Commercial Beer Matrix

Norm Pyle (npyle@n33.stortek.com), 12/93

| Redhook | Sierra Nevada | Samuel Adams | Anderson Valley | Anchor |


The following commercial beer matrix has been gleaned from various posts in HBD and rec.crafts.brewing. I find it useful, if not for cloning certain beers, for finding out what types of ingredients, OGs, etc. are pleasing to me. The best beers I have brewed were "clones" of commercial beers. They were not exact duplicates, but actually better than the originals (the advantage of homebrewing decisions vs. making money).

I find it interesting to note that some breweries use only one type of base malt and crystal for most or all of their beers, and still provide a wide variety of beers. This is probably due to the economy of mass buying, but it shows how versatile you can be using different quantities of base malts and crystal, and then changing hops and yeast. I don't know anything about the water treatments (if any) of these brews, but that could have a considerable effect as well.

The hops are, I believe, in order of boiling time, as should be evident in most of these beers by the hop variety. They are not all completely accurate, as the growing region of a particular hop can affect its flavor profile greatly (note that Redhook gives "Yakima Hallertau", which I presume is the American version of Mittelfrueh, although I'm not positive. It also lists "Tettnang", which I'm guessing is Tettnanger Tettnang, grown in Germany). You can see that some of this information needs work; also some of it may be dated.

Note that I only assembled this information into a single matrix; I did not gather it originally from the breweries. I would appreciate similar info on other breweries (large and small), other beers by these breweries, and any corrections that you note. If you tour a brewery, take notes!


RedHook Brewery, Seattle, Washington


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Beer Name   | Fermentables  |    Hops            |  Yeast  | O.G. | Comments
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
ESB          | Klages 2-row  | Willamette         | English |1.054 |Flagship
             | Crystal 60L   | Tettnang           |  Ale    |      |Product
             |               |                    |         |      |4.3%ABW
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Ballard      | Klages 2-row  | Eroica             | English |1.045 |3.8%ABW
 Bitter      | Crystal 40L   | Willamette         |  Ale    |      |
             |               | Cascade            |         |      |
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Blackhook    | Klages 2-row  | Willamette         | English |1.047 |3.9%ABW
 Porter      | Crystal 40L   | Eroica             |  Ale    |      |
             | Black Patent  | Cascade            |         |      |
             | Roasted Barley|                    |         |      |
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Redhook      | Klages 2-row  | Clusters           | Belgian |1.050 |4.5%ABW
 Ale         | Crystal 40L   | Willamette         |  Ale    |      |Banana
             | Black Patent  | Eroica             |         |      |overtones
             |               | Cascade            |         |      |
             |               | Yakima             |         |      |
             |               |  Hallertau         |         |      |
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Winterhook   | Custom-kilned | B.C. Goldings      | English |1.057 |4.8%ABW
 Christmas   | 2-row Carastan| Yakima             |  Ale    |      |Recipe
  Ale        | (Hugh Baird)  |  Hallertau         |         |      |changes
             |               | Yakima             |         |      |yearly
             |               |  Cluster           |         |      |yearly
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Wheathook    | Klages 2-row  | Tettnang           | English |1.034 |3.7%ABW
 Wheaten     | English Malted| Hallertauer        |  Ale    |      |German
  Ale        |  Wheat        |  Hersbrucker       |         |      |hops may
             |               | Hallertauer        |         |      |wrong
             |               |  Mittelfrueh       |         |      |
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, California


- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Beer Name   | Fermentables  |    Hops            |  Yeast  | O.G. | Comments
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Summerfest   | Pale 2-row    | Perle              | Lager   |1.046 |3.5%ABW
             | Dextrin malt  | Hallertau          |         |      |Mittel-
             |               |                    |         |      |frueh???
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Pale         | Pale 2-row    | Perle              | Lager   |1.064 |5.2%ABW
 Bock        | Dextrin malt  | Mount Hood         |         |      |A beefier
             |               |                    |         |      |Summerfest
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Pale         | Pale 2-row    | Perle              | Ale     |1.052 |4.4%ABW
 Ale         | Dextrin malt  | Nugget             |         |      |Flagship
             | Crystal malt  | Cascade            |         |      |Product
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Porter       | Pale 2-row    | Nugget             | Ale     |1.058 |4.7%ABW
             | Dextrin malt  | Willamette         |         |      |
             | Crystal malt  |                    |         |      |
             | Chocolate malt|                    |         |      |
             | Black patent  |                    |         |      |
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Stout        | Pale 2-row    | Chinook            | Ale     |1.064 |4.8%ABW
             | Dextrin malt  | Cascade            |         |      |
             | Crystal malt  |                    |         |      |
             | Black patent  |                    |         |      |
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Celebration  | Pale 2-row    | Chinook            | Ale     |1.064 |5.1%ABW
 Ale         | Dextrin malt  | Cascade            |         |      |Dry hopped
             | Crystal malt  | Centennial         |         |      |
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Bigfoot      | Pale 2-row    | Nugget             | Ale     |1.092 |10.1%ABW
 Barley      | Crystal malt  | Cascade            |         |      |Dry hopped
  Wine       |               | Centennial         |         |      |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Boston Beer Company, Boston Massachusetts


- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Beer Name   | Fermentables  |    Hops            |  Yeast  | O.G. | Comments
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Sam          | Klages /      | Tettnanger         | Lager   |1.052 |Flagship
 Adams       |  Harrington   |  Tettnang          |         |      |Product
  Boston     |   2-row       | Hallertauer        |         |      |
   Lager     | Crystal 60L   |  Mittelfrueh       |         |      |
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Sam          | Klages /      | English            | Ale     |1.056 |
 Adams       |  Harrington   |  Goldings          |         |      |
  Boston     |   2-row       | English            |         |      |
   Stock     | Crystal 60L   |  Fuggles           |         |      |
    Ale      |               | Saaz               |         |      |
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Sam          | Klages /      | Hallertauer        | Lager   |1.032 |
 Adams       |  Harrington   |  Mittelfrueh       |         |      |
  Boston     |   2-row       | Saaz               |         |      |
   Lightship | Crystal 60L   |                    |         |      |
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Sam          | Klages /      | Tettnanger         | Lager   |1.081 |First
 Adams       |  Harrington   |  Tettnang          |         |      |runnings
  Double     |   2-row       | Hallertauer        |         |      |only?
   Bock      | Crystal 60L   |  Mittelfrueh       |         |      |
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Sam          | Klages /      | Tettnanger         | Lager   |1.056 |
 Adams       |  Harrington   |  Tettnang          |         |      |
  Octoberfest|   2-row       | Hallertauer        |         |      |
             | Crystal 60L   |  Mittelfrueh       |         |      |
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Sam          | Klages /      | Tettnanger         | Lager   |Varies|Recipe
 Adams       |  Harrington   |  Tettnang          |         |      |Varies
  Winter     |   2-row       | Hallertauer        |         |      |Yearly
   Lager     | Crystal 60L   |  Mittelfrueh       |         |      |
             |               | English            |         |      |
             |               |  Goldings          |         |      |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anderson Valley Brewery, Booneville, California


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Beer Name   | Fermentables  |    Hops            |  Yeast  | O.G. | Comments
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Poleeko      | Pale 2-row    | Eroica             | Ale     |      |
 Gold        | Crystal 40L   | Nugget             |         |      |
  Light      |               | Northern           |         |      |
   Ale       |               |  Brewer            |         |      |
             |               | Cascade            |         |      |
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Extra        | Pale 2-row    | Nugget             | Ale     |      |
 Special     | Crystal 40L   | Eroica             |         |      |
  Bitter     | Munich malt   | Northern           |         |      |
             |               |  Brewer            |         |      |
             |               | Tettnang           |         |      |
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
High         | Pale 2-row    | Northern           |         |      |
 Rollers     |  (60%)        |  Brewer            |         |      |
  Wheat      | Wheat malt    | Mount              |         |      |
   Beer      |  (40%)        |  Hood              |         |      |
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Boont        | Pale 2-row    | Eroica             | Ale     |      |
 Amber       | Crystal 40L   | Northern           |         |      |
  Ale        | Crystal 80L   |  Brewer            |         |      |
             |               | Willamette         |         |      |
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Centennial   | Pale 2-row    | Nugget             |         |      |
             | Crystal 40L   | Eroica             |         |      |
             | Crystal 80L   | Northern           |         |      |
             | Munich 40L    |  Brewer            |         |      |
             |               | Mount              |         |      |
             |               |  Hood              |         |      |
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Deep         | Pale 2-row    | Nugget             | Ale     |      |
 Enders      | Crystal 40L   | Northern           |         |      |
  Dark       | Crystal 80L   |  Brewer            |         |      |
   Porter    | Chocolate malt| Willamette         |         |      |
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Barney       | Pale 2-row    | Eroica             | Ale     |      |Flagship
 Flats       | Crystal 40L   | Northern           |         |      |Product
  Oatmeal    | Crystal 80L   |  Brewer            |         |      |
   Stout     | Munich malt   | Cascade            |         |      |
             | Chocolate malt|                    |         |      |
             | Wheat malt    |                    |         |      |
             | Roasted barley|                    |         |      |
             | Oats          |                    |         |      |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anchor Brewing Company, San Francisco, California


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Beer Name   | Fermentables  |    Hops            |  Yeast  | O.G. | Comments
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------|------|----------
Anchor       | Pale 2-row    | Northern           | Lager   |1.050 |Flagship
 Steam       | Crystal       |  Brewer (US?)      |(Wyeast  |      |Product
             |               |                    | Calif.  |      |Fermented
             |               |                    | lager?) |      |at 55F
             |               |                    |         |      |Lagered
             |               |                    |         |      |at 50F
             |               |                    |         |      |33 IBU
             |               |                    |         |      |Kraeusened
             |               |                    |         |      |3.9% ABW
------------------------------------------------------------------------------