Brewing Strong Ales
If you ask 10 different brewers to define “strong ale,” you will likely get 11 different answers. Brewers around the world have always made bigger, stronger ales for special occasions, for blending with weaker ales or to be aged before consumption.
As craft brewers have begun pushing the limits of what can be brewed and still be called beer, the idea of “strong” has shifted significantly. Is a 7.5% ABV India pale ale (IPA) — now a popular, “everyday” beer for many — still a strong ale? And on the other end of the spectrum, is a beer loaded with almost enough alcohol to be a liqueur still merely a strong ale?
So where does one draw the line on just what is a strong ale? For the sake of this article, we’ll group ales with alcohol contents hovering around 8 or 9% ABV and call them strong ales. (We’ll use the term as a descriptor, not as designating a beer style; we all know that the BJCP Guidelines describe a number of ales that fit this description, some with the word “strong” in them and some not.)
Beers of this strength have enough alcohol that most brewers would view them as strong, but not confuse them with the strongest of the traditional beer styles (esp. barleywines) or the newer very high-alcohol craft beers. As examples of strong ales, we’ve cloned five commercial beers in this range. While the alcohol contents of these five examples are similar, there are regional variations that set each brew apart so that all are “strong,” but each definitely stands on its own.
Belgium is known for its strong ales, which may be pale or dark, dry or sweet and may be spiced or not. In addition, there may be some “spiciness” derived from the yeast strain. English strong ales may have a bready or biscuit-like characteristic with a malty sweetness, light alcohol overtones and mild hop assertiveness as many are stronger versions of English pale ales. American strong ales begin with a malty backbone, and many have a greater hop presence, but they come in many forms. American brewers freely use ingredients and brewing techniques from other countries with established brewing traditions to create a whole range of big brews, some of which are based on traditional beer styles and some of which are unique.
Of course, this is beer, and in the modern world of brewing, nothing is set in stone. Empire Brewing Company brewmaster Tim Butler clarifies, “Strong ales vary widely from region, to region, brewer to brewer, and country to country. I definitely believe that this is a style that is open to interpretation,” Butler says. “My idea of a strong ale is a beer that is dark, with a malty backbone and a significant hop character, noticeable hop aroma, a balancing bitterness and a pure hop flavor. The ABV should be between 7.5 and 9 percent.”
Empire’s American Strong Ale begins with English malts by Thomas Fawcett (American strong ales have roots in its English counterparts), but with a heavy infusion of American hops and clean-fermenting American ale yeast strain. McBride’s Ale, brewed at Stewart’s Brewing Co. in Delaware, is close to a traditional English style, with earthy English East Kent Golding hops and roasted barley, pale and dark malts and some wheat malt for added body. “I would call ours a ‘Classic’ English Strong, because it isn’t as aggressive as the more modern examples out there,” says Stewart’s Head Brewer, Ric Hoffman.
Chris Poel, Lead Brewer at Baird Brewing in Numazu, Japan produces a Belgian Strong Pale Ale that’s markedly different from the Empire and Stewart examples. His beer relies on a light body and mild hop character, but features a spiciness and subtle esters from a Belgian yeast strain that adds “just enough complexity without becoming too over-the-top with phenolics,” he says.
Then there’s Oceanside Ale Works’ American Strong Ale. Head Brewer Mark Purciel considers his beer a hybrid of all three styles. “It has the malt richness of the English without the high alpha acids from the hops in an American variety,” Purciel says. “It has the neutral yeast as an American, but candi sugar as an adjunct with a Belgian.”
Try This At Home!
Whatever the semantics, all the brewers interviewed here agree strong ale can easily be accomplished at home — either as an all-grain beer or brewed using malt extracts. Once a type — English, Belgian or American — is selected, the brewing process mostly follows “ordinary” brewing steps. For strong ales that are supposed to be reminiscent of a regional style, it’s important to use specialty malts and hops typical of the region. But it’s possible, of course, to substitute alternatives and brew an ale that is not inspired by a specific brewing tradition.
Boosting the Alcohol Content
A key aspect to these beers is the alcohol content. Several of the recipes presented here add sucrose or candi sugar to help boost the fermentables and drive the alcohol level up. “Homebrewers seem to have an aversion to using
sugar, but it’s a normal part of the grain bill for many Belgian beers,” Poel says, noting that his brew has a “healthy dose of light candi sugar.”
White table sugar is an acceptable substitute, and Hoffman notes that demerara — natural brown sugar — is also acceptable. Additionally, selecting the right malt extract (if applicable) can be crucial in attaining the proper style color while assuring plenty of fermentables remain. Adding these at the right time can make a big difference as well — shorter boil times means lighter colors in the finished beer.
“For brewers doing a concentrated boil, using late extract additions and sugar additions will help a lot,” Poel says. “Try adding only 1⁄3 of the extract at the beginning of the boil, saving the final 2⁄3 and all the sugar until right near the end, say 5–10 minutes before knockout. This will keep the color light while still providing enough sugar to get the alcohol levels up where they need to be.”
Butler agrees, adding: “I think the best way to get the right color is to use extra light malt extract for fermentable sugars and ground specialty malts steeped in the kettle before boiling for color. That way, the brewer has much more control of the color and flavor of the beer, and the extract is used basically for fermentables.” The best bet for extract brewers is to boil their full volume of wort, provided they can maintain a full rolling boil and cool that volume quickly afterwards. If boiling your wort on your stovetop, boil as much as you can handle — thicker worts will pick up more color during the boil.
For all-grain brewers, Poel’s mashing advice reflects the attitude of the Ramon character in the Pixar movie Cars — take it low and slow. “Mash long and low,” he says. “This will provide not only more flavor, but will also draw out every bit of carbohydrates and sugars needed for a strong fermentation. We mash at
149 °F (65 °C) for 90 minutes, but don’t be afraid to go longer. Or even consider a step mash, 30–45 minutes at 140 °F (60 °C) and 45–60 minutes at 149 °F (65 °C).” With more grain (compared to the grain bill of an average-strength ale), all-grain brewers will be able to collect more wort and, as such, have a decision to make. They can collect wort until the specific gravity of the runnings falls below 1.008–1.010, then take the time to boil the wort down to their target volume. If you are used to collecting around 6.5 gallons (25 L) of wort for a 5% ABV ale, you could collect up to 10–12 gallons (39–44 L) of wort for an 8–9% ABV ale.
Alternately, they can collect the same volume of wort as when brewing an average-strength ale and accept that their extract efficiency will take a bit of a hit, since they will be leaving some sugars behind in the grain bed.
Pitch Perfect
However one reaches this point, when it’s time to pitch, an important aspect is making sure the yeast is happy. For a strong ale, an alcohol tolerant yeast strain is best (although you’d be hard pressed to find a strain that couldn’t handle 9% alcohol). It’s more important to pitch a substantial amount of yeast to assure proper attenuation. Some advocate pitching two or three packages of liquid yeast, others say a large yeast starter should do the trick.
“We pitch 50–60% more yeast for a beer of this strength compared to a regular-strength ale,” Poel says. If you’re brewing an ale in the 8–9% ABV range, making a 3–4 qt. (~3–4 L) yeast starter, and aerating it well should raise a sufficient amount of yeast for the fermentation to start quickly and reach a proper final gravity.
Fermentation temperatures are also important. If temperatures can get too hot, the yeast can walk off the job. “Believe it or not, when our temperature has reached above our threshold, we have had the yeast crap out early,” Purciel says. “Ferment at the optimum temperature the yeast manufacturer recommends.”
You should especially keep an eye on fermentation temperatures right around high kräusen; that’s when they are most likely to climb too high. Should the fermentation slow too much, rousing can help bring the process back to life, but the possibility for a second pitch also exists.
“Yep, we have done it,” Purciel adds. “If (fermentation) is slowing down and it doesn’t seem you will get anywhere near your target FG, then go and repitch.”
Chill Out
Being a hearty brew, strong ales can benefit from some time in isolation — that is, in a secondary fermentation stage — to allow the flavors to merge and the residual yeast to “clean up” any unfermented sugars. This will also help reduce the esters that are frequently present in high-alcohol beers. Do a two-day diacetyl rest at approximately 68 °F (20 °C), then rack to the secondary and begin the cooling phase.
If dry hopping is involved, Poel recommends keeping the secondary at a warmer temperature for about a week to allow for better extraction of the hop oils.
“If you have the time, I would store cool (50 °F/10 °C) or cold (35 °F/2 °C) for at least a month to let the fusel alcohol flavors simmer out a bit,” says Rob Denton, Assistant Brewer at Snake River Brewing Company & Brewpub in Jackson, Wyoming. “Even longer is better.”
Butler agrees, “This type of beer will benefit from a secondary, or conditioning phase, especially if it is going to be dry hopped. This cold maturation temperature will meld the flavors and allow the yeast to flocculate.”
Hurry Up And Wait
Strong ales will benefit from bottle aging. While every brewer is anxious to sample his or her latest creation, holding out 4–6 weeks will create a better product. As an experiment, mark some bottles to be sampled only after 3, 4, 6 or even 12 months to see how flavors change. Then it will be obvious the wait was worth it.
But no matter how long you hold out, a strong ale will be a robust brew, loaded with flavor and complexity. It’s not necessarily a session beer — knocking back a few might make that stool a bit wobbly — but a fine session can be had lingering over any of these strong ale styles.
Strong Ale Clone Recipes
Oceanside Ale Works American Strong Ale clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.082 FG = 1.014
IBU = 83 SRM = 22 ABV = 9.2%
Ingredients
8 lbs. (3.6 kg) 2-row pale malt
4 lbs. (1.8 kg) Munich malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Briess caramel Munich (60 °L) (or Weyermann Caramunich® II)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Briess Victory® malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Belgian candi sugar
1 lb. (0.45 kg) corn sugar
9.75 AAU Nugget hops (60 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g of 13% alpha acids)
10.5 AAU Millennium hops (60 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g of 14% alpha acids)
10.5 AAU Columbus hops (15 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g of 14% alpha acids)
0.75 oz. (21 g) Cascade hops (dry hop)
White Labs WLP007 (Dry English Ale) or Wyeast 1098 (British Ale) yeast (3.5 qt./3.5 L yeast starter)
3/4 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Two or three days before brewing, make a yeast starter. (OG 1.015 to 1.020, aerated thoroughly before pitching the yeast. Ferment yeast starter in the mid 70s °F/~24 °C.)
On brewday, mash in at 152 °F (67 °C) for 60 minutes in 18 qts. (17 L) of water. Recirculate until wort clears and then begin running off wort. Sparge with water hot enough to make the grain bed temperature rise to 170 °F (77 °C) by the end of wort collection. (Or, mash out to 170 °F/77 °C and sparge with water hot enough to keep the grain bed at that temperature.) Collect at least 7.0 gallons (26 L) of wort (or monitor runnings and stop collecting wort when the specific gravity drops below 1.010). Boil wort 90 minutes (or until wort volume is reduced to 5 gallons/19 L). Add hops at times indicated. Add sugars with 15 minutes left in the boil. Chill wort, transfer to fermenter, aerate and pitch yeast sediment from starter. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). Dry hop beer in secondary for 7 days.
Oceanside Ale Works American Strong Ale clone
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.082 FG = 1.014
IBU = 83 SRM = 22 ABV = 9.2%
Ingredients
2 lbs. (0.91 kg) Briess Light dried malt extract
3 lbs. (1.4 kg) Briess Light liquid malt extract (late addition)
4 lbs. (1.8 kg) Munich malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Briess caramel Munich (60 °L) (or Weyermann Caramunich® II)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Briess Victory® malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Belgian candi sugar
1 lb. (0.45 kg) corn sugar
9.75 AAU Nugget hops (60 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g of 13% alpha acids)
10.5 AAU Millennium hops (60 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g of 14% alpha acids)
10.5 AAU Columbus hops (15 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g of 14% alpha acids)
0.75 oz. (21 g) Cascade hops (dry hop)
White Labs WLP007 (Dry English Ale) or Wyeast 1098 (British Ale) yeast (3.5 qt./3.5 L yeast starter)
3/4 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
To make this beer, you will need a partial mash vessel capable of holding 6 lbs. (2.7 kg) of grain — 3 gallons (11 L) or larger. Mash grains at 152 °F (67 °C) for 45 minutes. Recirculate and collect 3 gallons (11 L) of wort. Combine collected wort with dried malt extract in brewpot. (Boil a larger volume, if you can, and don’t let the volume of the boil drop below 3 gallons/11 L during the boil.) Boil wort 90 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Add sugars and liquid malt extract with 15 minutes left in boil. Chill wort and transfer to fermenter. Top up to 5 gallons (19 L), aerate and pitch yeast sediment from starter. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). Dry hop beer in secondary for 7 days.
Snake River Brewing Ol’ Stinky’s Strong Ale clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.076 FG = 1.014
IBU = 68 SRM = 16 ABV = 8.1%
Ingredients
14.25 lbs. (6.5 kg) pale malt
18 oz. (0.50 kg) Munich malt (7 °L)
8.0 oz. (0.23 kg) Caramunich® (35 °L)
6.4 oz. (0.18 kg) Caraaroma® (150 °L)
1.6 oz. (45 g) roasted barley
8.25 AAU Chinook hops (90 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g of 11% alpha acids)
1.0 oz. (28 g) Chinook hops (0 min.)
0.50 oz. (14 g) Centennial hops (0 mins)
0.75 oz. (21 g) East Kent Goldings hops (dry hop)
0.25 oz. (7 g) Columbus hops (dry hop)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) yeast (3 qt./3 L yeast starter)
3/4 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Two or three days before brewing, make a yeast starter. (OG 1.015 to 1.020, aerated thoroughly before pitching the yeast. Ferment yeast starter in the mid 70s °F/~24 °C.)
On brew day, mash in at 149 °F (65 °C) in 20 qts. (19 L) of water and hold for 25 minutes. Vorlauf for 20 minutes, then begin collecting your wort. Sparge with water hot enough to make the grain bed temperature rise to 170 °F (77 °C) by the end of wort collection. (Or, mash out to 170 °F/77 °C and sparge with water hot enough to keep the grain bed at that temperature.) Collect at least 8.0 gallons (30 L) of wort (or monitor runnings and stop collecting wort when the specific gravity drops below 1.010). Boil wort for 2 hours (or until volume is reduced to 5 gallons/19 L). Add hops at times indicated in the ingredient list. After the boil, stir wort and wait 15 minutes before beginning to chill wort. (Alternately, add the 0 minute hop additions with 15 minutes left in the boil and skip the whirlpool.) Primary fermentation may take about 3 weeks at 70 °F (21 °C). Dry hop after fermentation is complete.
Snake River Brewing Ol’ Stinky’s Strong Ale clone
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.076 FG = 1.014
IBU = 68 SRM = 16 ABV = 8.1%
Ingredients
3.75 lbs. (1.7 kg) Coopers Light dried malt extract
5.0 lbs. (2.3 kg) Alexander’s Pale liquid malt extract (late addition)
18 oz. (0.50 kg) Munich malt (7 °L)
8.0 oz. (0.23 kg) Caramunich® (35 °L)
6.4 oz. (0.18 kg) Caraaroma® (150 °L)
1.6 oz. (45 g) roasted barley
8.25 AAU Chinook hops (90 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g of 11% alpha acids)
1.0 oz. (28 g) Chinook hops (0 min.)
0.50 oz. (14 g) Centennial hops (0 min.)
0.75 oz. (21 g) East Kent Goldings hops (dry hop)
0.25 oz. (7 g) Columbus hops (dry hop)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) yeast (3 qt./3 L yeast starter)
1 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Place crushed grains in a steeping bag. Steep grains at 149 °F (65 °C) in 3.2 qts. (3.0 L) of water for 45 minutes. While grains are steeping, heat 2 gallons (7.6 L) of water to a boil in a separate pot. Lift bag and place in colander over brewpot. Pour “grain tea” through bag in colander (to strain out any solids in the wort), then rinse grain bag with 1.5 qts. (1.4 L) of water at 170 °F (77 °C). Add water heated separately to make at least 3.0 gallons (11 L) to wort. Add dried malt extract and boil wort for 90 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Add liquid malt extract in final 15 minutes of the boil. At the end of boil, stir wort to get it spinning and let sit for 15 minutes before chilling. Chill wort and transfer to fermenter. Top up to 5.0 gallons (19 L), aerate and pitch yeast. Ferment at 70 °F (21 °C). Dry hop beer for 7 days after primary fermentation is complete.
Empire Brewing Company American Strong Ale clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.078 FG = 1.016
IBU = 78 SRM = 20 ABV = 8.5%
Ingredients
15.5 lbs. (7.0 kg) Thomas Fawcett Maris Otter malt
4.0 oz. (0.11 kg) Thomas Fawcett chocolate malt
2.0 oz. (57 g) Thomas Fawcett roasted barley
13 AAU Galena hops (60 min.) (1.0 oz./28 g of 13% alpha acids)
6 AAU Nugget hops (30 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 12% alpha acids)
4.5 AAU Amarillo® hops (15 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 9% alpha acids)
4.5 AAU Amarillo® hops (10 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 9% alpha acids)
4.5 AAU Amarillo® hops (5 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 9% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Amarillo® hops (0 min.)
1.0 oz. (28 g) Galena hops (dry hop)
0.75 oz. (21 g) Amarillo® hops (dry hop)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Fermentis US-05 yeast
1 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Two or three days before brewing, make a yeast starter. (OG 1.015 to 1.020, aerated thoroughly before pitching the yeast. Ferment yeast starter in the mid 70s °F/~24 °C.)
On brew day, mash in at 152 °F (67 °C) in 20 qts. (19 L) of water and hold for 60 minutes. Recirculate until wort clears, then begin collecting your wort. Sparge with water hot enough to make the grain bed temperature rise to 170 °F (77 °C) by the end of wort collection. (Or, mash out to 170 °F/77 °C and sparge with water hot enough to keep the grain bed at that temperature.) Collect at least 8.0 gallons (30 L) of wort (or monitor runnings and stop collecting wort when the specific gravity drops below 1.010). Boil wort for 90 minutes (or until volume is reduced to 5 gallons/19 L). Add hops at times indicated in the ingredient list. Ferment at 68–70 °F (20–21 °C). Dry hop for 2 weeks at 35-40 °F (1.6–4.4 °C).
Empire Brewing Company American Strong Ale clone
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.078 FG = 1.016
IBU = 78 SRM = 20 ABV = 8.5%
Ingredients
4.5 lbs. (2 kg) Muntons light dried malt extract
5.0 lbs. (2.3 kg) Muntons Maris Otter liquid malt extract (late addition)
4.0 oz. (0.11 kg) Thomas Fawcett chocolate malt
2.0 oz. (57 g) Thomas Fawcett roasted barley
13 AAU Galena hops (60 min.) (1.0 oz./28 g of 13% alpha acids)
6 AAU Nugget hops (30 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 12% alpha acids)
4.5 AAU Amarillo® hops (15 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 9% alpha acids)
4.5 AAU Amarillo® hops (10 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 9% alpha acids)
4.5 AAU Amarillo® hops (5 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 9% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Amarillo® hops (0 min.)
1.0 oz. (28 g) Galena hops (dry hop)
0.75 oz. (21 g) Amarillo® hops (dry hop)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Fermentis US-05 yeast
1 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Steep grains at 152 °F (67 °C) in 5 gallons (19 L) of water for 20 minutes. Remove grain bag allowing liquid to drip bag into the kettle. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Add the dried malt extract, stirring until fully dissolved. Boil wort for 90 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Add liquid malt extract in the final 15 minutes of the boil, removed from heat. Ferment at 68–70 °F (20–21 °C). Dry hop for 2 weeks at 35-40 °F (1.6–4.4 °C).
Stewart’s Brewing Company McBride’s Strong Ale clone
(5 gallon/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.075 FG = 1.015
IBU = 30 SRM = 17 ABV = 7.8%
Ingredients
12 lbs. (5.4 kg) Crisp pale malt (or other English pale malt)
12 oz. (0.34 kg) Crisp dark crystal malt (77 °L)
0.75 oz. (21 g) Crisp chocolate malt
0.75 oz. (21 g) Crisp roasted barley
10 oz. (0.28 kg) Crisp wheat malt
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) sucrose (table sugar)
4.25 AAU Northern Brewer hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 8.5% alpha acids)
3.15 AAU Mt. Hood hops (30 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g of 4.2% alpha acids)
11 AAU East Kent Goldings hops (10 min.) (2.0 oz./57 g of 5.5% alpha acids)
English ale yeast (your choice)
0.75 cups corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Mash grains at 156 °F (69 °C) for 60 minutes. Lauter and sparge to collect 5.75 gallons (22 L) at 1.071. Boil 60 minutes, add sucrose with 20 minutes remaining. Ferment with Ringwood Ale, Whitbread, Fuller’s, or your favorite earthy, malt-accentuating English yeast. Primary fermentation should last 1–2 weeks at 68 °F (20 °C). Condition in secondary fermentation for 2 weeks at 60 °F (16 °C). Option: Age the beer an additional month or two on 1 oz. (28 g) of oak chips.
Stewart’s Brewing Company McBride’s Strong Ale clone
(5 gallon/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.075 FG = 1.015
IBU = 30 SRM = 17 ABV = 7.8%
Ingredients
8.0 oz. (0.23 kg) Crisp pale malt (or other English pale malt)
3.0 lbs. (1.4 kg) Muntons Light dried malt extract
4.5 lbs. (2.0 kg) Muntons Light liquid malt extract (late addition)
12 oz. (0.34 kg) Crisp dark crystal malt (77 °L)
0.75 oz. (21 g) Crisp chocolate malt
0.75 oz. (21 g) Crisp roasted barley
10 oz. (0.28 kg) Crisp wheat malt
1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) sucrose (table sugar)
4.25 AAU Northern Brewer hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 8.5% alpha acids)
3.15 AAU Mt. Hood hops (30 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g of 4.2% alpha acids)
11 AAU East Kent Goldings hops (10 min.) (2.0 oz./57 g of 5.5% alpha acids)
English ale yeast (your choice)
0.75 cups corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Steep grains at 156 °F (69 °C) in 3.0 qt. (2.8 L) of water for 60 minutes. Boil wort 60 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Add dried malt extract at start of boil. Add sucrose and liquid malt extract with 20 minutes left in the boil. Ferment with your favorite earthy, malt-accentuating English yeast. Ferment at 68 °F
(20 °C). Condition in secondary for 2 weeks at 60 °F (16 °C). Option: Age an additional month or two on 1 ounce oak chips.
Baird Brewing Belgian Strong Pale Ale clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.071 FG = 1.009
IBU = 30 SRM = 5 ABV = 8%
Ingredients
9.0 lb. (4.0 kg) Bohemian Pilsner malt (floor-malted)
2.25 lb. (1.0 kg) German Munich II malt
0.75 lb. (340 g) German light wheat malt
0.50 lb. (230 g) German rye malt
0.25 lb. (110 g) unmalted wheat
1.25 lb. (570 g) candi sugar (or white table sugar) (5-10 mins)
5.5 AAU Nugget hops (75 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 11.0% alpha acids)
3.2 AAU Motueka hops (45 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 6.4% alpha acids)
2.85 AAU Tradition hops (25 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 5.7% alpha acids)
1.25 AAU East Kent Golding hops (15 min.) (0.25 oz./7 g of 5.0% alpha acids)
0.95 AAU Spalter hops (15 min.) (0.25 oz./7 g of 3.8% alpha acids)
0.25 oz. (7 g) Tettnanger hops (5 min.)
0.25 oz. (7 g) Saaz hops (5 min.)
0.25 oz. (7 g) Hersbrucker hops (0 min.)
0.25 oz. (7 g) Styrian Golding hops (0 min.)
0.25 oz. (7 g) East Kent Goldings hops (dry hop)
0.25 oz. (7 g) Spalter hops (dry hop)
0.25 oz. (7 g) Tettnanger hops (dry hop)
0.25 oz. (7 g) Saaz hops (dry hop)
0.25 oz. (7 g) Hersbrucker hops (dry hop)
0.25 oz. (7 g) Styrian Golding hops (dry hop)
White Labs WLP410 (Belgian Wit II) yeast
5.0 oz. (140 g) corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mash at 149 °F (65 °C) for 90 minutes. Sparge with enough water to allow for 20 liters (5.2 gal.) in the fermenter after a 90 minute boil (5 gal./19 L of finished beer). Chill wort to 72 °F (22 °C) and let temperature rise during the first 12–24 hours to 75 °F (24 °C). Maintain temperature for 7–10 days until fermentation finishes. Chill to 59 °F (15 °C), transfer and dry hop for 5–7 days, keeping temperature between 59–68 °F (15–20 °C). Chill to 45 °F (8 °C) before bottling or kegging. Condition cold for several months.
