5 Spring Seasonal Craft Clone Recipes
Ah, spring! Everyone knows what spring evokes, right? I’m sure we all know the songs and seasonal carols about whatever we cook in spring; and the smells of it, whatever it is, when we gather together for those spring holidays that have those traditional foods that we all know . . . OK, I admit it — I have no idea what spring smells and tastes like. Does it specifically taste like anything? I mean, we all know what fall smells like — heck, it’s practically cliché now, what with pumpkin and spice permeating every food and lotion and air freshener. Winter’s easy, too — dark, rich, heavy flavors that keep you warm and full and can be covered under lots of layers of clothing. And then there’s summer, with its “anything refreshing that pairs with grilled food and sunshine” flavors. But spring, that’s a real conundrum, and if we’re going to brew for it, we need to define it first, which is easier said than done, and which is also its greatest asset.
I think, though, that it comes down to this: Do we think of spring as descriptive, or aspirational? In other words, are we looking at “spring beer” as beer that’s suitable to a transitional season, with the whole “in like a lion, out like a lamb” thing? Perhaps, though, it’s better to think of it as a time for fresh and light and airy flavors that will get us excited for the moment we can toss our winter coats back in the closet again. Or maybe it’s about defining the beers by what ingredients are available in the spring and the beers and styles that those produce — what to do with all this winter wheat, after all?
The answer, unsurprisingly, is “all of the above.” Spring beer is a riot of diversity, showcasing the best of our hopes (hops?) for warmer weather alongside amber beers that still retain a hint of heft leftover from winter and still others that feature ingredients from a changing season. And, unlike our easily-defined seasonal beers from the rest of the year, there’s a wide range of interpretations and iterations if you as a brewer feel inspired to create and chase them. Let’s think beyond Biere de Mars and Maibock and really put our ingenuity and creativity to work — at least until summer.
The Flavors of Spring
Although they lack the kind of galvanizing unity that cinnamon and nutmeg and those other cold-season spices can provide, there are some definable flavors of spring. Mostly we define seasonal flavors by what’s in the air or on our plates or coming out of the ground around that time — and be thankful we’re not Egyptian, or I’d be talking about the pungent flavors of a semi-rancid and salted aged fish, a traditional spring dish.
We can begin with the obvious: “April showers bring May flowers.” Floral flavors probably define spring best, and conveniently for us there are a number of great hops that can provide that flavor for our beers. Most will think of the traditional noble hops first, and you can certainly count on hops like Hallertau Mittelfrüh and Saaz for a nice punch of floral flavor. Those are hardly your only options, though! A number of New World hops feature similar floral aroma and flavor, and hops like Amarillo® and Cascade (among others) even add the citrus fruit notes that are also part of our spring palate.
Speaking of which, spring beers are a great place to feature citrus fruit flavors. Many citrus fruits are in-season all year long, but others are hitting their stride just as we emerge from winter and are ready for your spring beers. Lemons, a wide variety of oranges, and even pineapples are typically considered “spring harvest” fruits. You can add these flavors through your hops choices, and if you can double up with the great floral flavors as well, all the better! You can add them by selecting yeast strains that produce citrusy esters: Tim Stumpf, Head Brewer for the multiple-GABF-medal-winning Iron Hill Brewery in West Chester, Pennsylvania notes that this is one of the best contributions that Belgian yeast strains make for spring beers: “Belgian yeasts tend to accentuate and highlight these flavors of the season!” You can also, of course, simply add fruit and/or fruit juices directly to the beer, though you want to do so cautiously so as to avoid overpowering the other flavors.
Nor is it all about citrus fruits: Other fruits are commonly harvested in spring as well and pair beautifully with other beer flavors. Two of the most popular would be apricot and cherry, and also make for great “gateway” fruit flavors that still hearken back to the winter we’ve just completed. Strawberries are also a fine option, though in northern climates they’ll come into season a bit later (and may be more accurately thought of as a summer ingredient). They’re less “bright” than the tropical or citrus fruits, but that’s not a detriment here. There’s plenty of time to work in those lemon and lime flavors (though they’re perfectly appropriate in spring beer), but one last nod to winter with the darker or more-subtle fruit flavors is appropriate, especially when paired with some of the other “taste of spring” flavors.
That’s even truer when that other taste of spring is a perennial brewing favorite: Honey. Even if you’re not adding honey proper to your beers, you can get similar flavors from lighter grains, most notably Pilsner malt that adds a nice background touch of honey-like sweetness to spring beers. If you’re going with honey malt, use it sparingly; too much will make your beers seem cloying and overly-rich, and it’s easy to hit “too much.”
Spring Style
In which beers will you add all of these wonderful flavors to get the best impression of spring that you can? There are some obvious and traditional choices (though those aren’t necessarily the same), but don’t be afraid to push beyond tradition and go for something a bit more off-
the-map.
Let’s get this over with: There’s always bock. Specifically, the spring variety of Maibock or helles bock. If you’re a traditionalist, this beer is your best friend; a medium-strength golden lager that has some rich melanoidin/toast flavors behind it but also features a bit of light floral hops. Don’t let that traditional and staid “German” stuff fool you, though — this beer is a phenomenal base style for some fun spring beer experimentation. It can hold up to some fruit and spice additions, allows for a wide range of malt and hops expression, and will almost never be confused with the usually much lighter “summer” beers. Classics are classic for a reason.
Two Franco-Belgian beers are quite common as well: Witbier and saison. Not only were both traditionally brewed and aged in the cooler months before being cracked open in the spring, but they’re also beers that already feature many of the flavors we’ve been discussing. You’ll find plenty of naturally-occurring citrus flavors in their fermentation characteristics, and many of their recipes include additions of spices and fruit that lean towards the grassy and fresh characters that we expect in spring beers. Much like the bocks, they can also be augmented with additional flavors to really amp up their “spring-like” qualities.
Moving beyond the traditional/continental styles, we can also consider American beer styles that fit squarely in the “spring beer” camp. Although its ubiquity might make it seem like a dull choice, there’s no reason not to include the omnipresent IPA on this list. In a beer that can feature a dazzling array of hops, it seems ludicrous not to construct a spring IPA that showcases the fresh floral aromas that the season and the hops share, adds in bright citrus fruits, and also provides a pop of grassy green flavors, and in some New Zealand hop varieties, you can get all three in the same hop cone! Modern IPAs also allow us to play with a variety of special variations: Make this same beer with some darker crystal malts and you get a spring Red IPA, or add in the soft white winter wheat from your witbier recipe and choose a spicier yeast and make a white IPA.
For those who want to focus on the grainier side of things, you can also jazz up an American wheat and/or rye beer to great seasonal effect. Although it can be harvested or grazed multiple times per year, many people associate spring with the winter wheat harvest, and this perception/reality lends itself to the adoption of wheat (and rye, which is harvested a bit later in the spring into the early summer) as a great grainy base for spring beers. Less hoppy than the IPA and a bit spicier in its grist than pale ale, wheat/rye beers are an excellent choice for spring beers, especially when they are paired with spicy and fruity hops!
Finally, don’t let the dictates of tradition or the convenience of style characteristics hinder your creativity. Make a spring sour. Trot out a white winter wheat and oats stout. The lack of definition in the season means that you have a lot of options to “spring up” any beer style!
Recipe Considerations
Being a similar transitional season, spring can take some hints from fall in the recipe department. Your flavors can certainly be clear and complex, but they should probably shy away from being overly assertive or prominent. Contradictory though it might sound, this is a great season to let secondary flavors shine, and ease off on more-assertive flavors. Consider orange zest rather than orange juice, and add in some dry, pithy flavor. Add grains of paradise instead of cracked black pepper. Darken up your beer with Carafa® II instead of chocolate malt. Think “subtle.” Spring is a time of birth and growing — not the late-teenage rampaging of summer.
Ingredient choices can be driven by what’s available, and fresh, now. When considering fruits to add, look for things like Clementine or Seville Sour Orange (sometimes called “winter” orange), which are at the peak of their freshness and ripeness and aren’t your typical “citrus” flavors. Go for rarer culinary ingredients like Cara Cara, which is like the offspring of red grapefruit and navel oranges, but with lower acidity. Apricots and mangos are at their best in spring, and are terrific subtle flavors that contrast well with spice flavors. One brewer I spoke to for this story (who asked not to be named – shy, I suppose?) put it this way: “Think like a chef and use ingredients that complement each other.” Good advice.
Another great piece of advice is to make sure that in our eagerness to highlight the warmer-weather aspects of spring beer we don’t overlook the “in like a lion” aspects. We’ll have all summer to enjoy light, fruity beers. This is one final opportunity to celebrate the spring snowstorms that crop up every few years and make you appreciate the warmer spring months all the more. In homage to that, consider adding in some tart cherries or dark crystal malt to add some pit fruit flavors to your spring beer recipes. Dark plum and spicy rye are every bit as “spring beer” worthy as lemongrass and soft wheat. In short: Let your recipes reflect the season.
Turn, Turn, Turn
To everything, there is a season. Spring is a time for rebirth and opening windows to let the fresh air in and let the cozy-but-cramped scents of winter out. Green shoots mix with hardy cold-weather survivors. We get to enjoy the warm sun but keep our jackets close by for the chill that will come when the sun goes down. It’s a season that highlights the stark differences between winter and summer, and as a result makes us appreciate both. And in that atmosphere of new beginnings and fresh endings, we get to brew beer. Try something new, make something fresh, and you’ll get to drink something good.
Free Will Brewing Company’s Micromanager Pale Ale clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.045 FG = 1.011
IBU = 32 SRM = 3 ABV = 4.6%
Micromanager is an easy drinking all-American pale ale from Perkasie, Pennsylvania that features fresh lemon citrus and tropical fruit flavors thanks to Eukanot™, Mosaic®, Cascade, and Centennial hops.
Ingredients
6.5 lbs. (3 kg) Pilsner malt
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) malted oats
0.75 lb. (0.34 kg) flaked oats
0.75 lb. (0.34 kg) flaked barley
0.25 lb. (113 g) acidulated malt
0.25 lb. (113 g) rice hulls
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) pureed apple (30 min.)
2 oz. (57 g) Eukanot™ hops (0 min.)
2 oz. (57 g) Apollo hops (0 min.)
3 oz. (85 g) Eukanot™ hops (dry hop)
1.5 oz. (43 g) Mosaic® hops (dry hop)
1.5 oz. (43 g) Cascade hops (dry hop)
1.5 oz. (43 g) Centennial hops (dry hop)
Citric acid (for pH correction at bottling)
White Labs WLP090 (San Diego) yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill the grains and mix with 3.1 gallons (11.8 L) of 164 °F (73 °C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 152 °F (67 °C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear. Sparge the grains with 4.1 gallons (15.6 L) and top up as necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Add bagged pureed apples and boil for 30 minutes. When the boil is finished, turn off heat and add the 0 minute hops. Give the wort a long stir to create a whirlpool then let settle for 15 minutes. Chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 73 °F (23 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast.
Ferment at 74 °F (23 °C) until the completion of primary fermentation. Combine dry hops and add half to the fermented wort. After two days, add remaining dry hops, and allow 72 hours of additional contact time (five days, total). Crash the beer to 35 °F (2 °C) for 48 hours, correct pH to 3.9-4.0 with citric acid, and bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.25 volumes.
Free Will Brewing Company’s Micromanager Pale Ale clone
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.045 FG = 1.011
IBU = 32 SRM = 4 ABV = 4.6%
Ingredients
4.5 lbs. (2 kg) Pilsner liquid maltextract
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) malted oats
0.75 lb. (0.34 kg) flaked oats
0.75 lb. (0.34 kg) flaked barley
0.25 lb. (113 g) acidulated malt
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) pureed apple (30 min.)
2 oz. (57 g) Eukanot™ hops (0 min.)
2 oz. (57 g) Apollo hops (0 min.)
3 oz. (85 g) Eukanot™ hops (dry hop)
1.5 oz. (43 g) Mosaic® hops (dry hop)
1.5 oz. (43 g) Cascade hops (dry hop)
1.5 oz. (43 g) Centennial hops (dry hop)
Citric acid (for pH correction at bottling)
White Labs WLP090 (San Diego) yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill the grains and place in a large muslin bag. Submerge grains in 1 gallon (4 L) of 164 °F (73 °C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 152 °F (67 °C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Remove the grains and place in a colander. Wash grains with 1 gallon (4 L) hot water. Add liquid extract while stirring, and stir until completely dissolved. Top off to 6 gallons (23 L)
then bring the wort to a boil. Add bagged pureed apples and boil for
30 minutes. When the boil is finished, turn off heat and add the 0 minute hops. Give the wort a long stir to create a whirlpool then let settle for 15 minutes. Chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 73 °F (23 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast. Ferment at 74 °F (23 °C) until the completion of primary fermentation. Combine dry hops and add half to the fermented wort. The remainder of this recipe is the same as the all-grain version.
Tips for Success:
Take note of the abbreviated boil time — only 30 minutes — and aggressive late and dry hopping. This beer features bright hops flavor, and despite the minimal “hot side” contact time on the hops, it makes up for it in sheer volume. Brewmaster and co-owner John Stemler actually calls for more than this amount in dry hopping, but out of consideration for the yield and the potential impact of so much plant matter on flavor, he consented to a 25% reduction — but feel free to give his “full bore” version a try and add 25% more hops if this version of the recipe isn’t hoppy enough for you!
Mad Tree Brewing Company’s Rounding Third clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.058 FG = 1.009
IBU = 55 SRM = 16 ABV = 6.5%
This American IPA is brewed in Cincinnati, Ohio with baseball spring training in mind, which the brewery says, “features a slight caramel semi-sweet malt backbone balanced by a strong hop profile.”
Ingredients
8.5 lbs. (3.9 kg) 2-row pale malt
3 lbs. (1.4 kg) Best Red-X® malt
0.25 lb. (113 g) crystal malt (60 °L)
0.25 lb. (113 g) Carapils® malt
0.25 lb. (113 g) melanoidin malt
2 oz. (57 g) chocolate malt
4.6 AAU Nugget hops (60 min.)
(0.36 oz./10 g at 12.8% alpha acids)
5.7 AAU Simcoe® hops (20 min.)
(0.44 oz./12 g at 13% alpha acids)
4.6 AAU Cascade hops (20 min.)
(0.65 oz./18 g at 7.1% alpha acids)
7.5 AAU Simcoe® hops (10 min.)
(0.58 oz./16 g at 13% alpha acids)
5.3 AAU Cascade hops (10 min.)
(0.74 oz./21 g at 7.1% alpha acids)
0.6 oz. (17 g) Simcoe® hops (0 min.)
0.7 oz. (20 g) Cascade hops (0 min.)
2.5 oz. (71 g) Falconers Flight® hops (dry hop)
WLP001 (California Ale) or Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or Safale US-05 yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill the grains and mix with 3.9 gallons (14.6 L) of 162 °F (72 °C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 150 °F (66 °C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear. Sparge the grains with 3.4 gallons (12.8 L) and top up as necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredient list. After the boil, chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 68 °F (20 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast. Ferment at 69 °F (21 °C) until the completion of primary fermentation, then reduce temperature to 62 °F (17 °C) and add dry hops, and allow 48 hours of contact time. Crash the beer to 35 °F (2 °C) for 48 hours, and bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.25 volumes.
Mad Tree Brewing Company’s Rounding Third clone
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.058 FG = 1.009
IBU = 55 SRM = 16 ABV = 6.5%
Ingredients
5.5 lbs. (2.5 kg) pale liquid malt extract
3 lbs. (1.4 kg) Best Red-X® malt
0.25 lb. (113 g) crystal malt (60 °L)
0.25 lb. (113 g) Carapils® malt
0.25 lb. (113 g) melanoidin malt
2 oz. (57 g) chocolate malt
4.6 AAU Nugget hops (60 min.)
(0.36 oz./10 g at 12.8% alpha acids)
5.7 AAU Simcoe® hops (20 min.)
(0.44 oz./12 g at 13% alpha acids)
4.6 AAU Cascade hops (20 min.)
(0.65 oz./18 g at 7.1% alpha acids)
7.5 AAU Simcoe® hops (10 min.)
(0.58 oz./16 g at 13% alpha acids)
5.3 AAU Cascade hops (10 min.)
(0.74 oz./21 g at 7.1% alpha acids)
0.6 oz. (17 g) Simcoe® hops (0 min.)
0.7 oz. (20 g) Cascade hops (0 min.)
2.5 oz. (71 g) Falconers Flight® hops (dry hop)
WLP001 (California Ale) or Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or Safale US-05 yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill the grains and place in a large muslin bag. Submerge grains in 1.25 gallon (4.6 L) of 162 °F (72 °C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 150 °F (66 °C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Remove the grains and place in a colander. Wash grains with 1 gallon (4 L) hot water. Add liquid extract while stirring, and stir until completely dissolved. Top off to 6 gallons (23 L) then bring the wort to a boil. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredient list. After the boil, chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 68 °F (20 °C). Now follow the remainder of the all-grain recipe.
Tips for Success:
If you find that the beer is overly bitter, you may try reducing the 60-minute addition according
to your taste. Also, the slight reduction in temperature prior to dry-hopping should flocculate out more yeast, and increase the flavor and aroma contributions of the dry hop addition.
Resurgence Brewing Company’s WNY Cucumber Saison clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.047 FG = 1.010
IBU = 22 SRM = 3 ABV = 4.8%
Ingredients
6 lbs. (2.7 kg) Pilsner malt
3.5 lbs. (1.6 kg) wheat malt
5 oz. (142 g) cucumber, peeled and diced (post-fermentation)
6 AAU German Saaz hops (60 min.)
(1.5 oz./43 g at 4% alpha acids)
2 oz. (57 g) German Saaz hops (dry hop)
2 oz. (57 g) East Kent Goldings hops (dry hop)
Wyeast 3711 (French Saison), White Labs WLP590 (French Saison Ale) or Lallemand Belle Saison yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill the grains and mix with 3.1 gallons (11.8 L) of 164 °F (73 °C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 152 °F (67 °C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear, then run off into the kettle. Sparge the grains with 4.1 gallons (15.6 L) and top up as necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredient list.
After the boil, chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 78 °F (26 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast.
Ferment at 79 °F (26 °C) until the completion of primary fermentation, then allow to free-rise for three days. Combine dry hops with cucumber and add to the fermented wort. Allow five days of contact time. Crash the beer to 35 °F (2 °C) for 48 hours, and bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.25 volumes.
Resurgence Brewing Company’s WNY Cucumber Saison clone
(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.047 FG = 1.010
IBU = 22 SRM = 5 ABV = 4.8%
Ingredients
3.75 lbs. (1.7 kg) Pilsner liquid malt extract
2.75 lbs. (1.25 kg) wheat liquid malt extract
5 oz. (142 g) cucumber, peeled and diced (post-fermentation)
6 AAU German Saaz hops (60 min.)
(1.5 oz./43 g at 4% alpha acids)
2 oz. (57 g) German Saaz hops (dry hop)
2 oz. (57 g) East Kent Goldings hops (dry hop)
Wyeast 3711 (French Saison), White Labs WLP590 (French Saison Ale) or Lallemand Belle Saison yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Bring 5.4 gallons (20.4 L) of water to approximately 162 °F (72 °C) and hold there. Add liquid extract while stirring, and stir until completely dissolved. Bring the wort to a boil. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredient list.
After the boil, chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 78 °F (26 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast.
Ferment at 79 °F (26 °C) until the completion of primary fermentation, then allow to free-rise for three days. Combine dry hops with cucumber and add to the fermented wort. Allow five days of contact time. Crash the beer to 35 °F (2 °C) for 48 hours, and bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.25 volumes.
Tips for Success:
Resurgence Brewing Co. Head Brewer Dave Collins notes the importance of fermentation temperature to this beer. “French Saison yeast produces lots of fun esters at hotter temperatures, so keep that fungi warm throughout fermentation!” The crew at Resurgence found that the bright citrus and peppery yeast aromatics were a perfect fit for the fresh, cool cucumber flavors. This should also yield a low final gravity, so don’t be surprised if you turn out lower than the “calculated” final gravity indicated here.
When shopping for wheat malt, you may be give a choice of either white wheat or red wheat malt. Both types add about the same color depth to beer, however, red wheat malt may provide a longer-lasting haze if that is what you prefer in your saisons. For more about brewing with wheat, check out byo.com/story1610.
Round Guys Brewing Company’s Two Step Wit w/Citrus clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.048 FG = 1.007
IBU = 13 SRM = 5 ABV = 5.4%
This May release from the Lansdale, Pennsylvania brewery features a clove balance against a thin, floral, hop-flavored body, with a crisp finish.
Ingredients
3.75 lbs. (1.7 kg) wheat malt
3.75 lbs. (1.7 kg) Weyermann pale ale malt
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) Vienna malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) flaked wheat
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) rice hulls
1 oz. (28 g) Bravo hops (0 min.)
1 oz. (28 g) Lemondrop hops (0 min.)
Wyeast 3711 (French Saison) or Lallemand Belle Saison yeast
2 oz. (57 g) key limes (post-fermentation)
4 oz. (113 g) juicing oranges (post-fermentation)
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill the grains and mix with 3.4 gallons (13 L) of 162 °F (72 °C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 150 °F (66 °C). Hold this temperature for 45 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear, then run off into kettle. Sparge the grains with 3.8 gallons (14.4 L) and top up as necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes then turn off the heat. Add the 0-minute hop addition and give the wort a long stir. Let settle for 10 minutes before starting to chill the wort. Chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 66 °F (19 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast.
Ferment at 66 °F (19 °C) until the completion of primary fermentation, then add the fruit that has been blended together (see Tips for Success for more on this). Allow 24 hours on the fruit, then bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.25 volumes.
Round Guys Brewing Company’s Two Step Wit w/Citrus clone
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.048 FG = 1.007
IBU = 13 SRM = 5 ABV = 5.4%
Ingredients
3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) wheat liquid malt extract
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) extra light dried malt extract
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) Vienna malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) flaked wheat
1 oz. (28 g) Bravo hops (0 min.)
1 oz. (28 g) Lemondrop hops (0 min.)
Wyeast 3711 (French Saison) or Lallemand Belle Saison yeast
2 oz. (57 g) key limes (post-fermentation)
4 oz. (113 g) juicing oranges (post-fermentation)
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill the grains and place in a large muslin bag. Submerge grains in 1 gallon (4 L) of 162 °F (72 °C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 150 °F (66 °C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Remove the grains and place in a colander.
Wash grains with 1 gallon (4 L) hot water. Add liquid extract while stirring, and stir until completely dissolved. Top off to 6 gallons (23 L) then bring the wort to a boil. Boil for 60 minutes. When the boil is finished, turn off heat and add the 0-minute hops. Give the wort a long stir to create a whirlpool then let settle for 15 minutes. After the boil, chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 66 °F (19 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch the yeast.
Ferment at 66 °F (19 °C) until the completion of primary fermentation, then add blended fruit. Allow 24 hours on the fruit, then bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.25 volumes.
Tips for Success:
Head Brewer and brewery owner Scott Rudich recommends using the entire blended fruit — rind, pith, and all — in this beer. This will add a drying and bittering flavor that would otherwise come from the hops, and note here that there is virtually no bittering from hop additions, which appear only in the whirlpool. Scott also treats French saison yeast a bit differently than
his peers, and restrains its temperature rather than letting it run wild.
Two Rivers Brewing Company’s First Brewniversary Pilsner clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.049 FG = 1.012
IBU = 38 SRM = 4 ABV = 4.9%
This dry-hopped, unfiltered Pilsner was brewed to celebrate Two Rivers’ first anniversary of brewing on-site at their Easton, Pennsylvania brewery.
Ingredients
8.5 lbs. (3.9 kg) Pilsner malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Carafoam® malt
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) Munich malt
5 AAU Perle hops (60 min.)
(1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
6.5 AAU Mandarina Bavaria hops
(10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 6.5% alpha acids)
8 AAU Wakatu hops (10 min.)
(1 oz./28 g at 8% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Mandarina Bavaria hops (0 min.)
1 oz. (28 g) Wakatu hops (0 min.)
2 oz. (57 g) Mandarina Bavaria hops (dry hop)
2 oz. (57 g) Wakatu hops (dry hop)
WLP830 (German Lager) or Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill the grains and mix with 3.1 gallons (11.8 L) of 164 °F (73 °C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 152 °F (67 °C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear, then run off into kettle. Sparge the grains with 4.1 gallons (15.6 L) and top up as necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredient list.
After the boil, chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 48 °F (9 °C).
Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast. Ferment at 50 °F (10 °C) until the completion of primary fermentation, then allow temperature to rise to 62 °F (17 °C). Crash the beer to 35 °F (2 °C), combine the dry hops, and add only half of the total amount. Lager for four weeks. Add the remaining dry hops, and lager for one additional week, then bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.5 volumes.
Two Rivers Brewing Company’s First Brewniversary Pilsner clone
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.049 FG = 1.012
IBU = 38 SRM = 4 ABV = 4.9%
Ingredients
4.5 lbs. (2 kg) Pilsen light dried malt extract
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) Munich liquid malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Carafoam® malt
5 AAU Perle hops (60 min.)
(1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
6.5 AAU Mandarina Bavaria hops
(10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 6.5% alpha acids)
8 AAU Wakatu hops (10 min.)
(1 oz./28 g at 8% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Mandarina Bavaria hops (0 min.)
1 oz. (28 g) Wakatu hops (0 min.)
2 oz. (57 g) Mandarina Bavaria hops (dry hop)
2 oz. (57 g) Wakatu hops (dry hop)
WLP830 (German Lager) or Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) yeast
¾ cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Bring 5.4 gallons (20.4 L) of water to approximately 162 °F (72 °C) and hold there. Steep grains for 15 minutes, then remove bag and allow to drain into the wort. Add all the malt extract while stirring, and stir until completely dissolved. Bring the wort to a boil. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredient list. After the boil, chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 48 °F (9 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch the yeast.
Ferment at 50 °F (10 °C) until the completion of primary fermentation, Now follow the remainder of the all-grain recipe.
Tips for Success:
This beer was brewed for Two Rivers’ first anniversary. Head Brewer (and founder) Josh Bushey says that the extended dry hopping is justified by the long aging of the beer, and the hops aroma should survive very well through that process despite the time that lagering requires.
