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Mack and Jacks African Amber clone
man, I tried one of the M&J's I made, and it is one fantastic beer. The few that I had put outside to super fast carb were just all right, but the ones that carbed at room temp are great. I'm not sure if it was the heat or the fact that I was drinking them young, but the ones that got the quick carb were all hops and no other taste. the ones that carbed low and slow are a more well rounded beer, and taste great. I only tried to quick carb a few so I could finally taste the beer that I'd been hearing about for so long on here. Now that I've tasted what you've all been going on about, I agree, good stuff. I will brew this again.
Here I go, brewing up Bruguru's Mack & Jack clone again today. This must be like the sixth or seventh time for me. Really not sure if I should count the Burnt Mack that came out of the last brew session with this beer. Anyway. Another brew day dedicated to Mack & Jack. Hopefully nothing will go haywire today. In case I forgot to mention it Bruguru. THANKYOU! I would not be the brewer I am without the inspiration from all your efforts and the wonderful taste of the results.
I'm making it this weekend.
DC
I've got the recipe scaled to work at my efficiency & at 5 gallons. Now I just need to get to my LHBS and pick up the ingredients. I've gotta get the fall community brew on the queue too.
WIth the new baby though, it's been a pita trying to make time for brewing. I haven't brewed anything since just before she was born almost 2 months ago.
was going to make mack and jack sunday and found out I didn't have the right hops. glad I went thorugh recipe to make sure I had things before starting it. went to LHBS and they didn't have centennial hops. So I looked at hops subsitution chart and ended up getting Amirillo. never used them before. didn't want an all cascade beer. I like cascade for dry hopping but like using different hops instead of one hop for the whole thing. So I will try to get it brewed wednesday. might have to take half a day vacation from work. I hate brewing into the night. rather get it all done before 3 pm and relax afterwards. on the bright side my stout will be bottled this weekend and ready to dring a week or two from then. Cyser is getting bottled the next weekend. gonna be a busy few months brewing to catch up.
DC
Wow, I read all 28 pages. It so funny how many other Seattle natives flocked to this thread. I picked up the ingredients for an all grain recipe and just brewed it up last night. I spotted this thread just the day before yesterday and snagged some dried orange peel per strong recommendation. Too bad I forgot to add it to the boil. Im going to pop the peels in some boiling water just to be sure its sanitized and then add them when I go to dry hop the Cascades in 4 days. Ill definately come back and post the final results.
I took about 1/2 of the grains and did a super light toasting in the oven, just enough to get them warm, smelled amazing.
I sure hope the original posters come around to see the fruits of their labor, I'm sure droves of thirsty home brewers are benefiting from these 3 years of shared info.
Hats off to Bruguru and all other contributors.
I found out that if you end up leaving the m and J's around for a long time, the hoppy goodness dissipates, leaving a much more malt heavy taste to it. It's still good though, just a lot different from when it's first ready to drink.
Yea, I found that to especially using the wlp0005. I've noticed that if you use whole hops to dry hop, you don't have this problem. Also using the aroma add at flame out helps this substantially. I think some have been leaving out the aroma add, and keeping them for dry hopping. Nothing wrong with that, I just thing the problem of dissipating hop aroma lessens when you use the aroma add. Plus that wlp005 is a god damn hop mojo stealer.
On a side note, I have a 2 liter starter going of Mac and Jacks Yeast going now, this is from the growler that my mom brough back from Seattle, i hope to use it this weekend. Oh Yes, it will be mine
You have a very good mother.
Got my umpteenth batch of M&J kegged today.
I, of course, tweak every one.
Can't wait.
Hey Bruguru, thanks for making this one of my most asked for brews.
Hogarthe wrote:
I found out that if you end up leaving the m and J's around for a long time, the hoppy goodness dissipates, leaving a much more malt heavy taste to it. It's still good though, just a lot different from when it's first ready to drink.
The real M&J's does the same thing. This is what turned me off of M&J for years. It was hit or miss at every place you went. Sometimes it was fresh and tasted great and other times it just didn't taste right. It is served everywhere around here; you just have to find the freshest keg or you'll be disappointed.
My first attempt at M&J's AA seemed to me to be a little disappointing. I really like this beer in Seattle, but I did not think my extract attempt lived up to it. I saved one last bottle to drink just before we were making a trip to the Pacific Northwoods, with a specific venture to the M&J brewery. (By the way, if you are not from around there, good luck finding it!)
First of all, my last bottle (4 months or so old) was very good. This stuff does get better in bottles with age.
Secondly, after my first draw of AA at the Easton Saloon (in Easton) and my subsequent trials at the actual brewery, I have decided that the clone, (or my attempt at it) was VERY similar. The only difference is that my clone seemed to have a little less body, despite the cloudiness. I just bought stuff for an all-grain attempt this week, while it is still fresh on my mind. (I wish I could get this in WI.)
My question is, at the brewery, I saw pallets of Bries malt (From CHILTON WI!!!!!! 
and the clone calls for the more expensive Marris Otter. Might a 2-row Bries malt be a subsequent substitute? That's $4.00 less per 5 gals.
Thanx again for this thread!
Patrick
does the brewery make more than 1 beer? the bries 2 row might have been for a different beer. Although i'm sure it would taste good in the African Amber clone too. You'd have to try it to find out exactly how different it would be.
They are just introducing a couple of new beers to the market, including an IPA. Haven't gotten a chance to try it, but I know I will soon.
I have been using Gambrinus ESB in place of the MO most of the time simply due to availability. My go-to LHBS does not carry MO, so when I fill my recipe order there, I use the GESB. I can tell the difference, but have seen more of a difference from my fermentation temp profile than from that. I still don't have total control on my temps and got a bit lazy last brew by not using a water bath.
I did an all grain batch of the Mac & Jack.
I added too much water to the wort so its a bit watery. It smells a lot like the real thing, and the taste isn't too far off, though not dead on.
I forgot to add the orange peel in the boil, so I boiled some and added it along with the cascade leaf dry hop i did.
I've let it age a bit so I need to go try some more. How ever on or off target, I find the clone receipe to be both forgiving and rewarding in the end result. Basically even if you don't nail it, its hard to go wrong on this one.
Highly recommended to anyone curious. I'll be doing it again.
At the plant, they had several pallets, and I know they are making the AA all of the time. I guess in a way, I just assumed they used this for AA and\or this was a base malt for many\all of their brews!?
I think I am doing the AG M&J tomorrow evening. I really like this beer, and I do not know why.... 'cause I can't get it?? We used actual orange zest the first time.... this time I am going to use the dried sweet peel found at the LHBS.
Anyway, I have been thinking..... I am going to step up to 10gal batches after this M&J. I wonder if this wort would be good lagered...... I may let you all know next month.
Patrick
Oh I tried the new IPA's at M&J's. While I am not really a hop fan.... I kinda liked their concoctions.
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