Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s Hoppy Anniversary Ale clone

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s Hoppy Anniversary Ale clone

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.056  FG = 1.011
IBU = 65  SRM = 6  ABV = 6.0%

A tribute to the best of the West Coast IPAs, and craft beer’s long strange journey, Hoppy Anniversary Ale can be considered both a celebration and an autobiography of the craft beer movement. It features Cascade, Centennial, and Cluster hops —three critical hops in the early days of America’s craft beer business.

Ingredients
10 lbs. (4.5 kg) North American Pilsner malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) malted oats (with hull)
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) caramel/crystal malt (60 °L)
5.75 AAU Cascade hops (85 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5.75% alpha acids)
7 AAU Cluster hops (85 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 7% alpha acids)
4.3 AAU Cascade hops (10 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 5.75% alpha acids)
8.6 AAU Cascade hops (0 min.) (1.5 oz./43 g at 5.75% alpha acids)
15 AAU Centennial hops (0 min.) (1.5 oz./43 g at 10% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Cascade hops (dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Centennial hops (dry hop)
1 Whirlfloc tablet
1⁄2 tsp. yeast nutrient
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), White Labs WLP001 (California Ale), or SafAle US-05 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by step
Achieve a mash temperature of 154 °F (68 °C) and hold for 60 minutes or until fully converted. After mash is complete, raise temperature to 168–170 °F (76–77 °C) for mashout and about a 10-minute recirculation. Begin collecting your wort and sparge with 170 °F (77 °C) water acidulated to a pH at or near 5.2.

Boil for 90 minutes, adding the first hop additions five minutes into the boil. With 10 minutes to go in the boil, add 1⁄2 tsp. of yeast nutrient and a Whirlfloc tablet to help with beer clarity. 

At the end of the boil, whirlpool for 10 minutes after adding the flameout hops. Then chill rapidly to 68 °F (20 °C) and oxygenate thoroughly. Fermentation should last 4–5 days, then allow another 9–10 days for conditioning. Add your dry hops on or around day 10. Upon completion of the fermentation cycle (about two weeks after brew day), chill the beer to 38 °F (3 °C) and keg. Chilling the beer first will help pull dry hop matter out of suspension, producing a cleaner beer. Carbonate to 2.5 v/v or prime and bottle condition.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s Hoppy Anniversary Ale clone

(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.056  FG = 1.011
IBU = 65  SRM = 6  ABV = 6.0%

Ingredients
5.5 lbs. (2.5 kg) Pilsen dried malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) malted oats (with hull)
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) caramel/crystal malt (60 °L)
5.75 AAU Cascade hops (85 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5.75% alpha acids)
7 AAU Cluster hops (85 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 7% alpha acids)
4.3 AAU Cascade hops (10 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 5.75% alpha acids)
8.6 AAU Cascade hops (0 min.) (1.5 oz./43 g at 5.75% alpha acids)
15 AAU Centennial hops (0 min.) (1.5 oz./43 g at 10% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Cascade hops (dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Centennial hops (dry hop)
1 Whirlfloc tablet
1⁄2 tsp. yeast nutrient
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), White Labs WLP001 (California Ale), or SafAle US-05 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by step
Heat 3 qts. (2.8 L) of water to around 160 °F (71 °C). Take the pot off the flame and put the oats and crystal malt into a grain bag and add into the water at this time. Try to hold the grains at 154 °F (68 °C) for roughly 45–60 minutes. Place the grains in a colander and wash with 1 gallon (3.8 L) warm water. Top up to 3 gallons (11 L) then slowly add the extract while stirring continuously until all extract is dissolved. Add heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 60 minutes, adding the hops as indicated.

In the meantime, prepare 2–2.5 gallons (7.6–9.5 L) of water to add to your wort to top up after boil is complete. To be safe, it’s best to boil that water, then chill it, to ensure elimination of any contaminants in the water. 

Upon conclusion of the boil, chill rapidly to 68 °F (20 °C), add the pre-chilled water to top up, pitch yeast and oxygenate thoroughly. Fermentation at 68 °F (20 °C) should last 4–5 days, then allow another 9–10 days for conditioning. Add your dry hops on or around day 10. Upon completion of the fermentation cycle (about two weeks after brew day), chill the beer to 38 °F (3 °C) and keg. This will help pull dry hop matter out of suspension, producing a cleaner beer. Carbonate to 2.5 v/v or prime and bottle condition.