Ridley's Old Bob Clone

[floydmeddler]

OK...

Colour
Bang on and just as clear!

Aroma
Original has a strong sweetness to it... already thinking - Damn should really have bought an original beforehand to measure the FG! Also has a pleasant hop aroma which mine is lacking.

Bitterness
Bang on!

Flavour
The original has got that maltiness that's typical of bottled beers which is very hard to create at home. I never taste this in cask ales. Must have something to do with the filtration process? My version has a very strong vanilla flavour to it which I can only suspect has come from the caramelising the wort. This was present in a recent brew in which I used the same process. I'm pretty confident that without this vanilla flavour, this 'clone' would be a very strong contender.

Original is also sweeter. Hydro reading for original is 1016. Mine is 1010.

Also, the original has a little more hop aroma and hop flavour.

All in all, I'm pretty happy. Not miles apart to be honest. If I were to brew again, I'd:

1. Drop the caramelising process
2. Up the finishing hops... or use fresh! Had to use pretty damn old ones as Thrifty Shopper forgot the new ones in my order... I still love you though Thrifty
3. Use WLP005 (as originally intended) and mash at around 71c

Now... to make myself feel better. My version has a much longer lasting mouth-feel.

Have you ever tried patting yourself on the back? Very difficult!

[Redbloke]

Congratulations not an easy beer to clone. This is one for my 'to do' list

[floydmeddler]

Congratulations not an easy beer to clone. This is one for my 'to do' list

Cheers. If you do give it a go, I advise you to follow my alteration suggestions. Really think you'll be on to something. Would love to give it another go myself... have a million and one other brews to do first though!;-)

[Redbloke]

Congratulations not an easy beer to clone. This is one for my 'to do' list

Cheers. If you do give it a go, I advise you to follow my alteration suggestions. Really think you'll be on to something.

I will. You mentioned "Drop the caramelising process", do you mean completely leave it out or reduce it?

[floydmeddler]

Congratulations not an easy beer to clone. This is one for my 'to do' list

Cheers. If you do give it a go, I advise you to follow my alteration suggestions. Really think you'll be on to something.

I will. You mentioned "Drop the caramelising process", do you mean completely leave it out or reduce it?

Completely leave it out.

[micmacmoc]

Picked up a bottle of this recently and tried it last night, its wonderful! Well done with your clone, I'll be doing it, sans the caramelisation and with what yeast I do have (notts), anything ball park will be great. I only regret that I used to drive along the A414 every day for work and never managed to drop in to Ridleys for a visit, shame they've been swallowed by the corporate Greed monster, still its good hat this is still available in some form.
Was down your way as it goes last week, had a quick visit to Harveys in Lewes, lovely place. My daughter was excited by a huge tractor driving down the street, I was by its load, spent grains from the brewery. I do hope I never grow up.

I'll try and remember to post my progress on this superb ale. Thanks again for the recipe posting!
moc
cornwall

[floydmeddler]

Picked up a bottle of this recently and tried it last night, its wonderful! Well done with your clone, I'll be doing it, sans the caramelisation and with what yeast I do have (notts), anything ball park will be great. I only regret that I used to drive along the A414 every day for work and never managed to drop in to Ridleys for a visit, shame they've been swallowed by the corporate Greed monster, still its good hat this is still available in some form.
Was down your way as it goes last week, had a quick visit to Harveys in Lewes, lovely place. My daughter was excited by a huge tractor driving down the street, I was by its load, spent grains from the brewery. I do hope I never grow up.

I'll try and remember to post my progress on this superb ale. Thanks again for the recipe posting!
moc
cornwall

Ah Harveys... now there's a pint. I'm really glad you're planning on giving this a go. I would highly recommend that you use a different yeast though as Nottingham will no doubt ferment down to bellow 1016 which is what Ridley's FG is. I'd defs go for WLP005 and mash at around 71c personally.

Let us know how it goes!!

[micmacmoc]

Y'know i put it through GWs beer engine and wondered about the low FG. I will order some WLP on your advice, having my last bottle of Old Bob right now, its wonderful. If I get this going now theres a wedding in May at which I'm determined to impress. This would have matured nicely by then should I get the brew on soon. i keep hearing about 'dark star' but still have'nt had opportunity to taste, do they distribute bottled ales? Thanks again for your help. Have you a bottle on the go right now?
ta
moc
meva

[floydmeddler]

Not at the minute. Had loads at the wknd so drinking this viewtopic.php?f=24&t=38318&hilit=+bobek which is VERY dark star-esque!

Hopefully, mashing at 71c will leave you with a higher FG. I've had mixed results though with all my yeasts. For me, high temp mashed beers tend to end on a high gravity and then suddenly, when in the bottles for a month or so, they seem to drop more. Very annoying. I suppose, what I'm saying is that if it does end at 1016 (or around there) and you bottle, you may end up with over carbonated bottles by the time the wedding comes around. Perhaps you could do a 'practise' batch first?

[micmacmoc]

71C mash? That'll leave more unfermented sweet stuff right? Would a munich malt give the increased mouthfeel too?

That brew you're drinking sounds a bitter old fella, loadsa late cascade means smells fruity too? Jeez 150 odd grams? Are you mad? Looks like it ended up great even without priming! Hows the carbonation on it now? Have the bobek/cascade late hops subsided or changed?
Does it have a harsh aroma from the bobeks?

Right, another ale then.

[floydmeddler]

71C mash? That'll leave more unfermented sweet stuff right? Would a munich malt give the increased mouthfeel too?

That brew you're drinking sounds a bitter old fella, loadsa late cascade means smells fruity too? Jeez 150 odd grams? Are you mad? Looks like it ended up great even without priming! Hows the carbonation on it now? Have the bobek/cascade late hops subsided or changed?
Does it have a harsh aroma from the bobeks?

Right, another ale then.

Popular belief states that it will leave more unfermentable wort and I thought this was the case too and still believe it to be; not permanently though. In my experience, the gravity seems to drop further when it's been in the bottle a month or so.

Yep, loads of fruity zestiness on the nose. carbonation is perfect. Just like a cask ale. Beautiful dense foamy head too. Hop flavour is massive. Sooooo delicious and there is no harshness. These two hops blended are smooooth. Don't be scared, give it a go!

[micmacmoc]

I can't get any WLP05 before I brew next, my options are notts, windsor or US05 (i've earmarked this for my SNPA clone though could send for more).
I think windsor is probably my best bet? Cheers for your help FloydM!

[floydmeddler]

I'm not familiar with Windsor as I've never used it. From what I've read though, it seems to end higher than Notts and certainly S05 so out of the three, I'd defs go with it. Your choice though... I don't want to be held accountable!

[BrewBoyJoe]

Interesting thread! I'm just supping a bottle of Ridley's Old Bob at the moment! What a pleasant, full, malty beer with interesting carmel flavour! I intend to generate a modest 45 litre batch! Pity it's not in Grahams book despite being twice gold meddle winner! How did the taste comparison go? Did you find a bottle? Morissons is selling it at the mo! Maybe you've supped it all now!

[floydmeddler]

Taste comparison notes above.

I'd mash at 74c next time and ferment with S05.

Have a go and let us know your experiences.