Wychwood Hobgoblin clone recipe

[seymour]

I tasted Hobgoblin for the first time a couple days ago. I understand it was even better before corporate changes 10 years or so ago, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit. I'd like to make something similar.

SEYMOUR HOBGOBLIN CLONE

This is a simple all-grain clone recipe based on the brewer's commercial description and several Protz Real Ale Almanac recipes. Based on past forums, it seems many people have brewed Hobgoblin clones. Any tips or thoughts?

6 US gallons = 5 Imperial gallons = 22.7 Liters

MALTBILL:
88.4% = 9.5 lbs = 4.3 kg, English 2-row pale malt (Maris Otter, Halcyon, or both)
9.3% = 1 lb = 454 g, English crystal malt (50-60°L)
2.3% = .25 = 113 g, English chocolate malt

HOPS:
1 oz = 28 g, Fuggles, 90 minutes
.75 oz = 21 g, Styrian Goldings, 90 minutes
.25 oz = 7.1 g, Styrian Goldings, 5 minutes from end, then steep for 20-30 minutes before chilling

YEAST:
Wychwood Brewery strain if you can get it. Brakspear is brewed at the same location and many people have suggested Wychwood and Brakspear use the same Henley of Thames strain which is sold as White Labs WLP023 and Wyeast 1275. Their strain is also likely closely related to Whitbread-B, which is available as S-04, WLP007, Wyeast 1098.

Single-step mash @ 152°F/67°C for 90 min or until converted.
Pinch of calcium carbonate in mash, pinch of gypsum in boil.
90 minute boil
Prime with ½ cup brown cane sugar, boiled with a bit of water.
Condition 1 week at fermentation temperature, then 3 weeks at 50-60°F/10-16°C.


STATISTICS (assuming 77% mash efficiency and 77% yeast attenuation):
OG: 1.052
FG: 1.012
ABV: 5.2%
IBU: 29
COLOUR: 16° SRM/32° EBC

[Normski]

Hi Seymour

I've brewed the Orfy's recipe a few times and it’s a good brew.

I also got a recipe from the Brewing Network, it came from the Wychwood head brewer apparently.
----------------------------------------------
Hobgoblin Clone
The Brewing Network from an interview with the brewer

OG 1046
IBU 36
70% efficiency
60 min Boil
Wlp023 Burton ale yeast
Mash at 67c

90% 4.29kg pale malt
7.5% 360g crystal 75l
2% 100g choc malt
.5% 20g cane sugar (personally I wouldn’t bother)

14g EKGoldings @ 60min
14g Fuggles @ 60min
16g Cascade @ 15min
64g Styrian Goldings @ 15min

Ferment from 16c to 20c over 3 days

Norm

[CestrIan]

I was surprised when I heard this recipe on TBN. I can't detect any cascade on the late hops or that amount of bobek. Hobgoblin is a nice malty pint but not a particularly hoppy beer.

[weiht]

Recipe from the headbrewer.

6 gallons
OG 1046
IBUs 36.3
SRM 15.5

90% UK Pale Ale Malt 4.29kg
7.5% British Crystal 75-80love. 360g
2% British Chocolate malt 100g
0.5% cane sugar 20g

Mash at 153F for one hour.

Boil for 60min

14g Kent Goldings 4.75%AA 60'
14g Fuggles 5%AA 60'
16g Cascade 5.75%AA 15'
64g Styrian Goldings 5.25%AA 15'

WLP023, ferment at 61F, rise to 68F over 3 days.

IIRC, its the pale choc malt they used.

[arturobandini]

When I first brewed a clone of this I used the tried and trusted Orfy Hobgoblin clone recipe, I liked it so much I brewed it twice. Last year after the emergence of this 'Brewer's recipe' I listened to the Podcast and decided to give it a whirl and see if I could get a more original taste.

If it was a more original taste when it wasn't to my liking. Don't get me wrong it was a decent beer but Orfy's seems to marry the hops and malt perfectly and is in my opinion a superior pint.

So much so his brew is in my current Festive Brew Marathon, unadulterated this year in the hope of good things to come.

[weiht]

Havnt tried the original recipe but orfy's effort makes a wonderful beer. Not a clone but maybe better?

[arturobandini]

If my own brewing is anything to be relied upon, which it isn't, then yes. Orfy's is definitely a better pint than the original Hobgoblin.

That said, I've never done one of those taste tests where you line up your clone against the original side by side. Think I might line up a few for that very test this Christmas being as I am making five clone brews and one by the seat of my pints brew.

[seymour]

"by the seat of my pints"...I like that.

[arturobandini]

"by the seat of my pints"...I like that.

Well I am often 'half cut' when inventing my own recipes.

[DC]

Hi Seymour, Nice to see your trying a Hob Goblin clone I did one as my 1st AG Brew and it was fantastic and arturobandini was one of the 1st to congratulate me on popping my AG Cherry its funny how as soon as I saw your post and had a quick read low and behold arturobandini is also posting its the Hob Goblin it does that to people.

let us know how your 1st attempt at it goes?

All Grain No 1
viewtopic.php?f=24&t=23646

Cheers DC

[arturobandini]

Hey DC, fine memory you have there...You're obviously not drinking enough.

I got a four for six quid on Hobgoblin from Tesco on Saturday and I must say I was fairly gobsmacked. Is it me or has this recipe changed drastically? Not only did it lack that lemony hoppy aroma of old it lacked any real discernible hop flavour at all. To be honest, it reminded me scarily of the 'brewer's recipe' I made last Christmas. I am hoping that my return to Orfy's recipe this year will bring back fond memories

...That isn't to say Seymour's recipe up top won't be decent. It looks on the right track with the Styrians though I'd whack up the final addition simply because I love this hop.

[DC]

Hi arturobandini, Now you come to mention it I too have noticed that the Hob Goblin has changed some what from what it used to be a few years back I made a couple of batches using the recipe below which I got as a All grain kits from Paul at Barley Bottom. I might have a go at making it again just for old time sake.

http://www.barleybottom.com/menu/product/&ID=183

Gob Hoblin
Roasted malt flavours with a moderate bitterness and slightly fruity character through to the end. 4.5% ABV.

This AG kit includes the following (all grains come crushed):

4KG Maris otter
0.18 kg Crystal Malt
0.15 kg Barley, Flaked
0.15 kg Wheat, Torrified
0.05 kg Chocolate Malt

55.00 gm Fuggles 90 min
20.00 gm Bobek 15 min
15.00 gm Bobek 0 min

1 Protafloc Tablet 15 mins boil
1 pack of S-04 yeast.


Cheers DC