Best of Show: 5 Award-Winning Brewers Share Tips & Recipes
There’s no thrill for a competitive homebrewer that compares to hearing your name announced as the Best of Show (BOS) winner of a competition, and it’s even more impressive when that competition is large. For this survey, I screened the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) database for competitions with over 300 entries in the last year and contacted some of the winners for their assistance. Thanks to Brian Bergquist, Danny Coenen, Jeremy Cowan, Joe Formanek, and Christopher LaSpada for answering the call by graciously sharing and discussing their recipes with me.
I tried to pick a range of styles and then delve a little deeper into each recipe. Instead of talking about a common style, I asked the brewers about brewing for competition and developing recipes that win.
Story of the Beers
The five Best Of Show-winning recipes I selected for this article are:
• German Pilsner by Brian Bergquist
• English Porter by Christopher LaSpada
• English Barleywine by Jeremy Cowan
• American Pale Ale by Danny Coenen
• Imperial Stout by Joe Formanek
Brian Bergquist of Mineral, Virginia, winner of 10th Annual Virginia Beer Blitz (Hampton, Virginia: 83 entries) began brewing with his brother Scott in 2008, and won a third place medal in the first competition they entered. He said they were so excited that they agreed to keep competing until they won a gold medal at a national competition. Yes, goals can be very motivating. He said that his winning Pilsner was the first Pilsner they had brewed, and that it was the first beer in a series of lagers they planned (so they can reuse the yeast in multiple batches). He said the recipe was a bit of an experiment in seeing how step mashes could improve attenuation in a recipe with just base malt. When asked about judge comments, Brian said a BOS (Best of Show) judge mentioned to him that the deciding factor at the end was that a, “German Pilsner is a very technically challenging beer to get perfect, compared to the other beers.”
Christopher LaSpada of Asbury, New Jersey, winner of the 2016 New Jersey State Fair (Augusta, New Jersey: 340 entries) built his English porter as a variation of a proven English brown ale recipe with the addition of kiln coffee malt. He is using a fairly simple and straightforward process for his beer, but that’s not surprising since porters are not typically considered a technically-difficult beer to brew. However, given the variety of character malts present in the recipe, finding a good balance must have been challenging. The BOS-winning version was his first attempt at the recipe.
Jeremy Cowan of Calgary, Alberta, winner of the Because Beer Homebrew Competition (Hamilton, Ontario: 500 entries) wanted to mention three special items about his recipe. First is that he reduced some of the runnings to boost the starting gravity and to develop flavor. Second is that he boiled the wort for a very long time (3 hours) to encourage Maillard reactions in the kettle (again, boosting flavors). Finally, he grew a 4-L yeast starter, crash cooled it a couple of days before brewing, then decanted and discarded the liquid portion on brew day. He then allowed the remaining slurry to warm to pitching temperature during the day. He recommends using at least two smack packs of yeast if not making a starter. His recipe creates a dark and sweet English barleywine that tastes best after at least 10 months of aging — that was the age of the beer that won BOS. Judges noted caramel, toffee, and dark fruit flavors, with a chewy, warming body. He said his favorite judge comment was, “A luscious ale with a distinct malt character and a bursting marmalade flavor that is almost juicy. Sweet and warming.” He mentioned that he’s been refining the recipe since 2013 and that he thinks he will stay with this version now (he also said he just noticed he was out of it, so he says it’s time to make it again).
Danny Coenen of Gainesville, Florida, winner of the 2016 First Coast Cup (Jacksonville, Florida: 548 entries) manages a local homebrew store in Gainesville, Florida, and wanted to help design an all-grain kit that could be brewed in 3.5 hours or less to help keep busy people active in the hobby. He adapted a homebrew recipe supplied by Gainesville’s First Magnitude Brewing Company for their flagship pale ale, 72. Danny tweaked the recipe for their faster process (using no-sparge and a shorter 30-minute boil), and fermented it with two different yeasts (WLP001 and the Yeast Bay Vermont Ale Yeast). He entered both in the competition and the Vermont Ale Yeast version won. He mentioned that despite the use of a New England IPA yeast, it should not be a hazy beer. I like his use of an old-school American combination of hops (Chinook, Cascade, Centennial) with modern hopping techniques (hop-bursting, whirlpool hops). The use of dark Munich malt (Munich Type II) is an interesting twist.
Joe Formanek of Bolingbrook, Illinois, winner of the 2017 Drunk Monk Challenge (Aurora, Illinois: 571 entries) mentioned that his recipe is a variation of the one he used to win the 2011 LongShot American Homebrew Competition, which is organized by Sam Adams. I’ve known Joe for almost as long as I’ve been homebrewing, and I think I first brewed one of his imperial stouts in 2001. So I can attest that he’s been owning this style for decades. I think some interesting things to point out in his recipe are his use of Belgian and German malts in an English-American style. I’ve seen him use this technique before to create additional complexity in his beer. He also seems to have started using Brewtan B, a commercial tannic acid as a stabilizer. I saw that he presented a paper on this method at the 2015 Master Brewers Association of America (MBAA) annual conference. His recipe also isn’t shy on the bittering hops; the IBUs are calculated not measured, and are certainly less than the estimate.
Brewing Winning Beer
Brian Bergquist struggled to come up with specific tips, but characterized the challenge well when he said, “A BOS winning beer is a culmination of all the processes we have learned over several years. Any brewer can occasionally brew a great beer and win a competition, but to do so consistently you need to have every part of the process nailed. It is not just how good is the beer, but how well you can present the beer to the judges. There is no ‘not important’ part of the process; the beer will only be as good as the weakest link in your process.” Amen.
He credits being a Beer Judge Certifcation Program (BJCP) judge and being able to judge his own beer as a factor of his success. Being able to put the beer in context with other beers tasted at competitions is very helpful. While he says that he isn’t actively competing (except in his local competition and the ‘white whale’ national competition), he says that he enters any beer that he has available that he deems worthy.
When he and his brother were actively competing and learning, he entered a lot of competitions and said that Masters Championship of Amateur Brewing (MCAB) qualifiers were some of the best run competitions and the judges had very good feedback. They read every book and article they could find, and began refining their process one step at a time as recommended in Brewing Better Beer (note: sucking up to the author rarely fails). They started controlling fermentation temperature, oxygenating their wort, practicing better yeast management and pitching, limiting cold side aeration, designing water chemistry, and refining other processes. Then they became BJCP judges and shortened their feedback loop.
Christopher LaSpada provided three good tips for competition brewers: Use proper ingredients, become a BJCP judge, and create variations of known winners. When brewing an English style beer, Christopher recommends spending the extra money and time to, “Source proper English malts, hops, and yeast; it does make a difference and was something that the judges noted.” He said the judges detected the toasty English malts and balanced light fruitiness of the English yeast. He said, “Thinking you can sneak in Cascade hops or domestic 2-row is a big mistake.”
As for becoming a judge, Christopher said, “I actually was a BJCP judge before I started entering competitions on a regular basis; it helped me understand the process and what judges were looking for in winning entries.” He credits this for giving him an edge even though he’s only been brewing for two or three years.
He mentioned that his winning English porter was a variation on his dialed-in, award-winning English brown ale with the addition of kiln coffee malt. He commented, “Over time, homebrewers find recipes that they know are winners; the beers that their friends and family are always hoping are on-tap. I always use those base beers when developing a recipe for a competition.” He talked about creating Bière de Garde from a saison recipe, or a red IPA from his base IPA.
Jeremy Cowan provided several recommendations. When brewing big beers, such as his English barleywine, he says that pitching cooler (around 64 °F/18 °C) helps control higher alcohols and keeps the hot alcohol character in check. He believes that precise temperature control is the key to quality, and that allowing the temperature to rise after yeast growth is complete (generally after two days of yeast activity) allows the beer to finish properly. Allowing higher alcohol beers to age sufficiently is also a factor worth noting. He said that the beer kept developing in complexity in the bottle as it aged and the scores kept getting better.
When designing a recipe for competition, he said that the most difficult choice is whether to brew as close to style as possible or to exaggerate the characteristics a bit to help it stand out. He thinks that the entry’s position in its flight can often play a role in how the beer is perceived, but that you can go crazy trying to game this factor. So, he recommends brewing his entries as he prefers to drink them at home, although he acknowledges that this does tend to be at the higher end of flavor for most styles.
He says that he’s been working on simplifying his recipes, although he notes ironically that his English barleywine is one of his more complex recipes with six malts, brown sugar, and a complex boiling scheme. He also says that brewers who one day hope to open a professional brewery will soon realize that complex grists are really not that feasible.
He runs a home yeast lab, which he thinks gives him an advantage in being able to fine-tune his yeast selection for the specific recipe. As a yeast rancher, he also mentions yeast pitching rates and temperature control as key factors to running a healthy fermentation, getting your expected attenuation, and controlling ester production while avoiding common off-flavors. He says his best purchases as a homebrewer were the equipment for his lab, and the temperature controllers and heat wraps for his carboys.
Danny Coenen demonstrated that you could experiment with process (shortening the brew day, in his case) without sacrificing quality. When working with a new recipe, you can make a double batch and have a split fermentation to test two yeast strains. As long as competition rules allow you to enter the same style twice, you can enter them in a competition and see which ones the judges prefer. He also showed that you can sometimes adapt a commercial recipe if you work with a brewery and convert it to a homebrew scale. His version that won used a different yeast strain than that used at the commercial brewery, so don’t be afraid to make inspired substitutions.
My good friend Joe Formanek, double winner of the Ninkasi Award and winner of the LongShot competition, offered two tips for competition brewing: Complexity and brewing to the top of the style. He said that, “Most everyone is brewing good beer nowadays, so your beer needs to stand out.” He suggests trying to distinguish your entry from the competition by using a complex hop and malt bill where appropriate for the style. He brews to the top end of the style guideline for OG, IBU, etc. to also help the beer be noticed. He cites simple judge bias as the factor. He also stresses that the beer needs to be well made in order to have a chance.
I see some common themes among alll these brewers. All are paying attention to quality and brewing techniques, of course. But all are also BJCP judges, understand the style guidelines and judging processes, and think about targeting their beers for competition. That I can agree with: giving judges what they want gives you advantages in competition.
Notice that the winning styles neither are new fads, contain unusual ingredients, nor feature barrels, Brett, or sourness. You can win with normal styles if you can brew them well. Bigger beers need to be a bit more aggressive to help stand out against the competition, while selecting a technically challenging style can be a deciding factor between two otherwise excellent beers.
Some recipes are dialed-in old favorites, while others are first-time winners. So brewers who haven’t already competed shouldn’t feel disadvantaged by going up against those who have been brewing for a long time. However, all these recipes show care in formulation, and a thoughtfulness about placing a well-made beer in peak condition in front of judges. Luck is always a factor in competitions, but following the advice from these winning brewers can help improve your odds.
BEST OF SHOW RECIPES
German Pilsner
By Brian Bergquist
German Pilsner(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.048 FG = 1.008
IBU = 31 SRM = 3 ABV = 5.3%
Winner of the 10th Annual Virginia Beer Blitz (Hampton, Virginia: 383 entries)
Ingredients
9 lbs. 10 oz. (4.4 kg) floor-malted Pilsner malt
3 oz. (85 g) acidulated malt
7.2 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.6 oz./17 g at 12% alpha acid)
1.5 AAU Hallertauer hops (15 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 3% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Hallertauer hops (0 min.)
Saflager W-34/70 or White Labs WLP830 (German Lager) or Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
If you opt to use the liquid yeast strains, two or three days before brew day, make an appropriate-sized yeast starter, aerating the wort thoroughly (preferably with oxygen) before pitching the yeast. This can be skipped if you use the dried yeast. Prepare brewing water to the following profile: 75 ppm calcium, 2 ppm magnesium, 17 ppm sodium, 92 ppm sulfate, 78 ppm chloride, 32 ppm bicarbonate.
This recipe uses a step mash. Mash in the malts at 125 °F (52 °C) in 15 qts. (14 L) of prepared water, and hold this temperature for 20 minutes. Raise mash temperature to 145 °F (63 °C) and hold for 40 minutes. Raise mash temperature to 158 °F (70 °C) and hold for 30 minutes. Raise to 168 °F (76 °C) and hold for 10 minutes. Sparge with 168 °F (76 °C) water until 6.5 gallons (25 L) of wort is collected.
Boil the wort for 90 minutes, adding the hops at times indicated in the ingredients list. Chill the wort rapidly to 45 °F (7 °C). Rehydrate the dry yeast, then pitch into oxygenated wort. Ferment at 50 °F (10 °C) for 2 weeks, raise to 60 °F (16 °C) for one week, lower temperature slowly to
34 °F (1 °C) and lager for two weeks. Prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
German Pilsner
By Brian Bergquist
(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.048 FG = 1.008
IBU = 31 SRM = 4 ABV = 5.3%
Ingredients
6.6 lbs. (3 kg) Pilsner liquid malt extract
7.2 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.6 oz./17 g at 12% alpha acids)
1.5 AAU Hallertauer hops (15 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 3% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Hallertauer hops (0 min.)
Saflager W-34/70 or White Labs WLP830 (German Lager) or Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Use 6 gallons (23 L) of water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C). Turn off heat. Add the liquid malt extract and stir thoroughly to dissolve the extract completely. You do not want to feel liquid extract at the bottom of the kettle when stirring with your spoon. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil. Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding the hops at the times indicated in the ingredients list. Chill the wort rapidly to 45 °F (7 °C).
Rehydrate the dry yeast, then pitch into oxygenated wort. Ferment at 50 °F (10 °C) for 2 weeks, raise to 60 °F (15 °C) for one week, lower temperature slowly to 34 °F (1 °C) and lager for two weeks. Prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
Tips for Success:
This beer was the first Pilsner that Brian and his brother Scott had brewed, and it was the first beer in a series of lagers they planned (so they can reuse the yeast in multiple batches). To really nail this technically challenging style, Brian recommends really paying attention to controlling fermentation temperature, oxygenating the wort, practicing better yeast management and pitching, limiting cold side aeration, designing water chemistry, and refining other processes. For more on making a yeast starter, check out byo.com/resources/build-a-yeast-starter.
One of the biggest keys to brewing award-winning lagers is to control your fermentation temperatures. Fermenting above the normal temperature range may produce excessive fruity-flavored esters or harsh-flavored fusel alcohols.
For all-grain brewers, a note on brewing water. You can make a perfectly fine German Pilsner with most water, (within reason). But if you want to make award-winning examples, it pays to pay attention to your brewing water. Brewing very clean lagers requires very low carbonate water, hence the recipe included in the all-grain recipe here. If you aren’t sure what your brewing water profile is, you can request a water report from your municipal water source. Or start with reverse osmosis (RO) water and build the profile provided.
Papa Don’s Brown (English) Porter
By Christopher LaSpada
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.055 FG = 1.014
IBU = 30 SRM = 29 ABV = 5.6%
Winner of New Jersey State Fair (Augusta, New Jersey: 340 entries)
Ingredients
8 lbs. (3.6 kg) Maris Otter pale ale malt
0.8 lb. (360 g) torrified wheat
0.8 lb. (360 g) UK brown malt
0.8 lb. (360 g) Victory® malt
0.8 lb. (360 g) pale chocolate malt
0.8 lb. (360 g) kiln coffee malt
6.25 AAU East Kent Golding hops (60 min.) (1.25 oz./35 g at 5% alpha acids)
5 AAU East Kent Golding hops (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1275 (Thames Valley Ale) or White Labs WLP017 (Whitbread II Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Two or three days before brew day, make a 2-qt. (2-L) yeast starter, aerating the wort thoroughly (preferably with oxygen) before pitching the yeast.
On brew day, mash in the malts at 152 °F (67 °C) in 18 qts. (17 L) of water with 1 tsp. calcium chloride added to the mash, and hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Sparge with 168 °F (76 °C) water until 6.5 gallons (25 L) of wort is collected.
Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding the hops at times indicated in the ingredients list. Chill to 65 °F (18 °C). Oxygenate, then pitch the yeast starter. Ferment at 65 °F (18 °C) for 5 days, then let rise to 68 °F (20 °C) and ferment for 7 days. Rack the beer into keg or secondary. Prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
Papa Don’s Brown (English) Porter
By Christopher LaSpada
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.055 FG = 1.014
IBU = 30 SRM = 29 ABV = 5.6%
Ingredients
5.2 lbs. (2.4 kg) Maris Otter liquid malt extract
0.8 lb. (360 g) torrified wheat
0.8 lb. (360 g) UK brown malt
0.8 lb. (360 g) Victory® malt
0.8 lb. (360 g) pale chocolate malt
0.8 lb. (360 g) kiln coffee malt
6.25 AAU East Kent Golding hops
(60 min.) (1.25 oz./35 g at 5% alpha acids)
5 AAU East Kent Golding hops
(10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1275 (Thames Valley Ale) or White Labs WLP017 (Whitbread II Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Two or three days before brew day, make a 2-qt. (2-L) yeast starter, aerating the wort thoroughly (preferably with oxygen) before pitching the yeast.
Use 6 gallons (23 L) of water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C). Place the malts and grains in a mesh bag, and steep in the hot water for 30 minutes. Remove the mesh bag, then turn the heat off. Add the liquid malt extract and stir thoroughly to dissolve the extract completely. You do not want to feel liquid extract at the bottom of the kettle when stirring with your spoon. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil. Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding the hops at the times indicated in the recipe.
Chill to 65 °F (18 °C). Oxygenate, then pitch the yeast starter. Ferment at 65 °F (18 °C) for 5 days, then let rise to 68 °F (20 °C) and ferment for 7 days. Rack the beer into keg or secondary. Prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
Tips for Success:
This was Christopher’s first attempt at brewing this recipe, which is a variation of a proven English brown ale recipe with the addition of kiln coffee malt. Creating variations of proven winners is one of Christopher’s proven methods for winning medals. Porters are not technically challenging beers, however be sure to find a good malt balance. He also advises to take the time and spend the money to source proper English malts, hops, and yeast.
Terry Foster, author of Porter (Classic Beer Style) (Brewers Publications, 1998), advises that one reason why porter was historically well-suited to brewing in London was because the city’s water is high in temporary hardness (calcium carbonate). So long as your mash acidity is in the range of pH 5.2–5.5, however, you should be fine.
Fookin Buggerin Time Barleywine
By Jeremy Cowan
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.106 FG = 1.030
IBU = 70 SRM = 22 ABV = 11.3%
Winner of Because Beer Homebrew Competition (Hamilton, Ontario:
500 entries)
Ingredients
17 lbs. (7.7 kg) pale ale malt
1 lb. (454 g) Briess Special Roast malt (40 °L)
1 lb. (454 g) carastan malt (35 °L)
4 oz. (113 g) crystal malt (40 °L)
6 oz. (170 g) crystal malt (80 °L)
9 oz. (255 g) crystal malt (120 °L)
1 lb. (454 g) brown sugar (30 min.)
25 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (1.5 oz./43 g at 16.7% alpha acid)
2.8 AAU UK Golding hops (20 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 5.6% alpha acid)
0.5 oz. (14 g) UK Golding hops (0 min.)
Wyeast 1028 (London Ale) or White Labs WLP013 (London Ale) or Lallemand Windsor yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Two or three days before brew day, make at least a 2-qt. (2-L) yeast starter, aerating the wort thoroughly (preferably with oxygen) before pitching the yeast. If opting for the dry yeast option, be sure to pitch 2 sachets.
On brew day, mash in the malts at 150 °F (66 °C) in 40 qts. (38 L) of water, and hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Sparge slowly with 170 °F (77 °C) water until 8.2 gallons (31 L) of wort is collected. Reserve the final 1 gallon (4 L) of wort collected. Boil this wort separately to reduce to 1 quart (1 L), then add to the main volume of wort.
Boil the full volume of wort for 180 minutes (that’s right, three hours), adding the hops at times indicated in the ingredients list. Add the brown sugar in the last 30 minutes. Chill to 64 °F (18 °C). Oxygenate, then pitch the yeast starter. Ferment at 66 °F (19 °C) for one week, then raise to 70 °F (21 °C) until fermentation is complete. Prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
Fookin Buggerin Time Barleywine
By Jeremy Cowan
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.106 FG = 1.030
IBU = 70 SRM = 22 ABV = 11.3%
Ingredients
11.5 lbs. (5.2 kg) light liquid malt extract
1 lb. (454 g) Briess Special Roast malt (40 °L)
1 lb. (454 g) carastan malt (35 °L)
4 oz. (113 g) crystal malt (40 °L)
6 oz. (170 g) crystal malt (80 °L)
9 oz. (255 g) crystal malt (120 °L)
1 lb. (454 g) brown sugar (30 min.)
25 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (1.5 oz./43 g at 16.7% alpha acid)
2.8 AAU UK Golding hops (20 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 5.6% alpha acid)
0.5 oz. (14 g) UK Golding hops (0 min.)
Wyeast 1028 (London Ale) or White Labs WLP013 (London Ale) or Lallemand Windsor yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Two or three days before brew day, make at least a 2-qt. (2-L) yeast starter, aerating the wort thoroughly (preferably with oxygen) before pitching the yeast. If opting for the dry yeast option, be sure to pitch 2 sachets.
Use 8 gallons (30 L) of water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C). Place the malts in a mesh bag, and steep in the hot water for 30 minutes. Remove the mesh bag, then turn the heat off. Add the liquid malt extract and stir thoroughly to dissolve the extract completely. You do not want to feel liquid extract at the bottom of the kettle when stirring with your spoon. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil. Boil the wort for 180 minutes, adding the hops at the times indicated in the ingredients list. Add the brown sugar in the last 30 minutes.
Chill to 64 °F (18 °C). Oxygenate, then pitch the yeast starter. Ferment at 66 °F (19 °C) for one week, then raise to 70 °F (21 °C) until fermentation is complete. Prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
Tips for Success:
A high-gravity beer like this absolutely needs enough healthy yeast cells for the fermentation to be successful. Jeremy has been refining this recipe since 2013 and he recommends using at least two smack packs of yeast if not making a starter (although a starter is highly recommended). For more on making a yeast starter, check out byo.com/resources/build-a-yeast-starter.
His recipe creates a dark and sweet English barleywine that tastes best after at least 10 months of aging — that was the age of the beer that won BOS. For more about aging your homebrew, check out byo.com/story150.
Ichetucknee Pale Ale (Vermont Version)
By Danny Coenen
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.054 FG = 1.012
IBU = 36 SRM = 8 ABV = 5.5%
Winner of First Coast Cup (Jacksonville, Florida: 548 entries)
Ingredients
9.25 lbs. (4.2 kg) US 2-row brewers malt
1.25 lbs. (567 g) German dark Munich malt (9 °L)
10.5 oz. (298 g) British crystal malt (45 °L)
3.7 AAU Chinook hops (30 min.) (0.33 oz./9 g at 11.1% alpha acid)
2.3 AAU Cascade hops (10 min.) (0.5 oz./ 14 g at 4.5% alpha acid)
5.2 AAU Centennial hops (10 min.) (0.5 oz./ 14 g at 10.3% alpha acid)
3.7 AAU Chinook hops (10 min.) (0.33 oz./9 g at 11.1% alpha acid)
2.3 AAU Cascade hops (0 min.) (0.5 oz./ 14 g at 4.5% alpha acid)
5.2 AAU Centennial hops (0 min.) (0.5 oz./ 14 g at 10.3% alpha acid)
3.7 AAU Chinook hops (0 min.) (0.33 oz./9 g at 11.1% alpha acid)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Cascade hops (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Centennial hops (dry hop)
0.33 oz. (9 g) Chinook hops (dry hop)
Whirlfloc tablet (15 min.)
½ tsp. yeast nutrients (15 min.)
Yeast Bay Vermont Ale or White Labs WLP095 (Burlington Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Two or three days before brew day, make a 1-qt. (1-L) yeast starter. Prepare water: Use 31 quarts (29 L) of reverse osmosis (RO) water treated with 5.4 g calcium sulfate and 2.3 g calcium chloride. The entire volume of water will be used in the mash.
On brew day, mash in the malts at 152 °F (68 °C) with all the water, and hold this temperature for 30 minutes. Drain the liquid from the mash tun (no sparge), collecting 5.5 gallons (21 L). Boil the wort for 30 minutes, adding the hops at times indicated in the ingredients list. Add a Whirlfloc tablet and ½ tsp of yeast nutrient at 15 minutes. For the hops added at the end of the boil, turn off the heat, add the hops, stir the wort, then let rest for 10 minutes then chill to 67 °F (19 °C).
Oxygenate, then pitch the yeast starter. Ferment at 67 °F (19 °C) for 10 days then add the dry hops. Remove the dry hops after five more days, then fine as needed with Isinglass or gelatin. Prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
Ichetucknee Pale Ale (Vermont Version)
By Danny Coenen
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.054 FG = 1.012
IBU = 36 SRM = 8 ABV = 5.5%
Ingredients
6.3 lbs. (2.9 kg) light liquid malt extract
1.25 lbs. (567 g) German dark Munich malt (9 °L)
10.5 oz. (298 g) British crystal malt (45 °L)
3.7 AAU Chinook hops (30 min.) (0.33 oz./9 g at 11.1% alpha acid)
2.3 AAU Cascade hops (10 min.) (0.5 oz./ 14 g at 4.5% alpha acid)
5.2 AAU Centennial hops (10 min.) (0.5 oz./ 14 g at 10.3% alpha acid)
3.7 AAU Chinook hops (10 min.) (0.33 oz./9 g at 11.1% alpha acid)
2.3 AAU Cascade hops (0 min.) (0.5 oz./ 14 g at 4.5% alpha acid)
5.2 AAU Centennial hops (0 min.) (0.5 oz./ 14 g at 10.3% alpha acid)
3.7 AAU Chinook hops (0 min.) (0.33 oz./9 g at 11.1% alpha acid)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Cascade hops (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Centennial hops (dry hop)
0.33 oz. (9 g) Chinook hops (dry hop)
Whirlfloc tablet (15 min.)
½ tsp. yeast nutrients (15 min.)
Yeast Bay Vermont Ale or White Labs WLP095 (Burlington Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Two or three days before brew day, make a 1-qt. (1-L) yeast starter.
Place crushed grains in a mesh bag. Heat 3 qts. (3 L) of water in the brew kettle to 163 °F (73 °C) and submerge the grains in the water. Steep grains in the hot water for 30 minutes, trying to maintain the temperature around 152 °F (68 °C). Remove the mesh bag and top off to 6 gallons (23 L), then turn the heat off. Add the liquid malt extract and stir thoroughly to dissolve the extract completely. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil. Boil the wort for 30 minutes, adding the hops at times indicated in the ingredients list. Add a Whirlfloc tablet and ½ tsp of yeast nutrient at 15 minutes. For the hops added at the end of the boil, turn off the heat, add the hops, stir the wort, then let rest for 10 minutes then chill to 67 °F (19 °C). Oxygenate, then pitch the yeast starter. Ferment at 67 °F (19 °C) for 10 days then add the dry hops. Remove the dry hops after five more days, then fine as needed with Isinglass or gelatin. Prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
Four Tsarinas Imperial Stout
By Joe Formanek
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.105 FG = 1.028
IBU = 108 SRM = 76 ABV = 11.4%
Winner of Drunk Monk Challenge (Aurora, Illinois – 571 entries)
Ingredients
15 lbs. (6.8 kg) Maris Otter pale ale malt
1.5 lbs. (680 g) English roasted barley
1 lb. (454 g) Belgian chocolate malt
1 lb. (454 g) Belgian aromatic malt
1 lb. (454 g) German wheat malt
1 lb. (454 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
8 oz. (227 g) German caramel wheat malt
8 oz. (227 g) German chocolate wheat malt
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian biscuit malt
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian black malt
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian caramel Vienne malt
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian Special B malt
36 AAU Centennial hops (60 min.) (4 oz./113 g at 9% alpha acids)
4.6 AAU UK Golding hops (30 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4.6% alpha acids)
4.6 AAU UK Golding hops (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4.6% alpha acids)
½ tsp. Wyeast Brewtan B (16 min.)
1 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Safale US-05 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Two or three days before brew day, make a 2-qt. (2-L) yeast starter. Prepare the water. Adjust with 2 tsp. CaCO3 per 5 gal. (19 L) carbon-filtered tap water. Add ¼ tsp. Brewtan B per 5 gal. (19 L) mash and strike water.
Cook oatmeal with 8 cups (1.9 L) water until properly gelatinized. Add 1 lb. (454 g) base malt and enough water to raise to 128 °F (53 °C), hold for 15 minutes, then add to main mash. Start the mash at 130 °F (54 °C) and raise it to 155 °F (68 °C) over 15 minutes. Hold for 60 minutes until converted. Mash out at 170 °F (77 °C) for 10 minutes. Sparge with 4 gal. (15 L) water at 170 °F (77 °C). Collect 6.5 gallons (25 L) wort. Boil for 75 minutes, adding the hops as indicated in the ingredients list. Add ½ tsp. Brewtan B, prehydrated in 25 mL cooled strike water, in the last 16 minutes of the boil. Add 1 tsp. Irish moss, prehydrated in 25 mL cooled strike water, in the last 15 minutes of the boil. Chill to 65 °F (18 °C). Oxygenate, then pitch the yeast starter. Ferment at 65 °F (18 °C) for 12 days, then transfer for a secondary at 65 °F (18 °C) for 30 days. Prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
Four Tsarinas Imperial Stout
By Joe Formanek
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.105 FG = 1.028
IBU = 108 SRM = 76 ABV = 11.4%
Ingredients
11.7 lbs. (5.3 kg) light liquid malt extract
1.5 lbs. (680 g) English roasted barley
1 lb. (454 g) Belgian chocolate malt
1 lb. (454 g) Belgian aromatic malt
1 lb. (454 g) German wheat malt
1 lb. (454 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
8 oz. (227 g) German caramel wheat malt
8 oz. (227 g) German chocolate wheat malt
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian biscuit malt
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian black malt
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian caramel Vienne malt
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian Special B malt
36 AAU Centennial hops (60 min.) (4 oz./113 g at 9% alpha acids)
4.6 AAU UK Golding hops (30 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4.6% alpha acids)
4.6 AAU UK Golding hops (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4.6% alpha acids)
½ tsp. Wyeast Brewtan B (16 min.)
1 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Safale US-05 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Two or three days before brew day, make a 2-qt. (2-L) yeast starter. Prepare the water. Adjust with 2 tsp. CaCO3 per 5 gal. (19 L) carbon-filtered tap water. Add ¼ tsp. Brewtan B per 5 gal. (19 L) mash and strike water. Use 6 gallons (23 L) of water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C). Place the malts in a mesh bag, and steep in the hot water for 30 minutes. Remove the mesh bag, then turn the heat off. Add the liquid malt extract and stir thoroughly to dissolve the extract completely. You do not want to feel liquid extract at the bottom of the kettle when stirring with your spoon. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil.
Boil for 60 minutes, adding the hops as indicated in the ingredients list. Add ½ tsp. Brewtan B, prehydrated in 25 mL cooled strike water, in the last 16 minutes of the boil. Add 1 tsp. Irish moss, prehydrated in 25 mL cooled strike water, in the last 15 minutes of the boil. Chill to 65 °F (18 °C). Oxygenate, then pitch the yeast starter. Ferment at 65 °F (18 °C) for 12 days, then transfer for a secondary at 65 °F (18 °C) for 30 days. Prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
