Article

Extract Recipe Roundup from Homebrew Retailers

Ever since we started homebrewing, one fact has stood out: If you have access to a good homebrew supplier, you’re in clover. Whether you drop by, chat over the phone or exchange e-mail, a great store with a knowledgeable staff is a terrific resource.

Homebrew stores are a place where ideas and recipes accumulate, just waiting for the right person to walk in off the street. This collision of person and possibility often results in the genesis of really fine beer.

Homebrew retailers have their finger on the pulse of American homebrewing. They sell us the stuff we use to create the most humble and the most extravagant brews. They help us understand how ingredients, equipment and technique combine to create the perfect pint. If they’re good, they make our hobby easy. After all, most retailers were homebrewers themselves, often for a very long time, before making the leap.

So every so often, we cast our nets and find out what’s perking in our nation’s brewstores. For this article, we asked two dozen homebrew stores from around the country to send us a favorite extract recipe. Then we selected fifteen responses, each of which represents a classic beer style. Some are the owner’s own take on traditional styles like Oktoberfest and IPA, while others are more individualistic. One thing is certain: If you brew every one of these recipes, you’ll have a homebrew style file that’s definitely worth bragging about.

Each of these recipes makes five gallons of beer (except the Big Fist Barleywine) and is easy to brew. We hope you find them exciting. We can’t wait to fire up the old brew kettle!

Oktoberfest/Märzen
OG = 1.052 FG = 1.016 IBUs = 23

This full-bodied German lager has a toasted malt aroma and malty flavors. It uses two German crystal malts, which contribute distinctive caramel flavors. German noble hops are used for a very traditional rendition.
John M. Pastor • Grape & Granary, Akron, Ohio

Ingredients

6 oz. Durst German light crystal malt (20° Lovibond)
6 oz. Durst German dark crystal malt (80° Lovibond)
8 oz. Briess dextrin malt (grain)
1 lb. Durst light Munich malt
0.5 oz. Briess chocolate malt
6.6 lbs. light liquid extract
1 lb. light dry malt extract
6 AAUs Tettnanger hops (1.5 oz. of 4% alpha acid)
2 AAUs Tettnanger hops (0.5 oz. of 4% alpha acid)
0.25 oz. Tettnanger hops
1/2 tsp. Irish moss
Bohemian Lager yeast (Wyeast 2124)
1-1/4 cup Muntons dry malt extract

Step by Step

Bring 2 to 3 gallons of water to 150° to 160° F. (If your water is chlorinated, run it through a charcoal-activated filter to remove the chlorine). Put specialty grains in a bag. Steep for 20 to 30 min. and remove. Add liquid malt extract and dry malt extract (DME). Add first Tettnanger and bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 25 min., then add second Tettnanger and 1/2 tsp. of Irish moss. Boil 20 min., add last Tettnanger to final 3 to 5 min. of boil. When temperature is cool (70° F), add wort to sanitized fermenter, top up to 5 gallons and pitch yeast. Aerate well. Ferment at lager temperatures (45° to 55° F) until complete (6 to 8 weeks). After primary and secondary fermentation, rack, prime and bottle. Age 14 days at room temperature and 6 weeks at cellar temperature (50° F).

Hefeweizen
OG = 1.044 FG = 1.013 IBUs = 22

This hefeweizen is fashioned after the Widmer version. It’s low on the traditional German wheat flavors of banana and clove that come from the tradional German yeasts. One unusual characteristic is the absence of aroma hops. The flaked wheat adds to the cloudiness of this beer.
Steve Bader • Bader Beer & Wine Supply, Inc., Vancouver, Washington

Ingredients

4 lbs. Wheat hopped liquid malt extract
1 lb. light dry malt extract
1 lb. wheat dry malt extract
1 lb. flaked wheat
5 AAUs Tettnanger hops (1 oz. of 5% alpha acid)
American Hefeweizen yeast (White Labs WLP320) or American Wheat yeast (Wyeast 1010)
3/4 cup corn sugar for bottling

Step by Step

Steep 2 gallons of 150° F water with 1 pound of flaked wheat for 30 min. Strain out most of the flaked wheat, leaving some behind for cloudiness. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add the malt extracts and hops. Boil for 60 min. Chill the wort, transfer it into 2 gallons of cold water in your sterilized carboy, then top off to the 5-gallon mark with additional cold water. Add yeast when beer is cooled to under 74º F, then ferment at 68º F. Ferment to completion and bottle. Age 14 days at room temperature to carbonate and 4 to 6 weeks at 45° to 50° F.

Optional: Add natural fruit extract when you add your bottling sugar. Raspberry, apricot, marionberry and boysenberry all taste great. One bottle of extract will give a little hint of fruit flavor, while 1-1/2 bottles will give a strong flavor.

 

Amber Ale
OG = 1.072 FG = 1.010 IBUs = 60

This amber ale is a copper-red color, hoppy, with a nice caramel finish. This is balanced by the citrus character of the Centennial hops. This beer is a hophead’s dream come true!
Dave Butterbaugh • Shreve Home Brewing and Wine Making Supply, Shreve, Ohio

Ingredients
0.5 lbs. German Munich malt (or any Munich malt)
0.25 lbs. Belgian “Special B” malt
0.5 lbs. German medium caramel malt (or 60° L German crystal malt)
6.6 lbs. Coopers amber liquid malt extract
20 AAUs Centennial hops (2 oz. of 10% alpha acid)
1/2 tsp. Irish moss
American Ale yeast (Wyeast 1056)
1-1/2 cups light DME for priming

Step by Step

Bring at least 2 gallons of water to 150° F. Put grains in straining bag and steep for 30 min. Add all malt syrup and stir well before turning on heat. Bring to a boil. Add 1 oz. Centennial and boil 30 min. Then add 0.5 oz. Centennial and boil 15 min. Add remaining Centennial. Add Irish moss for at last 15 min. of the boil. Cool wort, pour into sanitized fermenter and top up to 5.5 gallons. When wort is at 70° to 75° F, pitch yeast.

Ferment at 60° to 65° F. When primary fermentation is finished, transfer to secondary for 1 week. Bottle and prime with 1-1/2 cups light DME for priming or keg. Age 14 days at room temperature to carbonate and 4 to 6 weeks at 45° to 55° F.

 

Poppa Piggy American Pale Ale
OG = 1.070 FG =1.013 IBUs = 47

This award-winning recipe was developed by one of my customers, Jeremy Appel. Jeremy has this to say: “This American pale ale is quite hoppy and bitter, with plenty of hop aroma and a nice malt balance. Make a yeast starter, boil vigorously to help with hop extraction and be sure to dry-hop.”
Doug Evans • VinBrew Supply, Canal Winchester, Ohio

Ingredients

0.5 lbs. Durst light Munich malt
0.5 lbs. of British crystal malt (60° Lovibond)
0.5 lbs. of De Wolf-Cosyns carapils
7 lbs. of Muntons light dry malt extract
6.6 AAUs Cascade hops (1 oz. of 6.6% alpha acid)
3.7 AAUs Willamette hops (0.50 oz. of 7.4% alpha acid)
6.6 AAUs Cascade hops (1 oz. of 6.6% alpha acid)
0.5 oz. Cascade hops
California Ale yeast (White Labs WLP001)
3/4 cup corn sugar for priming

Step by Step

Soak grains in 2 to 4 gallons of water 20 to 30 min. at 170° F, strain water into brew pot. Bring to boil, take off stove and add the malt extract. Stir and bring back to boil. Add first Cascade. Boil for 30 min., then add Willamette. Boil for 15 more min., then add second Cascade. Boil for 14 min., then add final Cascade. Chill wort down to 75° F, then add to fermenter with enough water to achieve 5.5 gallons of wort. When wort is at room temperature pitch yeast. Ferment at ale temperature (60° to 68° F) for 2 to 5 weeks. Bottle when complete. Age 14 days at room temperature to carbonate and 3 to 6 weeks at 45° to 55° F.

 

Big Fist Barleywine
OG = 1.127 FG = 1.025 IBUs = 53

Our homebrew club is called Brewers of the North East Section (BONES). Everybody in our club loves Sierra Nevada beers. With that in mind, here is a Bigfoot Clone, which I named Big Fist Barleywine. (It hits you in the face like a big fist). Please note this is a three-gallon batch.
Bill Wible • Brew By You, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Ingredients

4 lbs. pale liquid malt extract
3.5 lbs. light liquid malt extract
2 lbs. Muntons light dry malt extract
8.25 AAUs Horizon hops (0.75 oz. of 11% alpha acid)
5.5 AAUs Cascade hops (1 oz. of 5.5% alpha acid)
1 oz. Cascade hops
0.5 oz. Centennial (dry hop)
California Ale (Wyeast 1056), White Labs (WLP001)
or Scottish Ale yeast (Wyeast 1728)
3/4 cup corn sugar to prime

Step by Step

Bring 3 gallons water to a boil. Add malt extracts and stir to dissolve. Return to a boil. Add Horizon and boil 40 min. Add Cascade and boil 20 min. Add 1 oz. Cascade to final 5 min. of boil. Chill to 75° F. Transfer wort to fermenter and pitch yeast. Ferment at (60° to 68° F). When complete, rack to secondary and add Centennial dry hops for 2 weeks. Bottle when dry hopping is complete. Age 14 days at room temperature and 6 to 9 months at cellar temperature (50° to 55° F).

 

Saint Pat’s Stout
OG = 1.068 FG = 1.014 IBUs = 35.8

Customers tell me they can’t distinguish between this beer and draught Guinness. The lactic acid helps simulate the flavor. Adding it at bottling is recommended to allow the dry yeast (if that’s what you use) to ferment rapidly. I add it at the start of fermentation and use Wyeast liquid Irish Ale yeast.
Mike Hanson • Hanson’s Hobby Homebrewing, Inc., The Home Brewery of Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota

Ingredients

1.5 lb. flaked barley
0.75 lbs. ground roasted barley
6.6 lbs. light malt extract syrup
8 AAUs East Kent Golding Hops(2 oz. of 4% alpha acid)
1/4 tsp. Irish moss
8 oz. malto-dextrin (optional)
3/4 cup priming sugar
Whitbread or Doric dry yeast or liquid Irish Ale yeast (Wyeast 1084)
6 mL lactic acid (added at bottling)

Step by Step

Heat at least 2 gallons of water in a 5-gallon enamel or stainless-steel pot. Add the specialty grains to one or more grain bags. Heat the water to 150° F and hold for 15 to 30 min. Remove the grains and discard the grain bags. Add the malt extract syrup and continue to heat while stirring. Bring to a boil, add the Kent Goldings bittering hops and boil for 45 min. Add the Irish moss and malto-dextrin if desired. Boil for another 15 min. Turn off the heat and cool with a wort chiller or in a sink with cold water.

Transfer the wort to the fermenter and bring the volume up to 5 gallons. When the wort cools to about 75° F, pitch the yeast. Ferment at 65° to 68° F until bubbling through the airlock has stopped. Let stand 2 more days or rack into a secondary fermenter. Transfer to a bottling bucket, add priming sugar and lactic acid, and bottle. The beer should be ready to drink in 2 weeks to 1 month but improves with age.

 

Monkey Barrel ESB
OG = 1.059 FG = 1.012 IBUs = 45

We developed this recipe for the Route 82 Homebrewers Association. It was originally brewed in 20 individual batches. The 10 best batches were aged in a barrel at 55° F. The character of this ESB comes from the use of Maris Otter malt, the extended hop schedule and Wyeast’s London ESB yeast strain. The beer is full bodied, very complex and smooth.
Jim Leverentz • Leener’s Brew Works, Northfield, Ohio

Ingredients

8 oz. Maris Otter malt
4 oz. English medium crystal malt (40 to 60° Lovibond)
2 oz. Belgian aromatic malt
2 oz. torrified wheat
3.3 lbs. light extract syrup
3 lbs. Muntons plain light DME
3.75 AAUs Styrian Goldings hops (0.75 oz. of 5% alpha acid)
3.75 AAUs Fuggles (0.75 oz. of 5% alpha acid)
1.25 AAU Fuggles (0.25 oz. of 5% alpha acid)
3.75 AAUs Styrian Goldings (0.75 oz. of 5% alpha acid)
0.5 oz. Styrian Goldings
London ESB Ale (Wyeast 1968)
0.5 oz. East Kent Goldings leaf hops (dry hop)
1 oz. untoasted white oak chips (optional)
2/3 cup extra light DME for priming

Step by Step

Steep grains in 2 gallons water at 160° F for 30 min. Strain out grains, add extracts and bring to a boil. Add Styrian Goldings and Fuggles. Boil 30 min. Add Fuggles. Boil 15 min. Add Styrian Goldings and boil 10 min. Add Styrian Goldings to final 5 min. of boil. Chill wort to 75° F. Strain into primary fermenter. Add water to make 5 gallons. Pitch yeast. Ferment at ale temperatures (60° to 68° F). When primary fermentation slows, rack off to secondary. Add East Kent Goldings dry hops and oak chips. Bottle after 5 days. Age 14 days at room temperature and 2 to 4 weeks at 50° to 55° F.

 

Schiffer am Dom Kölsch
OG = 1.048 FG = 1.009 IBUs = 32

I just returned from Cologne and Munich, where I had some of the best summer beers in the world. The city style of Cologne is the now-famous Kölsch. This is a deceptively simple beer. The key is to use very pale extract and good yeast.
Chris Schiffer • Northern Brewer, Ltd., St. Paul, Minnesota

Ingredients

6 lbs. pale malt syrup
7.2 AAUs Hallertau Tradition (1.2 oz of 6% alpha acid)
0.3 oz. Hallertau Tradition
1 qt. starter German Ale-Kölsch yeast (White Labs WLP029)
3/4 cup corn sugar for priming

Step by Step

Bring 2 gallons water to a boil. Add malt extract and stir to dissolve. Return to a boil and add Hallertau Tradition. Boil 55 min. Add Hallertau Tradition to last 5 min. of boil. Chill wort to 75° F. Transfer wort to fermenter, add water to make 5 gallons. Pitch yeast and ferment at around 65° F until specific gravity is around 1.016. Transfer to the secondary and lager for 3 weeks at 45° to 55° F. Bottle when lagering is complete and age 6 to 8 weeks at 45° F.

 

Elfstone Red Ale
OG = 1.058 FG = 1.010 IBUs = 19

This is a good red ale recipe that everyone seems to really like. It’s a light, friendly, mellow sort of beer, not as strong as some other red ales you might encounter. It has great hops flavor and aroma.
Jim and Fran Jones • Beer & Wine By U, Evansville, Indiana

Ingredients

0.5 lbs. carapils malt
6.6 lbs. light malt syrup
3 AAUs Nugget Hops (0.25 oz. of 12% alpha acid)
5 AAUs Spalt hop pellets (1 oz. of 5% alpha acid)
Australian Ale yeast (White Labs WLP009)
3/4 cup priming sugar

Step by Step

Bring 4 quarts water to 153° to 160° F. Place the grain in a steeping bag. Steep for 30 min. at 153° to 160° F. Remove the grains and discard. Stir in the liquid extract and bring to a boil. Add Nugget and boil 30 min. Add half of the Spalt hops and let boil for another 28 min. During the last 2 min. of the boil add the other half of the Spalt. Chill the wort to 75° F, then add to 1 gallon cold water in primary fermenter. Add cool water to bring mixture to the 5-gallon mark.

Pitch yeast. Ferment at ale temperatures (60° to 68° F). Bottle when fermentation is complete. Age 14 days at room temperature to carbonate and 1 month at 55° to 60° F before sampling.

 

Badass Blackberry Porter
OG = 1.056 to 1.065
FG = 1.015 to 1.020 IBUs = 61

This recipe has been a crowd favorite at the local beer fest and won a “people’s choice” award. The blackberries lend a unique flavor and the chocolate malt adds smoothness.
Dave Miller • A Brew Haus Inc. U-Brew, Jacksonville, Florida

Ingredients

0.25 lbs. flaked barley
0.25 lbs. roasted barley
1/8 lb. chocolate malt
0.25 lbs. crystal malt (60° Lovibond)
6 lbs. Muntons dark dry malt extract
12 AAUs Fuggles hops (3 oz. of 4% alpha acid)
2 AAUs Tettnang hops (0.50 oz. of 4% alpha acid)
English Ale yeast (White Labs WLP002)
4 lbs. fresh blackberries or 1 to 1-1/2 bottles blackberry flavoring
1/4 cup dark DME for priming

Step by Step

Add cracked grains to brew pot and bring to 150° F for 30 min.. Remove grains and bring water to a boil. Add dark DME and boil 30 min. Add Fuggles hops. Boil 15 min. and add Tettnang hops. Boil 45 min. Cool wort and pitch yeast.

Ferment at ale temperatures until primary fermentation slows (5 to 14 days) and siphon to secondary. Add washed fruit or flavoring. If using fresh fruit you will have to rack a 3rd and possibly a 4th time for clarity. Bottle when beer has cleared. Age 4 to 6 weeks at cool temperatures.

 

Nut Buster IPA
OG = 1.060 to 1.065 FG = 1.012 to 1.015 IBUs = 72

Crack open a Nut Buster and enjoy the generous warmth from eight pounds of fermentables and a cool blast of hop flavor and bitterness.
Tracy Green • Old West Homebrew Supply, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Ingredients

1 lb. crystal malt (40° Lovibond)
0.50 lbs. torrified wheat
0.50 lbs. Briess Victory malt
0.25 lbs. roasted barley
0.25 lbs. biscuit malt
4 lbs. pale extract syrup
3 lbs. Muntons amber dry malt extract
1 lb. Muntons light dry malt extract
10 AAUs Fuggles pellets (2 oz. of 5% alpha acid)
12 AAUs Target pellets (1 oz. of 12% alpha acid)
1 oz. Kent Goldings pellets
1 oz. Kent Goldings whole hops (dry hop)
Edme Dry Ale or London ESB yeast (Wyeast 1968)
3/4 cup priming sugar

Step by Step

Steep grains in 1.5 gallons of water at 155° F for 30 min. Strain out grains, add extracts and stir to dissolve. Bring to a boil, add Fuggles and boil 30 min. Add Target and boil 30 min. Add East Kent Goldings to last 5 min. of boil. Chill wort to 75° F. Strain into fermenter, top up with enough cold water to make 5 gallons.

Pitch yeast. When primary fermentation is complete, rack to secondary, and add East Kent Goldings dry hops for 1 to 2 weeks. Bottle when dry hopping is complete. Age 14 days at room temperature to carbonate and 4 weeks at cool temperatures before tasting.

 

Frahnkensteam
OG = 1.049 FG = 1.022 IBUs = 37

Compared to Anchor Steam, this beer is the same color but a bit cloudier. The head is not as big or as long-lasting, but it clings better. It has more body and is maltier and sweeter. All in all, a very good beer.
Scott Nelson • Stout Billy’s, Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Ingredients

0.25 lbs. English two-row pale malt
0.25 lbs. crystal malt (60° Lovibond)
0.25 lbs. crystal malt (120° Lovibond)
6 lbs. light Muntons dried malt extract
9.75 AAUs Northern Brewer pellet hops (1.5 oz. of 6.5% alpha acid)
1/2 tsp. Irish moss
1 oz. Northern Brewer pellet hops
American Lager yeast (Wyeast 2035) 3/4 cup corn sugar for priming

Step by Step

Toast pale malt in a 375° F oven for 20 min. Crack it along with the crystal and steep in 2 quarts of 150° to 175° F water for 20 min. Sparge with 1 gallon of water. Dissolve DME in sparge water plus enough cold water to make 3.5 gallons. Boil for 10 min., add Northern Brewer, boil 35 min. Add Irish moss to last 15 min. of boil. Add Northern Brewer to last minute of boil. Chill to 75° F, top up to 5 gallons and pitch yeast. Ferment at ale temperatures (68° to 70° F) for 14 days or until complete. Bottle with priming sugar. Age 14 days at room temperature and 4 to 6 weeks at cool temperatures.

 

Bohemian Pilsner
OG = 1.048 to 1.055 FG = 1.012 to 1.018 IBUs = 43

This is a classic example of a Bohemian pilsner. It has a big malt character which is balanced by the spiciness of the Saaz hops. The softer the water, the better! (Hint: Dilute your water 50% with distilled water). With the Southern German Lager, this beer should be fermented around 48° to 52° F. If you can’t obtain this temperature, use San Francisco Lager, which can be fermented between 58° to 65° F.
Olin Schultz • Beer, Beer and More Beer, Concord, California

Ingredients

7 lbs. pale liquid malt extract
4 oz. dextrin powder
8 oz. crystal malt (15° Lovibond)
6 AAUs Hallertauer hops (1 oz. of 6% alpha acid) (bittering)
7.8 AAUs Saaz hops (2 oz. of 3.9% alpha acid) (flavor)
7.8 AAUs Saaz hops (2 oz. of 3.9% alpha acid) (aroma)
1 tsp. Irish moss
Southern German Lager (White Labs WLP838)
or San Francisco Lager (WLP810)
3/4 cup corn sugar to prime

Step by Step

Start with as much water as your kettle can handle during the boil, making sure to account for about 1/2 gallon that the extract will add. Place the crystal in a bag and add it to the cool water. Heat to about 160° F, then remove the grains. This steeping process should take about 15 min. or more. Bring the remaining water to a boil, cut heat and add the malt extract and dextrin powder. Turn heat back on. Once boiling again, add Hallertauer and boil for 60 min. With 20 min. left in the boil add the Irish moss. At 8 min. add 2 oz. of Saaz. For the last minute of the boil add the rest of the Saaz. Cover and cool to below 72° F.

Transfer to fermenter, pitch the yeast, and put in an area where you can lower the fermentation temperature over the course of 24 hours. The fermentation should be going by the time it hits the target fermentation temperature. After 5 to 7 days of fermentation, rack to a secondary fermenter and let it finish fermenting (as much as 3 more weeks). Next, rack to a bottling bucket, prime and bottle, being sure to pull through some yeast for conditioning. Let sit at fermentation temperature for 2 weeks. Test carbonation. If it is ready, bring temperature to 33° to 40° F for one month.

 

Autumnfest “Altimate” Altbier
OG = 1.042 to 1.045 FG = 1.010 to 1.015 IBUs = 77

Altbier is German for “old” beer, a reference to traditional top-fermentation methods. Alts are noted for bitterness with subdued hop flavor and aroma. They are full-bodied and drier than English ales, with a deep reddish-amber to brown color.
Alexis Hartung • Country Wines, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Ingredients

8 oz. American crystal malt (40° Lovibond)
4 oz. American Vienna malt
4 oz. Briess Victory malt
2 oz. chocolate malt
6 lbs. Muntons unhopped light dry malt extract
4 oz. malto-dextrin powder
5 AAUs German Perle hop pellets (0.5 oz. of 10% alpha acid)
15 AAUs German Perle hop pellets (1.5 oz. of 10% alpha acid)
2.5 AAUs German Perle hop pellets (0.25 oz. of 10% alpha acid)
1 teaspoon Irish moss
Wyeast 1007 (German Ale), 1338 (European Ale)
or 2565 (Kölsch) yeast
3/4 cup corn sugar for priming

Step by Step

Toast Victory malt at 325° F for 10 min. Crack lightly. Place in grain bag with the other cracked grains. Measure 2 gallons of water into your boiling pot. Place grain bag in the water. Heat the water to 160° to 170° F. Turn off heat. Cover pot and steep for 20 to 30 min. Remove grain bag from the water; discard grains. Add malt extract and malto-dextrin. Bring to a boil. Add first Perle hops. Boil 20 min., stirring occasionally. Add second Perle. Boil 20 min.; stir occasionally. Add Irish moss and final Perle. Boil 20 min. Total boil is 60 min. Chill wort, pour into sanitized fermenter, add cold water to make 5 gallons. Stir wort thoroughly.

When temperature is between 75° and 80° F, stir vigorously for 3 minutes. Pitch yeast (I make a starter culture several days in advance) and place in warm area (between 65° and 70° F). Fermentation will last 5 to 14 days and will be complete when SG is between 1.010 to 1.015. The SG should remain steady for about 3 days. Prime and bottle. Allow beer to age upright at room temperature for at least 15 days until carbonated. Then move it to cooler temperatures (30° to 35°F) for aging. Cold store for a minimum of 4 weeks.

 

Double Trouble Belgian Dubble
OG = 1.062 to 1.067 FG = 1.010 to 1.015 IBUs = 25.5

This is one of my favorite beers. It’s definitely malty, with not much carbonation. I’d call it “semi-sweet.” It’s great served at 50° F for dessert. There’s not a huge hop presence — but just enough hops to say “hey.” The secret is Special B. That’s an awesome malt; I could eat it with milk. Special B gives it that hint of nuttiness and roasted flavor. It’s a well-rounded, very drinkable beer after a month in the bottle.
Kate Moss • Things Beer, Williamston, Michigan

Ingredients

4 oz. crystal malt (80° Lovibond)
4 oz. De Wolf-Cosyns Special B malt
6 lbs. light malt extract syrup
1.5 lbs. Muntons light dry malt extract
3/4 lb. light candi sugar
4.5 AAUs Styrian Goldings hops (1 oz. of 4.5% alpha acid)
1.2 AAUs German Hallertau (0.3 oz of 4% alpha acid)
1/3 oz. Czech Saaz
Belgian Ale yeast (Wyeast 1214 or White Labs WLP550)
1/2 cup priming sugar

Step by Step

Place grain bag containing crushed crystal and Special B in two quarts of 150° F water. Hold for 30 min. Remove grains, rinse bag with another quart of hot water. Add this wort to your boiling pot with enough water to make 1-1/2 gallons total. With heat turned off, stir in the liquid and dry extract, making sure it is dissolved before turning the heat back up. Add candi sugar, Styrian Goldings and German Hallertau and boil for 55 minutes. Then add Czech Saaz and boil for an additional 5 minutes. Chill wort and transfer it to fermenter. Add cold water to make 5 gallons. As soon as it cools, pitch the yeast. Ferment at ale temperatures (60 to 68° F) for 8 to 12 weeks. Bottle when fermentation is complete. Age 14 days at room temperature to carbonate and 6 weeks at 50° F before tasting.

Issue: October 2001