A Beer to Guard

A Beer to Guard

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.066  FG = 1.012
SRM = 16 IBU = 25 ABV = 7.0%

Ingredients
9 lbs. 9 oz. (4.3 kg) Weyermann Pilsner malt (2 °L)
2.25 lbs. (1 kg) Weyermann Munich Type I malt (6 °L)
1 lbs. (0.45 kg) Dingemans aromatic malt (21 °L)
5.0 oz.  (0.14 kg) Dingemans Special B (150 °L)
5.6 AAU Northern Brewer or Mt. Hood hops (90 min.) (0.7 oz./20 g of 8% alpha acid)
1 oz. (28 g) Spalt hops (10 min.)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Saaz hops (10 min.)
Wyeast 1214 (Abbey Ale), 1762 (Belgian Abbey II), 1388 (Belgian Strong Ale), 3787 (Trappist Ale) or White Labs WLP500 (Trappist Ale), WLP530 (Abbey Ale) yeast
1 cup brown sugar (in the kettle)
1 cup dry malt extract (for priming)

Step by Step
Use about 4.1 gallons (~16 L) of water to mash in at about 146 °F (63 °C) for a 30-minute rest. Then raise the mash temperature to about 152 °F (67 °C), using a combination of hot-water infusion and direct heat. Let rest for 30 minutes. Start sparging with 180 °F (82 °C) water and let the grain-bed temperature rise to about 168 °F (76 °C). (Cool down sparge water to 168 °F (76 °C) at this temperature.) Sparge slowly, for at least 90 minutes. Discontinue the sparge when the kettle gravity reaches about 1.056 (14 °P). Add the brown sugar to the kettle. Boil for 120 minutes. Add bittering hops 30 minutes into the boil. Add the two flavor/aroma hops about 10 minutes before shut-down. Check the gravity. It should be around 1.066 (16.5 °P) after evaporation losses. Liquor the wort down if necessary. Using a spatula, gently create a whirlpool in the kettle and wait for about 30 minutes to allow the trub to settle. Cool to a pitching temperature of 64 °F (18 °C). Pitch yeast and aerate. Let primary fermentation run its course and the debris to settle out. This may take about three weeks, by which time the beer should be attenuated down to about 1.012 (3 °P). Rack and age for about 2 months at about 50–55 °F (10–13 ° C). Then keg and force carbonate or add priming agent and package in bottles.

A Beer to Guard

(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.066  FG = 1.012
SRM = 16  IBU = 25  ABV = 7.1%

Ingredients
7 lbs. 2 oz. (3.2 kg) Pilsner liquid malt extract (such as Weyermann)
2.25 lbs. (1 kg) Weyermann Munich Type I malt (approx. 6°L)
1 lbs. (0.45 kg) Dingemans aromatic malt (21 °L)
5.0 oz. (0.14 kg) Dingemans Special B (150 °L)
5.6 AAU Northern Brewer or Mt. Hood hops (60 min.) (0.7 oz./20 g of 8% alpha acid)
1 oz. (28 g) Spalt hops (10 min.)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Saaz hops (10 min.)
Wyeast 1214 (Abbey Ale), 1762 (Belgian Abbey II), 1388 (Belgian Strong Ale), 3787 (Trappist Ale) or White Labs WLP500 (Trappist Ale), WLP530 (Abbey Ale) yeast
1 cup brown sugar (in the kettle)
1 cup dry malt extract (for priming)

Step by Step
Mill the specialty grains (or have them crushed at your homebrew shop) and divide into three roughly equal portions. Steep the grains in three muslin bags for about half an hour in about 1.75 gallons (6.6 L) of hot water (starting at about 162 °F (72 °C); heat water to this temperature again if it drops below 148 °F (64 °C).

At the end of the steeping time, raise the bags and rinse with about a gallon (~ 4 L) of cold water. Do not squeeze the bags. Transfer the steeping liquid to the brew kettle, add another gallon or two of brewing liquor and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat. While stirring constantly, pour the LME into the hot liquor and add the brown sugar. Bring to a boil again and add the bittering hops. Add hops at time indicated in recipe. After boil cool wort and then transfer to fermenter. Aerate wort and pitch yeast. Follow remaining all-grain instructions.