Rooftop Red Ale clone

[Daron]

Does anyone haev a recipe for Matilda bay's Rooftop ale?

I tried it recently and it rocked. Would love to brew something similar.

[Oliver]

I don't have a recipe, but can confirm that it is, indeed, a very nice beer.

I'd be interested to make it, too.

Oliver

[gregb]

Ok, I've not even tried the beer in question (but it is on the list to get to...) but if you squizz at the web site,
http://www.matildabay.com.au/ourbeers/rooftop.html
http://www.matildabay.com.au/ourcraft/brewersnotes_rooftop.html
it may give a little heads up on what to try.

I'll come back with some more suggestions after I get around to sampling said drop. In the mean time let us know how you go.

Cheers,

Greg.

[thehipone]

Well, their website gives us some good clues, mentioning Vienna style lager, Carared, good old melanoidin malt and hersbrucker hops added late, so we've got a good amount of information to base our recipe on.

Probably start with 75g or so melanoidin malt, 200g Munich malt and, hmmm, carared? never seen that at my LHBS, but at ~20SRM some light crystal will probably fit the bill, so lets say about 200g of light crystal and maybe 50g of cararoma for that malty nose. Steep them all as usual, then add to 9L of water in a pot and dissolve 2.8kg of light, dry malt extract and bring to a boil. Add about 40g of hersbrucker at 4%AA (should give us about 25IBU) boiled for 60 minutes. Add 10g of Hersbrucker hops 15 minutes before the end of the boil. Add another 10g of hersbrucker just as you turn off the heat at the end of the boil. Cool, top up in the fermenter to 19L and ferment with a lager yeast.

As far as a kit based recipe, I'd guess something like Cooper's Bavarian lager as a base instead of the pale extract, but I'm not really sure about getting the bitterness and hop flavor right. Omit the bittering and flavor hops and just make a little hop tea with about 15g of hersbrucker. Steep the grains as usual.

Based on the specs on their website and the specs for Vienna lagers, that shuold get you kinda close to what you are after, but admittedly, those recipes are just educated guesses. Might be a good opportunity for you to experiment and learn to tweak your recipes to hit a target. Let us know how you go.

Hmm... I might have to give this recipe a whirl myself, although I'll probably double the hops

[gregb]

Looks like we've had a photo finish back from the Matilda Bay website.

Worth a look for any of the MB brews you may be wanting to attempt.

Greg

[gregb]

Tried a couple with lunch this arvo. Very nice indeed.

Got me thinking more about a recepie...

1.5 kg light liquid Malt extract
1.5 kg Amber liquid Malt extract
300 gms Melanoidin (Dave's at North Sydney is advertising it)
300 gms Carared - if I cant get a hold of Carared I'll try a Crystal in about 145 lovibond.
1 oz Hallertauer 60 mins
1 oz Hallertauer at flame out (even though I use an electric stove...)

Mash the grains 60 then 70 degrees for 30 minutes each.

Saflager s23 yeast.

Any thoughts comments suggestions etc?

I'll let y'all know when I get around to doing it, drinking it etc.

Cheers,

Greg.

later...

Just tried batch 53 and then another Rooftop got me thinking more...

Coopers Draught kit.
1Kg Ultrabrew (500g LDME,250 Dextrose, 250g Maltodrextrin)
150gm Crystal (145L) grain
150gm Melanoidin grain
24gm Hallertauer Steeped
12gm Hallertauer Dry.

Mash schedule as before.

Greg.

[Daron]

How about a recipe from a kit without having to mash? I can't mash, and have yet to use grains...

[gregb]

Daron,

Give the Coopers Draught Kit list a go, but for the grains bring a kettle to the boil, let it sit for 5 minutes then tip the water onto the grains in a dish and let them sit for 45 minutes or so.

The main thing we want from the grain (in this instance) is the red colour. The Dominant taste that I noted in Rooftop was the Hallertauer hops.

Dont be afraid to experiment a little.

Cheers,

Greg

[Daron]

So if i was to do this, do I pour the resin into my fermenter, or actually mash the grains then pour through a siev.

Would I put the follwing in a dish together or separately:
150gm Crystal (145L) grain
150gm Melanoidin grain

I'm really keen to have a crack at this.

Thanks

[gregb]

The two grains can go into the same bowl. It is the liquid that then goes into the brew. The used grains can go out for the chooks.

[peterd]

not sure if this is strictly mashing, or steeping.
what is Melanoidin grain? i.e. any enzymes? (the crystal doesn't have any left).

[Daron]

Greg

I've just bought all the above mentioned from the HBS. I will get a yeast starter on the go using the yeast in the Coopers Draught. Should do that tomorrow or after the weekend when the hangover from footy club function has subsided.

What temp do you suggest keeping the fermenter at? Most if not all my brews start at 24-25C then drop and hover at 19-20c. this usually happens from 7-10 days.

I'll keep all posted on how this turns out.

Thanks for your input.

[gregb]

Daron,

The yeast supplied with the Coopers Draught should work a treat at the temperatures you have mentioned.

Cheers,

Greg.

[Guest]

Daron,
Try using a large size coffee plunger to steep your grain. Top up with boiled water that has sat for 10 mins, stir, allow to steep then plunge. Add the liquid to the fermenter. I usually rinse the grain again in cold water and re-plunge and add this as well. Don't know why but it was suggested by the HBS man



Jeff

[Stew]

Ahh, Daron.
Good to see that you like something else from the West (other than the WCE . Pity you don't have more of the BOPs (brew on premis shops) over there in Vic. You'd find in nice and easy to use their equipment to get your brew up and running, and plnty of advice also. Don't really know why they are so big here in the West (with a few in SA and Qld), but are yet to take off with any vigour in Vic and NSW.

Good luck with the brew and let me know how she comes out. Meanwhile, I'll sample a few more WA drops for you - BTW, when summer comes along, try the Little Creatures Pale Ale - Fantastic refreshing drop on a hot day.

Stew

[Daron]

I cracked one open last thursday and so far it's too young. I bit bitter and the malts need time to mature. I' made 2 slabs so I'll tape them up and save them for a few months. Should be great in Spring.

[Shaun]

I attended a tasting conducted by Miltida Bay on Friday. They had Redback, Beez Neez, Rooftop Red Lager and Bohemian Pilzner for us to sample.

I must say I was not impressed with their beers. Beez Neez was drinkable however no standout. I found Rooftop red lager way to flat for a lager more like an English ale. It also had a strong dirty flavour of cloves. It was not clean and crisp like most lagers. The Bohemian Pilzner was very hoppy and most hop heads liked it. It was drinkable but again no star. I did not try the redback this time as I have had it in the past.

They were good on the free drinks to start the tasting though, so buy the time the free ones were gone I did not mind buying drinks for the rest of the night. I was kindly give a leave pass to attend and was even dropped off and picked up by the minister of war and finance so made the most of it.

[Daron]

Where was this at? Wish my minister was as forthcoming...

[Daron]

Well I did this brew up:

Coopers Draught kit.
1Kg Ultrabrew (500g LDME,250 Dextrose, 250g Maltodrextrin)
150gm Crystal (145L) grain
150gm Melanoidin grain
24gm Hallertauer Steeped
12gm Hallertauer Dry.

... and it was a ripper. So much so that I'm about to bottle a new batch this weekend. Took about 3 weeks to become drinkable and improved thereafter, however, my thirst overtook storage and it disappeared.

It lacked a bit of body, but nonetheless it's a great drop. I highly reccomend it.

[gregb]

Daron,

Congratulations on success.

Just think, next time one of your mates tells you how good Rooftop is you can tell him "I can brew as good as it."

Cheers,
Greg