Va rebel jack

I just recently tried Firestone Walker’s Union Jack and really like it. So I decided to try and brew somthing similar. I just decided to do this last night and had the morning open to brew. The only available ale yeast I had was a liter of 1272 slurry from an April 20 brew. I think Firestone Walker uses an english ale yeast so mine will likely be drier with less esters.

My FO/whirlpool additions were planned for 2 oz each but I decided to use up what I had on hand. Didn’t want to toss them or waste a vac seal bag on such small amounts. Estimated IBU seems low but all the hops are FO/DH. Bittered to 24 IBU. I usually bitter to 26 but wanted this one to be slightly less bitter. Probably won’t be able to tell the difference in 2 IBU but I was afraid it would be too sweet if I went much lower.

This was my usual BIAB mash with sparge. Did not recirculate the mash.

Anyone else tried replicating this or Double Jack?

Recipe: Va rebel jack

Recipe Specifications

Boil Size: 13.25 gal
Post Boil Volume: 11.5 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 11.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.059 SG
Estimated Color: 10.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 43.8 IBUs

Ingredients:

Amt Name Type # %/IBU
15 lbs 12.0 oz Briess 2 Row (1.8 SRM) Grain 1 68.5 %
5 lbs 4.0 oz Munich Dark (15.0 SRM) Grain 2 22.8 %
2 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 3 8.7 %
1.00 oz German Magnum [14.40 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 24.0 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 5 -
2.60 oz Centennial [9.50 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 2 Hop 6 12.4 IBUs
2.06 oz Cascade [7.10 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 20.0 Hop 7 7.4 IBUs
1 L 4/20 slurry American Ale II (Wyeast Labs #1272) [124 Yeast 8 -
1.00 oz Amarillo [8.80 %] - Dry Hop 3.0 Days Hop 9 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [7.10 %] - Dry Hop 3.0 Days Hop 10 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Centennial [9.50 %] - Dry Hop 3.0 Days Hop 11 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 3.0 Days Hop 12 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Dry Hop 3.0 Days Hop 13 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 3.0 Days Hop 14 0.0 IBUs

Mash Schedule: BIAB - Danny’s
Total Grain Weight: 23 lbs

Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash in Kettle 36 qt of water at 156.1 F 149.0 F 60 min
Sparge for pre-boil volume at 190F

Hey, Danny. Looks like a tasty brew you put together. Though I’m not really a fan of hoppy beers I too like Union Jack and usually make it for Christmas. Just wanted to let you know that that there is a recipe for Union Jack on the The Brewing Network’s site (thebrewingnetwork.com). I’ve made it several times and it is very close to the original. The recipe comes from Matt Brynildson the head brewer at Firestone. I’ll print it below, but you really should really go to the website and listen to the podcast because Matt gives a lot of little tips for making the beer that aren’t in the recipe. Once on the the site go to Shows and then select July 2010 and you should be able to find it. It was broadcast on the Can You Brew It show on 7/19/2010. Here’s the recipe:

Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
14-B American IPA
Author: CYBI (7/19/10)

Size: 6.0gal
Efficiency: 70.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 226.28kcal per 12.0fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.068 (1.056 - 1.075)
Terminal Gravity: 1.017 (1.010 - 1.018)
Color: 7.18SRM (6.0 - 15.0)
Alcohol: 6.69% (5.5% - 7.5%)
Bitterness: 67.4 (40.0 - 70.0)

Ingredients:
13.74lb (81.9%) Standard 2-Row - added during mash
100g (1.3%) CaraMalt - added during mash
900g (11.8%) Munich Malt - added during mash
380.0g (5.0%) Cara-Pils® Malt - added during mash
25g (7.3%) Warrior® (17.0%) - added during boil, boiled 90 m
18g (5.3%) Cascade (7.0%) - added during boil, boiled 30 m
18g (5.3%) Centennial (10.5%) - added during boil, boiled 30 m
52g (15.2%) Cascade (7.0%) - added during boil
52g (15.2%) Centennial (10.5%) - added during boil
44g (12.9%) Cascade (7.0%) - added dry to primary fermenter
44g (12.9%) Centennial (10.5%) - added dry to primary fermenter
30g (8.8%) Cascade (7.0%) - added dry to primary fermenter
30g (8.8%) Centennial (10.5%) - added dry to primary fermenter
14g (4.1%) Amarillo® (8.5%) - added dry to secondary fermenter
14g (4.1%) Simcoe® (13.0%) - added dry to secondary fermenter
1.0ea White Labs WLP002 English Ale WLP002

Notes
100 ppm of Ca
30 minute hop stand at end of boil.

Ferment at 17º C, 19ºC after a couple of days

Results generated by BeerTools Pro 2.0.14

So I’m not too far off…thanks for the link but I never have the patience for those podcasts. Didn’t make it two minutes.

Just put this beer on tap yesterday. It’s been kegged and on gas for a couple weeks. Really tasty, great aroma. Lots of orange, peach aroma. Very pleased with how it turned out. I’ll be brewing this one often.

1 Like

She sounds lovely.

Again, all yer attention to details is great. I see yer volumes ending up with 11 gallons, I will assume it will allow for yer yeast slurry not making it into the kegs? Or, possible that the kegs do hold more than 5 gallons? Sneezles61

I lose a quart or so in the system due to trub, lines, pump, chiller, etc. I like to put about 5.25 gals in the fermenters and usually end up with pretty full kegs.

I, too, love this beer and all of Firestone’s offerings to tell you the truth. The recipe for Union Jack was also in Byo a while ago and I have brewed it 3 times now. The first 2 were just about spot on but the 3rd was a bit sweet for me. I’m guessing the yeast didn’t attenuate as well as they should have. I never thought about using a different yeast but what you did sounds great to me Danny. I recently kegged a batch of the Wookey Jack clone and that turned out fantastic!

Having a couple of these tonight. Really pleased with how it turned out. Need to brew it again ASAP.

2 Likes

Looks good. Nice dense head. Wish I could taste it.

Lacing is ridiculous too. PM me your address and I’ll send you a bottle. I’d enjoy having some feedback on it without doing the whole competition thing.

That’s s good looking beer. Sounds tasty also

@dannyboy58 im a little stoned right now but if @coloradobrewer recipe is correct your low on IBU and abv. Your beer still looks and sounds good though

I really wanted more of a session beer but at 6.7ish it’s really not. It’s more in the range of a bell’s two hearted. Only drink one if you’re going to drive. Two or three of these will really soften you up. nd yea… me too…

Yes 6.7 is plenty. I just assumed he had a higher initial gravity in his recipe. He had .068 listed I would probably hit close to 8% st that gravity and it sounds like you would also. Must be the slurry. My slurry always goes down more the what’s advertised. I have some theory as why.