10 GABF Gold Medal Clones
The beer landscape in the United States was, well, let’s say it was an empty landscape,” Charlie Papazian says with a slight laugh, referring to the microbrew prospects in the U.S. in the early 1980s when the annual Great American Beer Festival (GABF) was first envisioned. “It was by and large an empty landscape as far as flavor, diversity and having choices.”
When the first GABF was held, in 1982, only 20 breweries attended — and only three of those were micro-breweries. In fact, there were only 44 breweries operating nationally. “We were just doing good with getting some porters and stouts and a stray India pale ale,” Papazian continues.
Twenty-five years on, the beer climate in the United States has warmed significantly. In 2006, 385 breweries attended the GABF, offering more than 1,600 beers for tasting. For American breweries, winning a gold at the GABF is about as good as it gets. Brewmasters work hard to create a beer that is not only balanced and flavorful, but something that also stands out in a crowded field.
In 2006, judging took place in 69 beer categories like American-Style Pale Ale and American-Style IPA. This year’s GABF will be held October 11 – 13 in Denver. And while the judges won’t reveal the reasons behind their selections, the brewmasters who provided the recipes for this article hope you agree that each is gold medal worthy.
Old Ruffian
Great Divide Brewing Co.
Barley Wine-Style Ale
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.105 FG = 1.026
IBU = 90 SRM = 16 ABV = 10.2%
Pitching the proper amount of yeast is crucial to successfully brewing a high-gravity beer like barleywine. Underpitching can cause yeast to become stressed and tired, which can often times lead to a very slow, or even stuck fermentation.
— Brian Dunn, Founder and President
Ingredients
20.75 lbs. (9.4 kg) American 2-row pale malt
0.50 lb. (0.23 kg) crystal malt (75 °L)
0.50 lb (0.23 kg) Victory malt
0.25 lbs. (0.11 kg) flaked wheat
36 AAU Chinook hops (60 mins) (3.0 oz./85 g of 12% alpha acids)
16 AAU Amarillo hops (30 mins) (2.0 oz./57 g of 8% alpha acids)
24 AAU Amarillo hops (5 mins) (3.0 oz./85 g of 8% alpha acids)
White Labs WLP051 (California V) or Wyeast 1272 (American II) yeast (5 quarts/~5 L yeast starter)
Step by Step
This is a very big beer. See below for four options for generating your wort. In all cases, use a single infusion mash (or steep) at 154 °F (68 °C), held for 45–60 minutes. Add hops with 60 minutes, 30 minutes and 5 minutes left in the boil, as indicated in the ingredient list. Pitch the yeast from your yeast starter, aerate very well and hold fermentation temperature at 66 °F (19 °C). Keg the beer when fermentation is complete and beer has fallen clear.
Long boil option:
Mash grains listed in ingredient list with 28 quarts (26 L) of mash liquor. After mash, recirculate wort until clear. Collect wort until the specific gravity of the final runnings falls below 1.010. (This may be up to 12 gallons (45 L), depending on a number of variables.) Keep your sparge water heated such that your grain bed temperature creeps up to 168 °F (76 °C) near the end of wort collection. Boil wort to reduce volume to 6.0 gallons (23 L). Add first dose of hops and boil them for an hour, aiming for 5.0 gallons (19 L) of post-boil wort.
First wort option:
Add enough pale malt to your mash tun so that you can run off 6.0 gallons (23 L) of first wort without adding sparge water. For this you will need between 26.75 lbs. to 32.5 lbs. (12-15 kg) of pale malt (in addition to the specialty malts and flaked wheat), depending on how much water your grains normally absorb. You will need roughly 9.0–10 gallons (34–38 L) of mash liquor (and 12–14 gallons (45–53 L) of mash tun space to hold it all). Your 6.0 gallons (23 L) of pre-boil wort should have a specific gravity of 1.085–1.090. Boil for one hour to reduce wort to a volume of 5.0 gallons (19 L). [Note: You can (and should) sparge the grain bed to collect wort for a second beer.]
Full mash plus extract option:
Reduce the amount of pale malt to 10.75 lbs. (4.9 kg). Mash all grains in 15 quarts (14 L) of mash liquor. Collect 6.0 gallons (23 L) of wort and stir in 5.25 lbs. (2.4 L) of light dried malt extract to raise pre-boil wort gravity to 1.085–1.090. Boil for one hour to reduce volume to 5 gallons (19 L).
Extract option:
Reduce amount of pale malt to 0.75 lbs. (0.34 kg). Add 10.6 lbs. (4.8 kg) light dried malt extract at beginning of boil. You must do a full-wort boil to get the proper level of bitterness.
Hophead Imperial IPA
Bend Brewing Co.
American-Style India Pale Ale
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.073 FG = 1.017
IBU = 100 SRM = 6 ABV = 8%
The secret to a good Imperial IPA is dry-hopping. It can make or break this style. It is very important to have a huge aroma that leads you into the beer, complementing the inherent bitterness.
— Tonya Cornett, Brewmaster
Ingredients
14 lb. 10 oz. (6.6 kg) 2-row pale malt
8.0 oz. (0.23 kg) crystal malt (30 °L)
1.1 oz. (31 g) Saaz hops (first wort hops)
19 AAU Chinook hops (90 mins) (1.6 oz./44 g of 12% alpha acids)
1.8 oz. (51 g) Northern Brewer hops (5 mins)
1.8 oz. (51 g) Cascade hops (5 mins after knockout)
1.5 oz. (43 g) Cascade hops (dry hop)
Wyeast 1968 (London ESB) or White Labs WLP002 (English Ale) yeast (2.5 qt./~2.5 L yeast starter)
0.75 cups corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Mash at 155 °F (68 °C) for 60 minutes. Boil for 90 minutes. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). Dry hop for 7 days.
Extract option:
Reduce amount of pale malt to 1.5 lb. (0.68 kg). Add 7.1 lbs. (3.2 kg) light dried malt extract at beginning of boil. You will need to perform a full-wort boil to get the specified level of bitterness.
Tumble Off Pale Ale
Barley Brown’s Brew Pub
American-Style Pale Ale
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.052
FG = 1.008
IBU = 35 SRM = 13 ABV = 5.7%
Use quality American hops and be careful not to overpower the malt (but not too careful).
— Tyler Brown, Brewmaster
Ingredients
4 lb. 4 oz. (1.9 kg) pale malt (Maris Otter)
5 lb. 2 oz. (2.3 kg) 2-row pale malt
0.33 lb. (0.15 kg) caramel malt (10 °L)
0.33 lb. (0.15 kg) caramel malt (30-37 °L)
0.50 lb. (0.23 kg) Munich malt (10 °L)
0.25 lb. (0.11 kg) flaked barley
5.4 AAU Chinook hops (60 mins) (0.45 oz./13 g of 12 % alpha acids)
3.6 AAU Amarillo hops (30 mins) (0.45 oz./13 g of 8% alpha acids)
0.36 oz. (10 g) Amarillo hops (10 min)
0.36 oz. (10 g) Cascade hops (2 min)
0.36 oz. (10 g) Crystal hops (0 mins)
White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or Fermentis US-05 (dried) yeast (1.0 qt./~1 L yeast starter)
1.0 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Mash at 152 °F (67 °C) for 60 minutes. Boil for 75 minutes. Ferment at 70 °F (21 °C). Dry hop with Cascade hops for 1 week.
Extract option:
Reduce amount of each pale malt to 7 oz. (0.2 kg) each. Add 1.75 lbs. (0.79 kg) light dried malt extract at beginning of boil and 3 lb. 10 oz. (1.8 kg) light liquid malt extract as a late addition.
Anniversary Ale
Amherst Brewing Co.
American-Style Amber/Red Ale
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.070 FG = 1.016
IBU = 62 SRM = 12 ABV = 7.0%
This amber is loaded with hops and I think that helped it stand out in a crowd at the GABF.
— Mike Yates, Brewmaster
Ingredients
11.9 lbs. (5.4 kg) Muntons pale ale malt
1.16 lbs. (0.53 kg) Weyermann Carafoam® malt
1.16 lbs. (0.53 kg) Muntons light crystal malt
0.58 lbs. (0.26 kg) Weyermann melanoiden malt
5.2 AAU Columbus hops (60 mins) (0.4 oz./11 g of 13% alpha acids)
11.3 AAU Columbus hops (45 mins) (0.87 oz./25 g of 13% alpha acids)
Columbus Hops 2.0 lbs. (5 mins)
Columbus Hops 3.0 lbs. (0 mins)
White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or Fermentis US-05 (dried) yeast (1.5 qt./~1.5 L yeast starter)
1.0 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Mash at 152 °F (67 °C). Boil for 90 minutes. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C).
Extract option:
Reduce amount of pale malt to 10 oz. (0.27 kg). Add 2.0 lbs. (0.91 kg) light dried malt extract at beginning of boil and 5.5 lbs. (2.5 kg) light liquid malt extract as a late addition. Begin boil with at least 3.5 gallons (13 L) of wort.
5 Barrel Pale Ale
Odell Brewing Co.
Classic English-Style Pale Ale
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.052–1.054 FG = 1.013
IBU = 36 SRM = 11 ABV = 5.1%
What makes our beer stand out is our approach of using a lot of fairly subtle hops in both late additions and dry hopping. Our goal with the 5 Barrel is to accentuate hop flavor and aroma over bitterness. — Doug Odell, Brewmaster
Ingredients
8.0 lbs. (3.6 kg) pale ale malt
1.75 lbs. (0.79 kg) Gambrinus ESB Malt
0.5 lbs. (0.23 kg) crystal malt (40 °L)
0.75 lbs. (0.34 kg) Munich malt
9.5 AAU Cascade hops (90 mins) (1.9 oz./54 g of 5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Fuggles hops (0 mins)
0.5 oz. (14 g) First Gold hops (0 mins)
1.0 oz. (28 g) Glacier whole hops (hopback)
0.66 oz. (19 g) Willamette whole hops (hopback)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Centennial whole hops (hopback)
1.0 oz. (28 g) Glacier hops (dry hop)
1.0 oz. (28 g) Willamette hops (dry hop)
0.25 oz. (7 g) Centennial hops (dry hop)
ale yeast (1.5 qt./~1.5 L yeast starter)
1.0 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Mash at 150–152 °F (66–67 °C). Boil 90 minutes. After cool down, pitch your favorite ale yeast, but not one which produces diacetyl. At end of fermentation, chill to as close to 32 °F (0 °C) as you can for 1–2 weeks.
Extract option:
Omit pale ale malt. Reduce amount of ESB malt to 1.75 lbs. (0.79 kg). Add 1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) light dried malt extract at beginning of boil and 3 lb. 10 oz. (1.8 kg) light liquid malt extract as a late addition.
Otis Alt
Elk Grove Brewery and Restaurant
German-Style Brown Ale
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.055 FG = 1.014
IBU = 35 SRM = 19 ABV = 5.3%
This beer should be bitter and have a nice “Spalty” nose to it. But to keep the hops from overwhelming the palate the malt has to come through as well. The roasty undertones of the Munich and Vienna malts complement the aggressiveness of the hops very well.
— Bill Wood, Brewmaster
Ingredients
7.25 lbs. (3.3 kg) Pilsen malt
2.0 lbs. (0.91 kg) Vienna malt
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) Munich malt (10 °L)
0.5 lb. (0.45 kg) wheat malt
0.5 lb. (0.45 kg) caramel malt (60 °L)
2.0 oz. (57 g) chocolate malt
6 AAU Northern Brewer hops (60 mins) (0.66 oz./19 g of 9% alpha acids)
3 AAU Northern Brewer hops (30 mins) (0.31 oz./8.8 g of 9% alpha acids)
2 AAU German Spalt hops (30 mins) (0.35 oz./9.9 g of 5% alpha acids)
3.0 oz. (85 g) German Spalt (0 mins)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Fermentis US-05 (dried) yeast (1.5 qt./~1.5 L yeast starter)
0.75 cups corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Mash at 153–154 °F (67–68 °C) for 20–30 minutes. Boil for 60 minutes. Ferment at 58–60 °F (14–16 °C) for 5 days. Allow temperature to rise naturally (but not above 68 °F/20 °C) until day 7 or 8. Then crash to below 40 °F (4 °C) over 4 days, rack off yeast and lager for 20–30 days to below 34–38 °F (1–3 °C) if possible.
Black Wolf Schwarzbier
Flossmoor Station Brewing Co.
German-Style Schwarzbier
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.055 FG = 1.013
IBU = 30 SRM = 37 ABV = 5.5%
My biggest suggestion for making a Schwarzbier is to go light handed on the specialty malt. You want enough for color and a bit of flavor and aroma, but don’t want it to turn into a roasty bomb.
— Matt Van Wyk, Brewmaster
Ingredients
9.5 lbs. (4.3 kg) Pilsner malt
11 oz. (0.32 kg) Munich malt (20 °L)
4.8 oz. (0.14 kg) aromatic malt
11 oz. (0.32 kg) Carafa II® malt
1.6 oz. (45 g) roasted barley
4.6 AAU German Perle hops (80 mins) (0.6 oz./17 g of 7.7% alpha acids)
2.0 oz. (57 g) German Hallertau hops (10 mins)
White Lab 830 (German Lager) yeast
1.0 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Mash at 148–152 °F (64–67 °C) for 60 minutes. Add the last two malts to the mash just before sparging. (A decoction mash could and should be used if your system allows.) 90 minute boil. Pitch yeast slurry at 70 °F (21 °C) and once initial fermentation starts, lower temperature to the low 50’s °F (~11 °C). Ferment at 52–54 °F (11–12 °C). Lager at 32–34 °F (0–2 °C) for 4–8 weeks.
Extract option:
Reduce amount of Pilsner malt to 3 oz. (85 g). Add 2.0 lbs. (0.91 kg) light dried malt extract at beginning of boil and 4.25 lbs. (1.9 kg) light liquid malt extract as a late addition.
Sunfest Lager
Ham’s Restaurant & Brewhouse
Münchner-Style Helles
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.053 FG = 1.013
IBU = 15 SRM = 7 ABV = 5.1%
I think the secret to any good lager is patience and attention to detail. Helles is a very delicate, very subtle style of beer. This is its strength, but can also be its weakness. Keep in mind the malt is the star of this show.
— T.L. Adkisson, Brewmaster
Ingredients
9.0 lbs. (4.1 kg) 2-row Pilsner malt
0.5 lbs. (0.23 kg) Munich malt (10 °L)
0.5 lbs. (0.23 kg) Munich malt (20 °L)
1.0 lbs. (0.45 kg) Carapils® malt
1 AAU Magnum hops (75 mins) (0.07 oz./2.0 g of 14% alpha acids)
1 AAU Perle hops (75 mins) (0.13 oz./3.5 g of 8% alpha acids)
2.75 AAU Perle hops (20 mins) (0.34 oz./9.6 g of 8% alpha acids)
1.25 AAU Mt. Hood hops (5 mins)
lager yeast
1.0 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Mash at approximately 154 °F (68 °C) for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until wort clarity is acceptable. Boil for 90 minutes. Pitch a fairly malty lager yeast strain at approximately 48 °F (8.8 °C). Allow to free rise to 52 °F (11 °C) during fermentation. At approximately 58% attenuation, allow temp to rise to 55 °F (13 °C). Once terminal gravity is reached, cool 3 °F (1.5 °C)/day to 36 °F (2.2 °C). Allow to cold condition for a least three weeks.
Extract option:
Omit Pilsner malt. Add 2.0 lbs. (0.91 kg) light dried malt extract at beginning of boil and 4.0 lbs. (1.8 kg) light liquid malt extract as a late addition.
Smoke River Rauchbier
Great Basin Brewing Co.
Smoke-Flavored Beer
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.055 FG = 1.016
IBU = 18 SRM = 32 ABV = 5.0%
Beers with smoke flavors are most satisfying when the body is full and there is a strong hint of sweetness in the palate to balance the toasty smoke-rich flavor and aroma.
— Tom Young, Brewmaster
Ingredients
2.0 lbs. (0.91 kg) Weyermann rauchmalz (smoked malt)
2.0 lbs. (0.91 kg) Weyermann Pilsner malt (home smoked)
2.0 lbs. (0.91 kg) Weyermann Munich Type 2 malt (home smoked)
2.0 lbs. (0.91 kg) Weyermann Munich Type 1 malt
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) Weyermann Pilsner malt
10 oz. (0.28 kg) Weyermann CaraMunich Type 2® malt
8 oz. (0.23 kg) Weyermann dehusked Carafa Type 2® malt
4.75 AAU Northern Brewer hops (90 mins) (0.52 oz./15 g of 9% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Hallertau hops (0 mins)
Wyeast 2124 (Bavarian Lager)
1.0 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Infusion mash at 153–154 °F (67–68 °C) for 45 minutes. Sparge with water up to 165 °F (74 °C). Ferment at 52 °F (11 °C) until finished. Two-day diacetyl rest at 62 °F (17 °C). Lager at 32 °F (0 °C) for at least one month.
Goddess Porter
Big Time Brewing Co.
Robust Porter
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.060 FG = 1.018
IBU = 33 SRM = 47 ABV = 5.5%
Porter is a style with a lot of latitude, and I like to find a balance between the subtle sweetness and dark malt character, without being too overwhelming in terms of the natural flavors. Keeping the finishing hops lower will help accentuate the malt aspects.
— Bill Jenkins, Brewmaster
Ingredients
9 lb. 10 oz. (4.5 kg) pale malt
1.0 lb (0.45 kg) Munich malt
9.0 oz. (0.26 kg) flaked barley
9.0 oz. (0.26 kg) chocolate malt
3.6 oz. (100 g) crystal malt (75°L)
3.6 oz. (100 g) crystal malt (15°L)
3.6 oz. (100 g) roasted barley
1.8 oz. (51 g) black malt
8 AAU Chinook hops (60 mins) (0.63 oz./18 g of 13% alpha acids)
0.75 oz. (21 g) Centennial hops (0 mins)
ale yeast (1 quart/~1 L yeast starter)
0.75 cups corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Mash at 154 °F (68 °C) for 45 minutes in 4 gallons (15 L) of water. Boil for 90 minutes, adding hops at times indicated in ingredent list. Cool wort and transfer to fermenter. Aerate throughly and ferment at 68 °F (20 °C).
Extract option:
Omit pale malt. Steep grains — almost 3 lbs. (1.4 kg) total — in 4.5 qts. (4.2 L) of water at 154 °F (68 °C) for 30 minutes. Add 2.0 lbs. (0.91 kg) light dried malt extract at the beginning of the boil and boil for 60 minutes. Add 4.5 lbs. (2.0 kg) light liquid malt extract as a late addition. Cool wort and transfer to fermenter. Top up to 5 gallons (19 L) with water. Aerate wort and ferment at 68 °F (20 °C).
