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Paul Edwards
Senior Member
Username: Pedwards
Post Number: 2137
Registered: 03-2003
Posted From: 76.251.234.134
| | Posted on Monday, June 20, 2011 - 09:55 pm: | 
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So, I d/l'd and installed "Adobe Digital Editions" on our desktop Mac so my wife can check out e-books from the local public library. (An iPad is on my list for her birthday)
To check out the new s/w and it's use, I checked out Clone Brews
As I'm paging thru it, I come across their recipe for Orval (One of my favorite beers, BTW)
To my surprise, the clone recipe calls for additions of bitter orange peel and coriander, along with using yeast strains that don't seem appropriate at all for Orval.
The Orval clone recipe, which may make a tasty beer. seems to be quite a ways from Orval itself. Make me somewhat suspect of the rest of the book.
Am I missing something? |
Brad On Bass
Junior Member
Username: August_west
Post Number: 88
Registered: 11-2010
Posted From: 72.88.54.21
| | Posted on Monday, June 20, 2011 - 10:29 pm: |
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I've not read the book, but I've felt the same way about most of the recipes I've seen attributed to it. Brew Like a Monk has what seems to be a reasonable fascimile that they call LaVal, and I can tell you it has no coriander or orange peel in it. |
Dave Witt
Senior Member
Username: Davew
Post Number: 1591
Registered: 03-2003
Posted From: 24.7.226.155
| | Posted on Monday, June 20, 2011 - 10:33 pm: |
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I have "Clone Brews" and only use it occasionally to see what they are doing for a particular type of beer. I did notice that nearly all the recipes call for a 150 deg rest regardless of the style. |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 13032
Registered: 01-2002
Posted From: 24.150.49.181
| | Posted on Monday, June 20, 2011 - 10:35 pm: |
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Wait till you see the recipe for Duvel. It calls for pear juice!?
Some of the recipes are better than others (they're a little weak in terms of Belgians), but of course not everyone knows as much about Orval as you do. I also take issue with the generic technique they specify for all recipes (this was improved in the sequel, Beers Captured).
However, I admit I still find Clone Brews useful, especially as a starting point for recipe formulation. And a couple of the recipes in it are surprisingly spot-on in terms of cloning.
I believe I heard a new edition is in the works. |
Paul Hayslett
Senior Member
Username: Paulhayslett
Post Number: 2874
Registered: 02-2002
Posted From: 174.62.194.35
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - 02:26 am: |
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The 2nd edition has been out for a while now. I've seen it in Mark & Tess's store since late last summer. They claim it is "completely updated", with 50 new recipes. I confess that I have not looked through it to see what has changed.
I've had the original for ages but I can't say I've ever used it much. "Beer Captured" works well for me as a source of ideas and recipe starting points. But "Clone Brews" doesn't inspire me the same way. |
Dave Huber
New Member
Username: Hubie
Post Number: 8
Registered: 12-2010
Posted From: 173.79.20.62
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - 02:02 pm: |
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Over the years I have heard various complaints about this book with regards to recipe formulations being strange. I suppose one way of looking at it is whether it ends up with a beer that does taste like it is supposed to, even if that means adding pear juice. However, it doesn't inspire confidence in trying a recipe that you haven't tried yet, and that used to put me off from wanting to buy the book (these days I seem to have lost interest in cloning commercial beers).
I have also heard this kind of complaint, one being one of the first reviews on its Amazon page, about George and Laurie Fix's Octoberfest, Vienna, Marzen book from the Classic Beer Styles collection. The knock there is that the recipes aren't authentic because they suggest Belgian and color malts. Of the books I own from this series, I have enjoyed them all. Apart from the criticism of the recipes, does anyone have an opinion on the rest of that book? |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 13033
Registered: 01-2002
Posted From: 24.150.49.181
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - 02:42 pm: |
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My comments on the Fix OVM book are that it was originally written 20 years ago now and reflects the ingredients available to homebrewers at that time (far fewer malts and yeast strains). But George Fix was a bright scientist and enthusiastic homebrewer, and there is still information of value there. |
Denny Conn
Senior Member
Username: Denny
Post Number: 7590
Registered: 01-2001
Posted From: 140.211.82.4
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - 03:49 pm: |
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The best use for Clone Brews is starting your woodstove on a cold day.
(Message edited by denny on June 21, 2011) |
Paul Edwards
Senior Member
Username: Pedwards
Post Number: 2138
Registered: 03-2003
Posted From: 76.251.234.134
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - 04:00 pm: |
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Bill,
The version I checked out of the library doesn't list pear juice as an ingredient for the Duvel clone recipe. The intro to the recipe does say they get a pear character from Duvel.
The copyright page shows 2010, so maybe I've got the new edition with some of the recipes revised. |
Steve Jones
Advanced Member
Username: Stevej
Post Number: 737
Registered: 08-2001
Posted From: 199.190.8.13
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - 04:50 pm: |
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Ooh that's cold!!
But probably true. I'm wondering what you edited out, Denny. |
Denny Conn
Senior Member
Username: Denny
Post Number: 7591
Registered: 01-2001
Posted From: 140.211.82.4
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - 05:21 pm: |
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Steve, I'd referred to "that book" but by the time I posted another book was referenced. I just wanted to make clear which I was talking about. But I definitely agree with Bill on OVM. |
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