Blue Moon Clone

[Urbangoose]

Afternoon all

just sampling my Blue Moon clone which is just about ready for bottling. It’s pretty much there but despite a stack of orange peel, still lacking that killer zesty punch which I am driving for. Just wondering if Anyone has any tips - have some Mandarina Baveria, wondered about a quick Secondary dip. Any steer?

 

[ppsmith]

I’ve used this orange extract in a Clockwork Tangerine clone before. If all you’re wanting is a hit of orange it might do the job.

That one is dissolved in ethanol rather than oil, so it should just mix in before bottling/kegging with no problems too.

 

[An Ankoù]

Afternoon all

just sampling my Blue Moon clone which is just about ready for bottling. It’s pretty much there but despite a stack of orange peel, still lacking that killer zesty punch which I am driving for. Just wondering if Anyone has any tips - have some Mandarina Baveria, wondered about a quick Secondary dip. Any steer?

Afternoon Urbangoose,

I don't know the beer, but I do know that Mandarina Bavaria is very limp-wristed. It won't give you the hit of orange zest that you sound as if you're looking for.

 

[jceg316]

Out of interest, how much is a stack and in how much beer did you add it into? Also at what point was it added in?

 

[dad_of_jon]

01/09/2020 - brew 63 - No-gaarden 2 - Belgian wit -

100g tettnanger 10 min boil - 30 mins flameout
2.5 kg wheat malt extract
750g gs
2 litres orange juice asda from concentrate
mj belgian m21 wit yeast.
21.6 litres pitched at 23c

og 1.059 - fg 1012
20/09/2020 - 6.17%

the 2 litres of asdas gives the orange in taste as well as colour.

I brewed this for my sons wedding because whilst its not my favorite own brew EVERYBODY else who's had it rave over it

 

[Urbangoose]

Out of interest, how much is a stack and in how much beer did you add it into? Also at what point was it added in?

added the zest of about 8 large oranges, plus left over dry peel I already had - added to the boil at 10 mins - made 5 gallon

 

[Strangey]

01/09/2020 - brew 63 - No-gaarden 2 - Belgian wit -

100g tettnanger 10 min boil - 30 mins flameout
2.5 kg wheat malt extract
750g gs
2 litres orange juice asda from concentrate
mj belgian m21 wit yeast.
21.6 litres pitched at 23c

og 1.059 - fg 1012
20/09/2020 - 6.17%

the 2 litres of asdas gives the orange in taste as well as colour.

I brewed this for my sons wedding because whilst its not my favorite own brew EVERYBODY else who's had it rave over it

 

[Strangey]

When I made this I threw some coriander in it aswell pal

 

[jceg316]

added the zest of about 8 large oranges, plus left over dry peel I already had - added to the boil at 10 mins - made 5 gallon

Interesting, I recently made a 23 litre Belgian witbier and added the peel (without pith) of 2 limes, a lemon and 2 oranges for the last 10 minutes of the boil. The citrus flavour was pretty strong. I added a small amount of fuggles for flavour as well.

 

[gSmith]

From the recipe above - “100g tettnanger 10 min boil - 30 mins flameout”

I’ve got all the ingredients ready to give this one a go. Can I just check that this means bung ALL the hops in with 10 mins of the boil left to go, and leave for 30 mins after turning off the gas before cooling?

Thanks!

 

[starseeker]

You got it

 

[gyurmaember]

I know everyone has a different palate. Blue Moon always tasted like washing up liquid for me. Your post made me think maybe some orange Fairy missing from your clone?

On the more serious side, bottle it as it is,overcool the bottles before serving, and serve it with a slice of orange. That way you get the taste by the time it reaches the drinking temperature in your glass.

 

[dmtaylor]

It's not Blue Moon or a witbier unless you add a little cracked coriander seed to the end of the boil. Citrus peel & zest are entirely optional, not needed. Orange juice is right out.

 

[Agentgonzo]

It's not Blue Moon or a witbier unless you add a little cracked coriander seed to the end of the boil. Citrus peel & zest are entirely optional, not needed. Orange juice is right out.

Who made you the beer police?

 

[BrewsWayne]

To be a "TRUE BLUE MOON CLONE" you should use ground coriander and Valencia orange peel and a clean (not Belgian) yeast

I was the first brewer to make Belly Slide Belgian Wheat which then became Blue Moon Belgian Wheat.

There is very long, multi year, thread about Blue Moon and many people's attempts to reproduce it over on HomeBrew Talk.
Blue Moon Clone

You can make any kind of beer you wish, but I believe to be a "True Clone" you should try to use the same type of ingredients as the original.

Cheers,
Wayne

 

[Agentgonzo]

I was the first brewer to make Belly Slide Belgian Wheat which then became Blue Moon Belgian Wheat.

Nice!
I'd never heard of Blue Moon until about 5 years ago. In the UK it seems to have come out of no-where.
When you created/brewed it, did you intend it to be a clone of Hoegaarden, or just take inspiration from it (I was told it was an American clone of Hoegaarden - as it's pretty close - but from what you hear isn't necessarily the truth)?

 

[BrewsWayne]

Dr. Keith Villa is the person who created the recipe. He was in Belgium, at the time, getting his doctorate in brewing science. When he returned to Coors, he wanted to come up with a recipe that reflected the Belgian Wit flavor, but with a smoother taste that would appeal to the American market.

I was a recent hire to be the Brewmaster at The SandLot Brewery at Coors Field. That was the first brewery that was built inside a baseball stadium. Keith and I both were working for Coors Brewing R&D. Keith asked me if I thought the beer work well at the stadium. As a lighter, refreshing beverage, I though it would. So Keith and I worked together to adapt his recipe to something that could be brewed on the 10 bbl. system at the ball park.

It was not meant to be a copy of any existing beer. By using a clean yeast, it was quite separate from the Belgian Wit beers. Keith also insisted on using Valencia orange peel instead of the bitter Curacao oranges normally used in witbier.

 

[Ninja7]

Brews wayne just looked at the link you posted on the last page . Is there a up to date version or what one would you pick .
I brewed a malt miller blue moon clone few months back then kegged to age as been away for over a month . But now hear your not supose to age the blue moon or wit / wheat beers

 

[BrewsWayne]

There are quite a few variations on the theme of Blue Moon throughout that thread. You will need to brew it a few times to dial the recipe to what ingredients you have available to you and your equipment.

Some suggestions that others have tried and had success with are: OG , Variant 1 , Nilo's experiments
Nilo tried many variations and laid them out in a spreadsheet. A few people like his #12

After being retired from the brewing profession for 4 years, I am getting back into brewing professionally. I was sought out to help a group open up a small brewpub close to where I live. I am in the process of creating the basis of the recipes I will try to brew on a 15 bbl system.

I will be making a "Tribute" to Blue Moon. I will use the 50/40/10 ratio of grains, roughly 17 IBU of lower alpha hops, US-05 yeast, fresh ground coriander and Valencia Orange terpenes. The grist will be step mashed. I am sure it will take some time to dial in the recipe. I have the first example fermenting in my basement right now.

Cheers,
Wayne

 

[Ninja7]

Ok thanks just spent most of my day reading the old thread WOW some brains and brews there over the years .
prob go with your clone you posted on there as it is the real thing when you worked there .

When was the last time you had a modern coors blue moon . Can you taist a diffrence now compaired to the old recipe 20 + years back when you was the brewer. Has it change much to your taist and got more orange as you used to discribe it as white .

Wot temp do you ferment at and is the us 05 yeast the best go with . Somone said they fault it was Cal Ale (Chico yeast. ..

Can these be stored in kegs for few months to get better like a pilsner or are they best early . What do you force carb psi at and serve psi at .
Thanks sorry for qwestions nerver get chance to ask a expert coors brewer tips thansk