Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Clone Recipe

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Clone Recipe

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale didn't just define American craft brewing; it taught a generation of drinkers that beer could be something more. First brewed in 1980, it became the blueprint for the American Pale Ale style. With its clean malt backbone, bright Cascade hop aroma, and balanced bitterness, it remains one of the best-crafted beers in the country.

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The Recipe

  • Batch Size: 5 gallons

  • Method: BIAB or traditional all-grain

  • Boil Time: 60 minutes

  • Fermentation Temp: 65°F–68°F

Target Stats:

  • OG: 1.053

  • FG: 1.012

  • ABV: ~5.4%

  • IBU: ~38

Grain Bill

  • 10 lb Briess 2-Row Malt

  • 0.5 lb Crystal 60L Malt

  • 0.5 lb Carapils

Mash: 152°F for 60 minutes.

Hop Schedule

  • Magnum Hops: 0.75 oz @ 60 min (Bittering)
  • Perle Hops: 0.5 oz @ 30 min (Flavor)
  • Cascade Hops: 0.75 oz @ 5 min (Aroma)
  • Dry Hops: 0.75 oz Cascade (3–5 days)

Yeast

  • 1 packet SafAle US-05 American Ale Yeast

Brew Day Notes

  • Strike Water: Heat to approximately 163°F before adding grain to hit your 152°F mash target.

  • Boil: Keep a steady rolling boil. Watch for boilovers during the first few minutes.

  • Chilling: Cool wort to 65°F–68°F before pitching.

  • Dry Hopping: Add Cascade dry hops after primary fermentation slows (day 4–5). Leave for 3–5 days.

  • Conditioning: Best at 3–4 weeks. The Cascade aroma peaks around week 3, so drink it fresh.

Tasting Notes

  • Appearance: Clear golden amber with a persistent white head.

  • Aroma: Bright Cascade citrus and floral hop aroma up front, clean bready malt underneath.

  • Flavor: Balanced malt sweetness with clean hop bitterness.

  • Finish: Clean, dry, and moderately bitter.

Troubleshooting

  • Too bitter: Reduce Magnum addition slightly or check your final volume.

  • Not enough hop aroma: Increase dry hop to 1 oz and extend to 5–7 days.

  • Too sweet: Verify your mash temperature and ensure fermentation completed fully.

  • Hazy: Cold crash for 48–72 hours; a Whirlfloc tablet at 10 minutes also helps significantly.