Beer Style: Strong Ale Family
Baird Brewing Belgian Strong Pale Ale clone
Chris Poel, Lead Brewer at Baird Brewing in Numazu, Japan says this beer relies on a light body and mild hop character, but features a spiciness and subtle esters from a Belgian yeast strain that adds “just enough complexity without becoming too over-the-top with phenolics.”
Stewart’s Brewing Company McBride’s Strong Ale clone
Close to a traditional English style Strong Ale, with earthy English East Kent Golding hops and roasted barley, pale and dark malts and some wheat malt for added body. “I would call ours a ‘Classic’ English Strong, because it isn’t as aggressive as the more modern examples out there,” says Stewart’s Head Brewer, Ric Hoffman.
Snake River Brewing Ol’ Stinky’s Strong Ale clone
According to Snake River Brewing Co. “This Strong Ale is sweet and fruity, balanced with a generous amount of hops. Fashioned after the “Old” ales of England this beer is intended to be heavy in alcohol. Ol’ Stinky’s has a small amount of Roasted Barley for color. In addition to a large amount of bittering hops, this beer is also dry hopped. The alcohol content is 8.2%”
Oceanside Ale Works’ American Strong Ale clone
Head Brewer Mark Purciel considers his beer a hybrid of all three styles. “It has the malt richness of the English without the high alpha acids from the hops in an American variety,” Purciel says. “It has the neutral yeast as an American, but candi sugar as an adjunct with a Belgian.”
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s Ovila Quad clone
Ovila is Sierra Nevada’s Belgian beer line that is brewed in collaboration with the monks at the Abbey of New Clairvaux. Here is a recipe for one of the beers that has been released from that series, their Ovila Quad.
Stone Brewing Co. 10.10.10 Vertical Epic Ale clone
In October 2010, Stone Brewing Co. in Escondido, California introduced 10.10.10 Vertical Epic Ale, a one-time release. The Belgian strong golden ale was brewed with chamomile, and a blend of white wine grape juice — Muscat Canelli, Gewürztraminer, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc — was added during fermentation
Phillips Brewery’s Burley Wine clone
Found in Victoria, British Columbia, Philip’s Brewing Co. has since retired this barleywine from their line-up, but you can still brew it with this recipe.
The Bruery: Mash clone
The specifications for this English-style barleywine are all pre-barrel aging numbers. After aging in a bourbon barrel, the beer is above 13% ABV.
Perennial Artisan Ales’ Devil’s Heart of Gold clone
This is a recipe for Devil’s Heart of Gold, a whiskey barrel–aged wheat wine. The base beer, Heart of Gold, won a silver medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 2012.
Midnight Sun Brewing Company: Arctic Devil Barley Wine clone
This is an English-style barleywine brewed once each year and then aged in oak barrels several months before being released each fall.
Jack and Ken’s Ale — Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Ale Collaboration clone
Sierra Nevada put together this recipe in collaboration with Jack McAuliffe from New Albion Brewing (1976–1982) in Sonoma, California using raw materials available in the late 1970s. This was one of four Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Collaboration Ales.
Rock Art Brewery’s The Vermonster clone
This is an American-style barleywine first brewed by Rock Art Brewery (Morrisville, Vermont) as its 10th anniversary beer and soon made into a regular offering. The malts contribute a caramel note and hide the taste of the alcohol.
