to venture into true beer following a pint or two of it.

Thats interesting that he said 95% of the hops go in after the boil, as on the website etc they say 85% go in after the boil.

I may knock something up along those lines. I don't want to copy it as such, but achieving a similar easy drinking beer would be great.

[phatboytall]

Anyone had a crack at this? Do we know what yeast they use?

Ed

[Deebee]

Anyone had a crack at this? Do we know what yeast they use?

Ed

Whitbread b derivitive.

[coatesg]

I'd shoot for S-04 (which is a Whitbread strain).

I have to say that for all the praise Doom Bar gets, I've only once had a decent pint of it, and even then was left thinking that I'd brewed much better...

[weiht]

I had it once in a pub at London and I have to say it was different and better than some other typical beers served in London ie the Greene kings. But once I had the St. austell, I have to say what's the big deal abt doom bar being the best of cornwall...

[phatboytall]

Was lucky enough to have a trip down to Sharps in the week, spent a good amount of time chatting to Stuart Howe about the brewing process. Clearly the email above sheds a lot of light, but there was some other key info he shared :

Water - very soft, proud of their use of Cornish water
Malt - A lot of Simpsons Pale Malt, Crystal 120'l and 1000'l black malt around the place
Mashing - Mash low! 64c tops was what i recall he said, he also commented that my 67c Pale ale mash temp was "too f*ing high!"
Hops - Hops mostly added late on, he said their three main hops were Aurora, Northdown and Hallertau which they balance depending on harvest etc, but there was lots of Perle around also.
Yeast - Its the old Morrells Brewery yeast, they are the sole users/holders of it now. I think he said it was a whitbread derivative, which makes sense as he said it was highly flocculent.
Fermentation - hot! 25c was what he told me, which makes sense why the beer tastes so dam fruity! 5 days then 7 conditioning, obviously thats done in huge volumes so not much help. But they do use square fermenters (like Black sheep) and condition under pressure.

I think we covered most things in conversation so if you have any questions i'm sure I can help.

But I can't praise the Stuart and the brewery enough, they are very very committed to the quality and consistency of their beer, they take it all very seriously, especially Stuart who works 7days a week. As for the take over by MolsonCoors, I don't anticipate any issues, they want to expand the brewery and grow Doom Bar nationally, no brewing will be done elsewhere.

Hope that helps people recreate their favourite drop. Personally i find it too fruity as an ale, but thats just my preference.

Ed

[Yeasty Rob]

Cheers, some great info in there. Will maybe have a go at something very soon.

[phatboytall]

Would love to hear feedback/recipes from anyone who has a go!