Merriman Old Fart clone
Sadly, Merriman’s Brewery in Leeds is apparently no longer brewing. The information that I have for this beer is: OG: 1.050.
Malt bill: Halcyon pale malt, crystal malt, wheat malt, pale chocolate malt, roast barley.
Hops: Liberty, Progress.
IBU: 32. When one has no information about malt bill proportions, the only option is to guess. However, we are aware of the usual style guideline ranges for using specialty grains, so we can use these as a starting point.
Merriman Old Fart clone recipe, all-grain
Merriman’s Brewery, UK
(5 gallons/19 L)
OG = 1.050 FG = 1.013
IBU = 32 SRM = 14 ABV = 4.8%
Ingredients
9.5 pounds (4.3 kg) Halcyon pale malt
2.5 oz. (70 g) crystal malt (60 °L)
2.5 oz. (70 g) wheat malt
1.25 oz. (35 g) chocolate malt
1.25 oz. (35 g) roast barley
4 AAU Progress hops (60 min.) (0.67 oz./19 g of 6% alpha acid)
2.7 AAU Liberty hops (60 min.) (0.67 oz./19 g of 4% alpha acid)
4 AAU Progress hops (5 min.) (0.67 oz./19 g of 6% alpha acid)
2.7 AAU Liberty hops (5 min.) (0.67 oz./19 g of 4% alpha acid)
1 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.)
SafAle S-04 or Wyeast 1099 (Whitbread Ale) yeast
Step by Step
150 °F (66 °C) infusion mash temp for 60 minutes. 60-minute boil time. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C).
This recipe produced a beer which developed a lovely fruit-bitterness balance. I admit that I have no idea how it compares to the real thing, and now I have no way of knowing, so this is probably not a true clone recipe. However, it inspired me to design a recipe that produced a very pleasant ale.
Maybe brewing in this way could be regarded as paying respects to a deceased beer rather than a serious attempt at resurrection via cloning. I have found that using my database in this way has led me to brew fine beers from recipes that I doubt I would have created from scratch myself.
Merriman Old Fart clone, extract with grains
Merriman’s Brewery, UK
(5 gallons/19 L)
OG = 1.050 FG = 1.013
IBU = 32 SRM = 14 ABV = 4.9%
Ingredients
6.0 oz (0.17 g) Halcyon pale malt
2.5 oz. (70 g) crystal malt (60 °L)
2.5 oz. (70 g) wheat malt
1.25 oz. (35 g) chocolate malt
1.25 oz. (35 g) roast barley
2.0 lb. (0.91 kg) Coopers light dried malt extract
3.75 lb. (1.7 kg) Coopers light liquid malt extract (late addition)
4 AAU Progress hops (60 min.) (0.67 oz./19 g of 6% alpha acid)
2.7 AAU Liberty hops (60 min.) (0.67 oz./19 g of 4% alpha acid)
4 AAU Progress hops (5 min.) (0.67 oz./19 g of 6% alpha acid)
2.7 AAU Liberty hops (5 min.) (0.67 oz./19 g of 4% alpha acid)
1 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.)
SafAle S-04 or Wyeast 1099 (Whitbread Ale) yeast
Step by Step
Steep grains in 3 qts. (2.8 L) of water at 150 °F (66 °C) for 45 minutes. Rinse with 1.5 qts. (~1.5 L) of water at 170 °F (77 °C). Add water and dried malt extract to make 3 gallons (11 L) of wort.
Boil 60 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Add liquid malt extract and Irish moss for the final 15 minutes of the boil.
Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C).
