Recipes
Beer-style: Amber Ales & Lagers Family
Gordon Strong’s Märzen
This is a competition beer. It is a bit bigger, sweeter, and maltier than many modern German Märzen examples, which judges often prefer.
The Maltose Falcons 50th Anniversary Festbier
The Falcons and Sierra Nevada have had a long history and close relationship over the years. Something about members of the Grossman clan and others learning how to brew while in high school here in Los Angeles with supplies from John Daume. (Things are foggy and who knows about statute of limitations!) But seriously, both the Falcons and Sierra Nevada have been around since the start of this crazy “good beer” thing we all enjoy, so it’s only right that we joined forces with them for our 50th anniversary beer. Also, this brew session came about after a number of discussions and one really big kick in the pants by Marty Velas, “youngest President in club history” and Owner/Brewer of Fanatic Brewing Company in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Marty convinced Sierra Nevada to brew a festbier because we’re celebrating 50 years, it’s our Oktoberfest, and the club really was founded with a deep and abiding love of lagers as demonstrated by Merlin Elhardt and Cal Moeller’s obsession with them.
Smog City Brewing Co.’s Sabre-Toothed Squirrel clone
This hoppy amber ale features hop characteristics of pine, citrus, and herbal notes that pair perfectly with a maltier beer.
Gordon Strong’s Irish Red Ale
My recipe is a middle-of-the-road example for Ireland. It uses a rather dextrinous base malt (mild malt) with a little bit of oats to increase the mouthfeel.
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.’s Oaktoberfest clone
Oaktoberfest has been part of the Firestone Walker lineup for about 20 years, but was originally a small volume beer brewed for Oktoberfest celebrations in and around the Paso brewery.
Dovetail Brewery’s Vienna-Style Lager clone
One of the standouts in the core lineup from Dovetail Brewery is their Vienna-Style Lager. Dovetail employs a double decoction mash for it.
Gordon Strong’s Vienna Lager
Your goal here is a smooth, standard-strength malty beer with enough hop bitterness to match the malt. It should not be heavy on the palate or sweet in the finish
Festbier Is the Best Bier
A traditional festbier to be enjoyed by the liter during Oktoberfest or any fall festivities.
Monks’ Fortitude Märzen
Monks’ Fortitude is an homage to the malty Märzens of Franconia.
Gordon Strong’s Bière de Garde
An amber bière de garde in the style of Jenlain using (mostly) malts from the area.
Saddle Mountain Brewing Co.’s Taildragger Clan-Destine clone
Checking in at 6.2% ABV and 22 IBU, Clan-Destine is medium-full bodied, drinks rich with notes of toffee and caramel from Golden Promise and Crystal 77 additions, yet finishes clean without being heavy.
Gordon Strong’s Scottish Export
This recipe can easily be scaled down to make a Scottish heavy, say at 3.5% ABV, or scaled up to a stronger but still export strength 5.2% beer. Pick the alcohol level you want, and let your recipe software do the work for you to scale it.
