Oakshire Brewing Co.’s A Life Beyond the Dream clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.094 FG = 1.014
IBU = 56 SRM = 7 ABV = 10.5%
Dextrose is used as the catalyst for the dryness of such a big beer while letting the malt balance out the huge hop load. Oakshire likes using the Incognito® hop oil (both of these varieties are available in smaller homebrew quantities) to get the resinous character while maintaining the mouthfeel for this triple IPA.
Ingredients
13.5 lbs. (6.1 kg) North American 2-row pale malt
1.2 lbs. (544 g) Weyermann CaraFoam® malt
0.6 lb. (272 g) Gambrinus honey malt
0.6 lb. (272 g) acidulated malt
2.2 lbs. (1 kg) dextrose sugar (5 min.)
10.9 AAU Herkules hops (60 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 14.5% alpha acids)
7 g Citra® Incognito® (0 min.)
7 g Mosaic® Incognito® (hopstand)
2 oz. (56 g) Strata® hops (hopstand)
2 oz. (56 g) Columbus hops (hopstand)
4 oz. (113 g) Columbus hops (dry hop)
2 oz. (56 g) Simcoe® CryoTM hops (dry hop)
4 oz. (113 g) Strata® hops (dry hop)
4 oz. (113 g) Nelson SauvinTM hops (dry hop)
2 oz. (56 g) Mosaic® CryoTM hops (dry hop)
1⁄2 tsp. yeast nutrients (15 min.)
Whirlfloc tablet (15 min.)
White Labs WLP001 (California Ale), Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), or SafAle US-05 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
If using a liquid yeast strain, consider making a yeast starter two days prior to brew day. Treat soft or reverse osmosis brewing water with 1 tsp. calcium sulfate and 1⁄2 tsp. calcium chloride. Mash grains at 148 °F (64 °C) for 60 minutes before starting lautering process. During the sparge, add another 1⁄2 tsp. calcium sulfate directly to the kettle.
Boil the wort for a total of 60 minutes with the first hop addition going in at the start of the boil and the second addition added just after the heat is turned off at the end of the boil. Add yeast nutrients, Whirlfloc, and dextrose sugar per ingredients list. After the boil, begin whirlpool. After 10 minutes bring wort temperature down to roughly 175 °F (80 °C) and add the hopstand additions. Spin for another 10 minutes then let settle for 10 minutes before chilling wort down to yeast pitch temperature.
If using a liquid yeast strain, aerate the wort well as the high sugar environment will be hostile for yeast. Consider pitching two sachets of yeast if using a dry yeast strain. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C) for one week or until signs of fermentation have ceased. Once settling has occurred, add the dry hops and let sit for three days. Keg and force carbonate to 2.5 v/v or bottle and prime with sugar.
Extract with grains option: Swap out the 2-row pale malt for 8 lbs. (3.6 kg) extra light dried malt extract and the acidulated malt for 1 tsp. 88% lactic acid. Add the lactic acid to 5 gallons (19 L) brewing water. Place the crushed grains into a muslin bag and steep in the brewing water as it heats up to 170 °F (77 °C). Remove the grains, allowing them to drip back into the kettle. Remove kettle from heat and stir in the dried malt extract. Once fully dissolved turn the heat back on and bring to a boil. Follow all-grain instructions for the remainder of the process, being sure to top up the fermenter to 5.25 gallons (20 L) before starting fermentation.
Written by Dan Russo
Dextrose is used as the catalyst for the dryness of such a big beer while letting the malt balance out the huge hop load. Oakshire likes using the Incognito® hop oil (both of these varieties are available in smaller homebrew quantities) to get the resinous character while maintaining the mouthfeel for this triple IPA.