Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA  (Read 14906 times)

Offline roguejim

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 469
Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
« on: October 27, 2010, 12:44:11 pm »
Maybe I'm losing my taste for AIPAs, but I could barely get this one down.  The sweetness was killing me, even if the bitterness was assertive.  Maybe I don't like munich in AIPAs...

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27070
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
« Reply #1 on: October 27, 2010, 12:45:37 pm »
I'm pretty sure that's classed as an EIPA, not an AIPA.  I tried really hard to like it.  Didn't work for me.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
« Reply #2 on: October 27, 2010, 01:20:39 pm »
Weird.  I think it's an excellent beer, I like it a lot.  I think it's nearly as good as Pliny.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline hermsman

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 11
Re: Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
« Reply #3 on: October 27, 2010, 01:37:28 pm »
I too love this beer! And I here their is an Imperial version called "Double Jack". I want to try that one!
Fermenting:
FrankenAle 2010
Winter Solstice 3

On Tap:
Black EyePA
Bavarian Lager
Winter Solstice 2
Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Pliny the Clone II
Firestone Clone
Robust Porter
Vanilla Porter
Belgian Pale Ale
Spiced Winter Ale
FrankenAle 2006

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27070
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
« Reply #4 on: October 27, 2010, 01:47:06 pm »
Maybe I'd better try to find some and give it a second chance.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
« Reply #5 on: October 27, 2010, 01:52:41 pm »
Or maybe I do, it's been several months since I've had it at least.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline svejk

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 190
  • Seattle, Wa
Re: Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
« Reply #6 on: October 27, 2010, 02:32:40 pm »
Within the last year or two, Union Jack won a local blind IPA tasting that featured most of the big name contenders. I am a fan of this beer myself, and if you ever get the hankering to put together a blind IPA tasting with friends, this beer is worth throwing in the mix. Like most IPAs, I do think it is much better fresh. 

Offline jeffy

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4222
  • Tampa, Fl
Re: Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
« Reply #7 on: October 27, 2010, 02:47:15 pm »
I have liked all the FW beers that I've had.  I wish they were available locally.
Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)
Homebrewing since 1990
AHA member since 1991, now a lifetime member
BJCP judge since 1995

Offline MDixon

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2311
Re: Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
« Reply #8 on: October 28, 2010, 03:41:08 pm »
I remember liking it, but my socks never left my feet...YMMV
It's not a popularity contest, it's beer!

Offline hopfenundmalz

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 10675
  • Milford, MI
Re: Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
« Reply #9 on: October 28, 2010, 06:03:22 pm »
I had it for the first time back in April, while on a long Califirnia road trip.  The first (or 3) was at a place on the square in Paso Robles.  The next day I had some at the brewery tasting room.  Great beer (won best IPA at the GABF 2 years in a row).  They say it is an American IPA on the web site.  They do use an English yeast strain as the house yeast, but everything else is American.

Click on Union Jack for the list.
http://www.firestonewalker.com/index.php?c=our_pale_ales

Jeff Rankert
AHA Lifetime Member
BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline Pinski

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1943
  • Portland, Oregon
Re: Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
« Reply #10 on: April 28, 2011, 11:03:26 pm »
Came across a bottle of this at the grocery tonight and decided to try it. I really like it.  Does anyone know what kind of hops they use?  Also, curious is Tom or Denny have tried it again since posting your comments and if you feel the same about this beer?
Steve Carper
Green Dragon Brewers
Clubs: Oregon Brew Crew & Strange Brew
BJCP Certified

Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
« Reply #11 on: April 28, 2011, 11:24:35 pm »
I haven't, sorry.  I looked for it at the beer store a while back, but they didn't have it.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline hopfenundmalz

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 10675
  • Milford, MI
Re: Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
« Reply #12 on: April 29, 2011, 06:37:47 am »
Came across a bottle of this at the grocery tonight and decided to try it. I really like it.  Does anyone know what kind of hops they use?  Also, curious is Tom or Denny have tried it again since posting your comments and if you feel the same about this beer?

This should give you an idea of the hops used in Union Jack.  This is from the Brewing Network CYBI shows on Firestone Walker.  Matt Bryndelson was interviewed in the first show, and this was based on his interview and the clone the BN guys did.

2010 Union Jack Clone

A ProMash Recipe Report

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal):        10.50    Wort Size (Gal):   10.50
Total Grain (Lbs):       26.25
Anticipated OG:          1.074    Plato:             17.90
Anticipated SRM:           5.9
Anticipated IBU:          51.6
Brewhouse Efficiency:       82 %
Wort Boil Time:             90    Minutes

Formulas Used
-------------

Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.
Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.
Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppg
% Yield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.

Color Formula Used:   Morey
Hop IBU Formula Used: Tinseth
Tinseth Concentration Factor: 1.00


Grain/Extract/Sugar

   %     Amount     Name                          Origin        Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 81.9    21.50 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row)              America        1.036      2
 11.4     3.00 lbs. Munich Malt                   Germany        1.037      8
  1.4     0.38 lbs. Carastan Malt                 Great Britian  1.035     34
  5.2     1.38 lbs. Cara-Pils Dextrine Malt                      1.033      2

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

   Amount     Name                              Form    Alpha  IBU  Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1.40 oz.    Simcoe                            Whole   13.00  25.9  90 min.
  1.50 oz.    Cascade                           Whole    5.75   8.8  30 min.
  1.50 oz.    Centennial                        Whole   11.00  16.9  30 min.
  4.00 oz.    Cascade                           Whole    5.75   0.0  0 min.
  4.00 oz.    Centennial                        Whole   11.00   0.0  0 min.
  3.50 oz.    Cascade                           Whole    5.75   0.0  Dry Hop
  3.50 oz.    Centennial                        Whole   10.50   0.0  Dry Hop
  2.50 oz.    Cascade                           Whole    5.75   0.0  Dry Hop
  2.50 oz.    Centennial                        Whole   10.50   0.0  Dry Hop
  1.50 oz.    Amarillo Gold                     Whole   10.00   0.0  Dry Hop
  1.50 oz.    Simcoe                            Whole   13.00   0.0  Dry Hop


Yeast
-----

White Labs WLP002 English Ale

Mashed at 145 for one hour and then ramped up to 156 for 15 minutes, mashed out at 168.




Jeff Rankert
AHA Lifetime Member
BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline johnf

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 434
Re: Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
« Reply #13 on: April 29, 2011, 06:57:30 am »
I don't think it is sweet at all. Certainly less so than Hopslam or Maharaja and you can see in the recipe above that it has less crystal malt than the PtE homebrew recipe.

It is very malty compared to Hopslam, Maharaja, PtE and most other IPAs.

Offline hopfenundmalz

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 10675
  • Milford, MI
Re: Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
« Reply #14 on: April 29, 2011, 07:17:23 am »
The recipe above was brewed a while back, and turned out pretty good.  The Cascades in that brew were homegrown, and had a little grassy flavor.  I have commercial Cascades now and all of the other hops in freezer.  Will brew this next, as I need one IPA to have on hand for the summer to mix it up with the lagers.

As for the maltyness vs sweetness, I think it is malty and finishes fairly dry.
« Last Edit: April 29, 2011, 07:18:59 am by hopfenundmalz »
Jeff Rankert
AHA Lifetime Member
BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!