Devil's Backbone IPA at Wetherspoons

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I've recently become quite partial to Wetherspoon's Devil's Backbone IPA.
As many of you may know its a UK version of an American beer brewed by Banks/Marstons for Wetherspoons using Admiral and EK Goldings and 'West Coast' American hops to provide a 'citrus-pine nose'. Anyway this works for me.
I am a beer kit man (only), but do like to experiment, so my question is, has anyone put together a kit based clone of this beer and come up with a good approximation, perhaps using the Coopers Australian Pale Ale kit as a base.
 
I agree its a nice pint, I recently brewed a Coopers Aus pale ale, dry hopped with Vic secret, Simcoe and Citra, I also used Jack mangrove M44 west coast yeast. Its a good pint but its almost too tasty, mine was quite malty and not as clean as DB. I may try again but with a Coopers Canadian Ale it looks a little more pale, I may only use half a kilo of malt this time half dextrose to keep abv up.
Im open to ideas I love to brew a DB clone.
 
stpete
I have tried both Coopers Australian Pale Ale and the Canadian Blond kits recently. Of the two I prefer the AuPA, since it has more body, but even then it turned out a bit on the 'thin' side although I added 100g Crystal Malt plus 1 kg BE2. I won't bother with the Canadian again, but will have another go at the AuPA.
I dry hopped the AuPA with First Gold and Cascade to about 35g total but neither come through very much although its early days yet (only three weeks in bottle).
 
I'd never have guessed it used admiral and ekg! I've fancied making an Anglo American IPA for ages but wasn't sure if it's be any good and didn't want it to turn out anything like Charles wells dna! Might put it near the top of the list again now.
 
I'd never have guessed it used admiral and ekg! I've fancied making an Anglo American IPA for ages but wasn't sure if it's be any good and didn't want it to turn out anything like Charles wells dna! Might put it near the top of the list again now.

DNA is a bit pants isnt it, a good example of larger breweries trying to jump on the craft beer bandwagon and failing miserably. Unfortunately it is in lots of the local pubs here as Charles Wells is in Bedford :doh:
 
Went into Spoons today and they told me was the last leg. Off draft and only on bottles. Shame one of the few beers in there I liked.

The last pint of it I had at the beginning of the month wasn't up to the usual standard either. I only drink it when there's nothing I fancy on the hand pumps anyway so I'm not actually that bothered.
 
They dropped the backbone round here a few months ago (hull), shame as I quite liked it although a bit on the strong side abv. The Shipyard pale ale though is a cracking pint IMO and always available.
 
Not had a DB for ages, but this 'clone' is certainly hoppy

5 days in the keg. First pint hence merk.

My best homebrew to date. Bar none.

IMG_4308.jpg
 
Likewise here, they dropped the draught and now sell in bottles only. I love it ...

I thought last night i'd like to brew a clone ... It does HINT which hops are used on the neck label.... but i wouldn't know where to start!

All in all... I think its a tasty pint!'
 
Keg is now crystal clear. Hops still there. Nice pint


Just looked at the recipe, looks spot on! .. I'd like to brew this as a B.I.A.B,

Any suggestions for a suitable yeast to use? I havn't moved onto "Starters" yet, but maybe there is something comerically available you could reccomend?

I reckon it's a nice, drinkable pint .. would love to make some!

Cheers! and Good Health!
 
Had a bottle of it few weeks back,Morrison's selling it at £1.42 a bottle,nothing like the draught that wetherspoons were knocking out,same goes for hobgoblin gold,a beauty in a bottle but **** when draught
 
Had a bottle of it few weeks back,Morrison's selling it at �£1.42 a bottle,nothing like the draught that wetherspoons were knocking out,same goes for hobgoblin gold,a beauty in a bottle but **** when draught

Was my favourite beer they sold but alas the bottled stuff is truly horrible. Baffles me how they can change the recipe and try to pass it off as the same beer!
 
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