Low-Hop Homebrew Recipes
For centuries, brewers around the world have made a wide variety of classic beer styles that are focused on malt or on the characteristics imparted by the yeast. The nine recipes here will fill your mouth with flavor, but don’t empty your freezer of hops.
In search of low-hop recipes, Brew Your Own put out a call to homebrew shops around the US for low-hop recipes that were currently popular . . . and featured hop varieties you could still get your hands on. The recipes in this collection range from low-gravity session milds to big, strapping Tripels. For the adventurous, there’s even a beer bittered with mugwort.
In this package, we also pass along some inventive ways to stretch your hop supply. Plus, using many of these ideas, we’ve assembled a pale ale recipe for the thrifty homebrewer — a brew that shows all the hop character you could want in 5 gallons (19 L) of pale ale but uses only two ounces (57 g) of hops.
Bankside Beach London Mild Ale
The Beverage People, Santa Rosa, California
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.035 FG = 1.009
IBU = 19 ABV = 3.4%
This style — London Mild — is the smallest of historic English brown ales, all of them fairly low in hops. Our beer came out very tasty, and as a bonus, low in carbs, thus the name Bankside, which was the neighborhood of pubs and theatres famous in Shakespeare’s time, on the south side of the River Thames. If it had a beach, it would be a South Beach!
Ingredients
5.0 lbs. (2.3 kg) domestic 2-row pale malt
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) British brown malt
2.0 oz. (57 g) Special B malt
2.0 oz. (57 g) Chocolate malt
1⁄2 tsp. gypsum
1⁄4 tsp. calcium chloride
1⁄2 tsp. chalk
2 tsp. Irish Moss (15 min.)
3.3 AAU Kent Golding hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./ 14 g of 6.6% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Fuggle hops (30 min.)
Wyeast 1028 (London Ale) yeast
0.75 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Mash all grains at 140 °F (60 °C) and hold for one hour. Heat to 150 °F (66 °C) and hold for another 30 minutes. Mash out and sparge at 170 °F (77 °C). Use a 60 minute boil, with water salts and adding hops as indicated above. Irish Moss added as clarifier for last 15 minutes.
Blonde AlE
South Hills Brewing Supply Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
(5 gallons, 19 L, extract)
OG = 1.040–45 FG = 1.008–12
IBU = 10 ABV = 4+%
Ingredients
3.0 lbs. (1.4 kg) extra light dried malt extract
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) rice syrup solids
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) light honey
1.75 AAU Mt. Hood hops (bittering) (0.35 oz./10 g of 5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Mt. Hood hops (aroma)
1 tsp. yeast nutrient
1 whirlfloc tablet
White Labs WLP029 (German Ale/Kölsch) yeast
1 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Add bittering hops to 1.5 gallons (5.7 L) of water, bring to a boil for 30 minutes and remove from heat. Add malt and rice extracts and stir until thoroughly dissolved. Bring to a light simmer and maintain for 15 minutes. Add one teaspoon of yeast nutrient and the whirlfloc tablet (this aids in clarity) along with the finishing hops and honey. Continue simmering for another 10 minutes. Cool with the aid of a wort chiller to a temperature of 70–80 °F (21–27 °C). Add to plastic fermenter with 3 gallons (11 L) of room temperature water. Alternatively, cover pot and chill in ice water bath for 15–20 minutes. Add to fermenter and top up with 3 gallons (11 L) of cold water. (If using this method, refrigerate water the day before brewing.) Pitch yeast and ferment for a week to 10 days. Transfer to a glass carboy and ferment until completion. Prime, bottle and age for three weeks or more (if you can wait).
Karmeleit Clone (Belgian Tripel)
Bader Beer & Wine Supply Vancouver, Washington
(5 gallons, 19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.081 FG = 1.019
IBU = 22 ABV = 8.2%
This recipe for a Belgian tripel is a smooth, warm, slightly dry version of the Belgian tripel. The coriander and orange peel in the recipe along with the spiciness of the Belgian ale yeast give it a bit of a complex taste. While this beer is low in hop bitterness, the phenolic flavors of the yeast help to give the perception of a higher hop level, without the hops! High yeast attenuation attributes a dry flavor not normally found in high-gravity beers.
Ingredients
3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) unhopped light liquid malt extract
3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) unhopped wheat liquid malt extract
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) light dry malt powder 1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) candi sugar (boil 15 min.) 1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) Belgian Pilsner malt
0.5 lbs. (0.23 kg) wheat malt
0.5 lbs. (0.23 kg) aromatic malt
0.75 lb. (0.34 kg) flaked oats
1.0 oz. (28 g) sweet orange peel (15 min.)
0.5 oz. (14 g) coriander (crushed, 15 min.)
5 AAU Northern Brewer hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 10% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. US Goldings hops (5 min.)
0.5 tsp. Irish moss (45 min.)
1 Servomyces tablet (15 min)
White Labs WLP 550 (Belgian Ale) yeast
0.75 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Steep crushed malted grain in 2.0 gallons (7.6 L) of 150 °F (66 °C) water for 30 minutes. Remove the grain from the hot water with a strainer, and then bring water to a boil. When boiling starts, remove pot from burner and add 1 cup (237 mL) malt syrup. Return to a boil, then add boiling hops and boil for 60 minutes. Add Irish moss for last 45 minutes of boil. Add candi sugar, sweet orange peel, coriander and Servomyces for last 15 minutes of the boil. Add finishing hops for last 5 minutes of the boil. Then add remainder of malt syrup and dry malt extract and stir to mix, wait 10 minutes to sanitize. Fill your sanitized carboy with 2 gallons (7.6 L) of cold water. Strain the hot wort into the carboy and top off to the 5-gallon (19-L) mark. Add yeast when beer is less than 78 °F (26 °C), and ferment and bottle as usual.
Maple Red Ale
NFG Homebrew Supplies Leominster, Massachusetts
(5 gallons/19 L, extract)
OG = 1.060 FG = 1.010
IBU = depends on extract ABV = 6.5%
Ingredients
1 can Coopers Real Ale hopped liquid malt extract kit (This 3.75 lb./1.7 kg beer kit is hopped, so there is no need to boil hops.)
3.0 lbs. (1.4 kg) amber dried malt extract
3.4 fl. oz. (100 mL) real maple syrup
Danstar Nottingham Ale or White Labs WLP009 (Australian Ale) yeast
0.75 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Soak can of malt in hot water for 5 minutes to soften. Pour 2.0 gallons (7.6 L) of hot water into your brew kettle and bring to a boil. When boil commences, remove kettle from heat, add dried then liquid malt extracts and maple syrup to your kettle. Stir in to completely dissolve, rinse out can and add it to the brew. Bring back to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes. After the boil is complete, cool wort (unfermented beer) quickly. (Immerse brew kettle into an ice bath.) Put 2 gallons (7.6 L) of cold water (filtered or bottled) into your sanitized brew bucket. Add the cooled wort to your bucket and top up to the 5-gallon (19-L) mark. When the temperature reaches 70–75 °F (21–24 °C), you should aerate the wort well. (Aggressive stirring or shaking works.) Sprinkle the yeast on top, cover and let stand for 5 minutes, stir in yeast and re-cover. Make sure you have a sterile, sanitized solution in your airlock. Allow to ferment for 7 days in primary fermenter at 65–70 °F (18–21 °C). Rack (siphon) into a carboy for another 7 days.
To bottle, bring 1 cup of water to a boil, add the priming sugar and boil for 5 minutes. Allow sugar solution to cool and then add to the bottling bucket, rack finished beer into the bottling bucket, without any splashing and quietly stir in. Fill your sterile bottles and cap, quietly stir about half way through bottling to mix the sugar in again. Allow your bottled beer to stand in a warm place (70–75 °F/21–24 °C) for 1 to 2 weeks to naturally carbonate then transfer to a cool place for an additional week.
RYE-ZEN-SHINE
Beer & Winemaking Supplies, Inc. Northampton, Massachusetts
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.048–52 FG = 1.012–14
IBU = 44–56 ABV = 5+%
Ingredients
7.0 lbs. (3.2 kg) Northwestern Light liquid malt extract
10 oz. (0.28 kg) German rye malt
6.0 oz. (0.17 kg) torrified wheat malt
4.0 oz. (0.11 kg) US Special Roast malt
6.0 oz. (0.17 kg) German CaraHell® malt
1 oz. (28 g) any high-alpha hop variety (from 12–15% alpha acids)
ale yeast of your choice (dried or liquid)
5 oz. (0.14 kg) corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Heat 2.5 quarts (2.4 L) of water to 172 ° F (78 °C), and mix with grains in small cooler, stirring well, until temperature stabilizes between 150–154 °F (66–68 °C). Close cover, and let grains steep for 45 minutes. If no cooler is available, try to keep temperature steady in a small covered pot, off of stove, insulated with towels. While grains are steeping, heat 2 gallons (7.6 L) of water up to 168 °F (76 °C) in your smaller stockpot. Place strainer or colander on large stockpot, and spoon grains and any liquid into it. With a small pitcher or measuring cup, pour the water over the grains, so that the color and flavor is rinsed from the grain, and drains through into your stockpot. Discard or compost the grain when done. Bring to a boil, then shut off. On a cold burner, cut open a corner of the malt extract bag, and squeeze all of it into stockpot. Stir well, then return to a boil, constantly stirring to dissolve well. When boil returns, add the hop pellets. Continue stirring. Continue boil for 60 total minutes, then shut off heat. Let sit covered at least 15 minutes to cool. You can run cold water around the pot if further cooling is needed. Put 2 gallons (7.6 L) of very cold water in your sanitized bucket, then pour the boiled liquid in, leaving hop residue behind. Stir well with sanitized spoon, and add more very cold water, to slightly over the 5-gallon (19-L) mark. Take a hydrometer reading and temperature as well. If still above 85 °F (29 °C), cover loosely and wait. When temperature is 85 °F (29 °C) or below, sprinkle yeast on surface (or follow package instructions), and stir well to mix and aerate. Aerating well will help yeast to grow. Snap lid on, with water-filled airlock in place, and place at room temperature for 4–5 days. After 4–5 days, siphon beer over to sanitized glass carboy, and attach water filled airlock. Swirl gently to release carbon dioxide bubbles, which will push air out through airlock and protect the beer. Let sit at least 7 days to finish and clear. Take hydrometer reading, and if close to final gravity, prepare to bottle the beer by sanitizing bottles, caps, siphon, bottle filler, etc. Dissolve priming sugar in 2 cups of water on stovetop, by boiling for a few minutes, then shutting off heat to let cool. Transfer beer to bucket, and stir in priming syrup to distribute evenly. Siphon into bottles and cap them well. Let sit at room temperature for at least 2 weeks to allow beer to carbonate, at which time it can be moved to a cooler area. Beer will benefit from aging.
Evil Monk Belgian Pale Ale
Culver City Home Brewing Supply Culver City, California
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.048 FG = 1.010
IBU = 22 SRM = 8 ABV = 4.9%
What happens when you brew an English-influenced pale ale in a country whose brewing is dominated by Trappist monks? You get this dark golden beer which will keep you going back for more!
Ingredients
6.0 lbs. (2.7 kg) Alexander’s pale liquid malt extract
0.5 lbs. (0.23 kg) corn sugar
4 oz. (0.11 kg) Caravienne malt
4 oz. (0.11 kg) Carafoam® malt
4 oz. (0.11 kg) aromatic malt
4 oz. (0.11 kg) biscuit malt
4.9 AAU Perle hops (60 min.) (0.7 oz./20 g of 7.0% alpha acids)
1.6 AAU Saaz hops (15 min.) (0.4 oz./11 g of 4 % alpha acids)
0.2 oz. (5.7 g) Saaz hops (0 min.)
Wyeast 3522 (Belgian Ardennes), WhiteLabs WLP565 (Saison I) or Wyeast 3942 (Belgian Wheat) yeast
0.75 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
In a small pot, bring 3 or 4 quarts (3 to 4 L) of water to around 150 °F (66 °C). Remove from the heat and stir in the specialty grains, cover and steep for 20–30 minutes. Meanwhile, fill the large brew pot half full with water and apply heat. When bubbles start to rise from the large pot, turn off the heat and stir in the extract. After the grains have steeped for 20–30 minutes, pour them through a strainer into the large brew pot. Add some hot water to the small pot and rinse the grains in the strainer. Bring what is now called wort to a full, rolling boil. Watch for boilovers! Once the foaming stops, add the contents of the first hop package. Sanitize your fermenter, strainer, airlock and stopper. Maintain the boil for one hour, adding hops as per recipe. When the boil is done, cool the pot in a sink until sides are cool to the touch.
Pour the wort into your sanitized fermenter, add pre-chilled water to bring it up to 5 gallons (19 L) at about 75 °F (24 °C) and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 65–75 °F (18–24 °C).
Hairy Porter and the French Kiss
Adventures in Homebrewing Taylor, Michigan
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.050–1.055 FG = 1.012–1.014
IBU = no hops ABV = 4.5–5.0%
Ingredients
6.0 lbs. (2.7 kg) dried malt extract or 7.2 lbs. (3.3 kg) liquid malt extract
0.5 lb. (0.25 kg) crystal malt (60 °L)
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) chocolate malt
0.5 lb. (0.25 kg) flaked barley
0.5 lb. (0.25 kg) biscuit malt
0.5 lb. (0.25 kg) kiln coffee malt
1 oz. (28 kg) mugwort (boiling)
1⁄2 dram Amaretto extract (flavoring)
White Labs WLP028 (Edinburgh Ale) yeast
0.75 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Remove crushed grains from package and put in muslin bag. Tie bag at end to allow maximum circulation. Place in minimum 1.0 gallon (3.8 L) cold water, slowly bring to approximately 160 °F (71 °C), hold temperature for 10 minutes. Discard grain. Add malt extract, stir well to dissolve. Bring to a boil, add mugwort, and continue boil for 60 minutes. Pour unfermented beer (wort) slowly into fermentation vessel containing enough cold water to total 5 gallons (19 L). Let temperature drop to approximately 80 °F (27 °C). Take hydrometer reading, sprinkle or pitch yeast on top. Affix cover and airlock to fermenter and stabilize temperature at approximately 67–72 °F (19–22 °C). Airlock should be active within 24 hours, with fermentation slowing down by the end of day 7. Siphon beer into clean carboy, add amaretto and affix airlock and cover to keep light out and let clear for approximately 7 days. When ready to bottle, boil priming sugar in approximately 1 cup water for 1 minute, add to bottom of bottling bucket, then siphon beer into the same bucket. Fill bottles to 1 inch (2.5 cm) from top of bottle and cap. Store beer at 67–70 °F (19–21 °C) for 7–10 days minimum.
Vanilla Cream Ale
Bet-Mar Liquid Hobby Shop
Columbia, South Carolina
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.059 F.G. = 1.015
IBU = 9 ABV = 5.7%
Ingredients
10 lb. (4.5 kg) Pilsen malt
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) torrified wheat
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) Carafoam® malt
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) flaked rice
2 oz. (57 g) heather tips
2.3 AAU Vanguard hops (90 mins) (0.5 oz./14 g of 4.6% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) dried woodruff
4 fresh vanilla beans
White Labs WLP080 (Cream Ale Blend) yeast
0.75 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Add all grains in 4 gallons (15 L) water at 163 °F (73 °C). Mash at 150 °F (66 °C) for 90 minutes. Sparge with 5 gallons (19 L) of water at 168 °F (76 °C). Collect wort, bring to a boil and add heather tips, hops and one vanilla bean (split). Boil for 65 minutes, then add woodruff and one vanilla bean (split) Boil for 20 min, then add one vanilla bean (split) Boil for 2 min. Chill, aerate wort and pitch yeast. Ferment at 65–70 °F (18–21 °C). During secondary fermentation, add one vanilla bean (split) to the fermenter.
DESPERATE TIMES INDIA PALE ALE
DeFalco’s Home Wine and Beer Supplies Houston, Texas
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.064 FG = 1.015
IBU = 23 ABV = 6.3%
I don’t care if times are bad. . . I ain’t giving up my hoppy ales! You just have to be a little innovative! Here’s my attempt at a hoppy beer without too many hops (huh?). I’m using hop varieties that seem to be commonly available these days.
Ingredients
6.0 lbs. (2.7 kg) Muntons light hopped dried malt extract
2.0 lbs. (0.91 kg) 2-row pale malt
12 oz. (0.34 kg) British medium crystal malt
1 pkg. Burton Water Salts (or 1.5 tsp. gypsum)
6 AAU Glacier hops (50 min) (1 oz./28 g of 6% alph acids) (use Mt. Hood hops if Glacier hops are unavailable)
1.3 AAU U.S. Goldings (10 mins) (0.33 oz./9.4 g of 4% alpha acids) (second choice: Mt. Hood or any other variety that smells nice)
0.33 oz. (9.4 g) U.S. Goldings (end of boil)
0.33 oz. (9.4 g) U.S. Goldings (dry hop) (if using pellets, crush)
1 cup turbinado sugar (end of boil)
White Labs WLP 007 (Dry English Ale) yeast
2⁄3 cup turbinado sugar (priming)
Step by Step
Heat a gallon of water to approximately 165 °F (74 °C). Add water salts and the crushed grains (if you’re lazy like me, throw them into a muslin steeping bag). Resulting temperature should be between 150 and 160 °F (66 to 71 °C). Cover and steep for 20 minutes. Remove bag and rinse with hot tap water until you’ve collected at least 3 gallons (11 L) of “grain tea.” (Personally, I like to collect at least 5 gallons/19 L.) Bring the “tea” near a boil and add the dried malt extract. Stir like crazy to dissolve, then bring to a full boil. Add the Glacier hops and boil for 50 minutes. Then add the first third of an ounce of Goldings. Boil an additional 10 minutes, then add another third of an ounce of hops. Turn off heat and cool as rapidly as possible. Add to sanitized fermenter and top off with cool water to five U.S. gallons (19 L). Add the vial of yeast (now warmed up to room temperature), stir like crazy, again, to aerate. Ferment in the mid 60s to low 70s Fahrenheit (~18–23 °C), if possible. Once the active fermentation has subsided, it’s time to dry hop this puppy with that last third of an ounce of hops. Either crush up your hop pellets and add them to the bottom of your sanitized secondary fermenter immediately prior to syphoning the beer over (double stage fermentation), or add the crushed hops directly to the existing fermenter (single stage fermentation). Bottle in your usual fashion. Good luck! I hope this takes care of your hops jones!
Toki’s Brutal Pale Ale
Brew Your Own magazine
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.050 FG = 1.010
IBU = up to 50 (depending on hop selection)
SRM = 9 ABV = 5.1%
This 5-gallon (19-L) recipe uses only two ounces (57 g) of hops, but delivers plenty of hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. How? By expending a little extra effort to get the most from the hops. Essentially, there are three main ways this is done: First, hop aroma is extracted from the bittering hops before they are boiled. It is added back to the wort at the end of the boil. Next, some of the alpha acids are recovered from the late hops after they have been used. And finally, the late hopping is done in secondary. This reduces the loss of hop compounds due to being absorbed by yeast or blown off due to the churning and outgassing that occurs during primary fermentation. To brew this recipe, you will need one unusual piece of equipment, a 1-liter (8 cup) French press, used for making coffee. If you don’t already have one, you can find one cheap (~$20 US) at almost any store that sells housewares.
Ingredients
7.0 lbs. (3.2 kg) 2-row pale malt (US) or German Pilsner malt
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) Munich malt (10 °L)
0.50 lbs. (0.23 kg) crystal malt (30 °L)
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) cane sugar
0.25 lbs. (0.11 kg) Muntons light dried malt extract (secondary)
1⁄4 tsp. yeast nutrients (15 mins)
1 tsp. Irish moss (15 mins)
1 oz. (28 g) Columbus, Tomahawk, Zeus, Simcoe, Chinook or Nugget hops (75 min.) (second choices: Magnum, Summit, Newport, Horizon or Sun)
1 oz. (28 g) Glacier, Mt. Hood, Palisades, Santiam, Sterling, Strisselspalt or Vanguard hops (secondary) (second choice: your favorite hop among the choices you have)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Safale US-05 yeast (~1.25 qt./1.25 L yeast starter)
1 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Mash at 150 °F (66 °C) for 60 minutes in 3.0 gallons (11 L) of brewing liquor. Mash out to 168 °F (76 °C). Recirculate until wort clears substantially. Run off wort to kettle, sparging with water hot enough to keep the top of the grain bed at 168 °F (76 °C). Collect about 6.0 gallons (23 L) of wort, and bring to a boil. (Shoot for 4.25 gallons (16 L) at end of 90-minute boil.) Once wort boils, add the bittering hops to the French press and ladle in boiling wort until full. Let sit for 15 minutes, then press off hops. Pour hoppy liquid from French press into a clean container, cover and set aside. Scrape wet hops from French press to kettle. Boil these hops for 75 minutes. With 15 minutes left in the boil, add cane sugar, Irish moss and yeast nutrients to kettle. At end of boil, add hoppy liquid and let steep for 15 minutes before cooling. Cool wort and transfer to fermenter. You should have approximately 4.25 gallons (16 L) at this point. Aerate and pitch yeast. Let ferment at 65–68 °F (18–20 °C). Once fermentation has stopped, add malt extract to one gallon (3.8 L) of water and bring to a boil. Add hops to French press. Boil wort for 15 minutes, turn off heat, then ladle 1 qt. (1 L) of hot wort into french press. After 15 minutes, pour off hoppy liquid into a sanitized bowl and cover. Add wet hops to remaining wort and boil for 30 minutes. Aim to reduce wort volume to qts. (2 L). If wort volume dips below this, add boiling water to top up. Combine reserved hoppy liquid and boiled wort and cool this combined wort. With minimal splashing, transfer cooled, hoppy wort to secondary fermenter. Do not transfer hop debris to fermenter. Rack primary batch onto this “hop shot” to make 5 gallons (19 L) of beer (give or take, depending on racking losses and other factors). Condition at 60–65 °F (16–18 °C) until renewed fermentation settles down and beer clears. Rack to keg or bottle.
Toki’s Brutal Pale Ale
Brew Your Own magazine
(5 gallons/19 L, countertop partial mash)
OG = 1.050 FG = 1.010
IBU = up to 50 (depending on hop selection)
SRM = 9 ABV = 5.1%
Ingredients
2.5 lbs. (3.2 kg) 2-row pale malt
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) Munich malt (10 °L)
0.5 lbs. (0.23 kg) crystal malt (30 °L)
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) cane sugar
3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) Muntons Light liquid malt extract (late addition)
0.25 lbs. (0.11 kg) Muntons light dried malt extract (secondary)
1⁄4 tsp. yeast nutrients
1 tsp. Irish moss
1 oz. (28 g) Columbus, Tomahawk, Zeus, Simcoe, Chinook or Nugget hops (75 min.) (second choices: Magnum, Summit, Newport, Horizon or Sun)
1 oz. (28 g) Glacier, Mt. Hood, Palisades, Santiam, Sterling, Strisselspalt or Vanguard hops (secondary) (second choice: your favorite hop among the choices you have)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Safale US-05 yeast (~1.25 qt./1.25 L yeast starter)
1 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Place crushed grains in a large nylon steeping bag. Heat 5.5 qts. (5.2 L) of water to 161 °F (72 °C) and pour into a 2.0-gallon (7.6-L) beverage cooler. Submerge grain bag, stir grains and let mash at 150 °F (66 °C) for 45 minutes. While grains are mashing, heat another 5.5 qts. (5.2 L) of water to 170 °F (77 °C). Also, add 4 qts. (~4 L) of water to your brewpot and bring it to a boil. After the mash, recirculate 2 or 3 quarts (~2–3 L) of wort, then begin the runoff. Do this by collecting 2 cups of wort and adding it to your brewpot. Then add 2 cups of your 170 °F (77 °C) water to the top of the grain bed. Repeat this process until you have collected about 10 qts. (9.5 L) of wort, bringing your kettle volume to 3.5 gallons (13 L). (Keep heating your kettle during the wort collection, but don’t bring it to a boil.) Once all the wort is collected, bring your wort to a boil. Once boiling, add the bittering hops to the French press and ladle in boiling wort until full. Let sit for 15 minutes, then press off hops. Pour hoppy liquid from French press into a clean container, cover and set aside. Scrape wet hops from French press to kettle. Boil these hops for 75 minutes. With 15 minutes left in the boil, add cane sugar, liquid malt extract, Irish moss and yeast nutrients to kettle. At end of boil, add hoppy liquid and let steep for 15 minutes before cooling. Cool wort and transfer to fermenter. Top up wort to 4.25 gallons (16 L) with water. Aerate wort and pitch yeast. Let ferment at 65–68 °F (18–20 °C). Once fermentation has stopped, boil dried malt extract in 1.0 gallon (3.8 L) of water. Add hops to French press and ladle 1 qt. (1 L) of hot wort into French press. After 15 minutes, pour off hoppy liquid into a sanitized bowl and cover. Add wet hops to remaining wort and boil for 30 minutes. Aim to reduce wort volume to 2 qts. (2 L). If wort volume dips below this, add boiling water to top up. Combine reserved liquid and boiled wort and cool. Transfer hoppy wort to secondary fermenter. Rack primary batch onto “hop shot” to make 5 gallons (19 L) of beer. Condition at 60–65 °F (16–18 °C) until renewed fermentation settles down and beer clears. Rack to keg or bottle.
