Has anyone used the Surley Bender clone kit from Northern Brewer, if so did you use the extra coffee and cocao nibs? I have this kit but have never had Surley Bender. This will be my second batch of homebrew and any thoughts and advice would help.
You are in for a treat if it tastes anything like the real thing...one of my favorites I think at a minimum you are going to have to do a partial mash...the Aromatic and Pale malt should be no problem as they have enzymes...just follow the directions...there is no oatmeal in the recipe from what I can see...kind of weird they don't make it in a straight extract recipe. Enjoy. I just made something real similar with coffee in one and without in the other. I like em both.
I'm using the partial mash kit. NB seem to have good kits. My first kit was a partial mash also. NB has really good instructions that are easy to follow. I read the reviews here for Surley Bender and seems everyone liked the regular one better than the others but I still think I want to use the extra coffee and cacao nibs.
I really like Coffee Bender if that is what the coffee and cocoa nibs are for. Can you split the batch in half once it is done fermenting? You could do both that way.
Here is the recipe SPECIALTY GRAIN 2lbs Belgian aromatic malt 1lb Canada malting Pale Ale malt .75lb English Medium Crystal .75lb Belgian Special B .63lb Simpsons Golden Naked Oats .25lb English Chocolate Malt FERMENTABLES 3.15lbs Gold malt syrup 2lbs Light dry malt extract HOPS .25oz Willemette 1st wort .75oz Columbus 60 min 2.5oz Willemette flame out YEAST Wyeast 1335 BritishAle II 5oz priming sugar
I think the kit was regular Bender...not coffee...and I don't believe there's cocoa nibs in either (but I could be wrong) http://surlybrewing.com/beer/year-round-beers.html Northern Brewers "Mocha" (coffee and choc nibs add-on) doesn't look like a real good deal to me...and the Chocolate nibs don't belong in Bender anyway, IMHO.
I did the all grain bender clone and it is absolutely fantastic. I too never have had the commercial example but the clone is delicious. I know some friends who really perfer the cofee bender to the regular bender so I think no matter what way you go with the recipe. Cheers
I've only made one batch of beer and already know I'm hooked. I'm ordering a kegging kit next week and building a keezer.
I just kegged a clone I brewed, with 12oz of cold brew coffee concentrate. I mashed to low, so its a little lite bodied but it tastes freakin awesome.
I made the All grain Version Last year. Had actual Bender a few months ago. Pretty close but not spot on. Still damn good either way
I was lucky enough to try a Surley beer w/ cocoa back in September. I think it was Bender w/ cocoa nibs, although the base beer may have been a one-off. Anyhow, it was delicious. Use the cocoa nibs.
A friend brought a bunch of coffee bender down this summer. I don't remember there being a nib chocolaty taste. Just bought the AG kit form NB. It's pretty cheap if you have yeast already. Planning on adding cold extracted coffee. Now that I have the recipe I can mess with it all I want.
