Old Cthulhiar (a.k.a. Very Old And Very Peculiar)

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.078  FG = 1.017
IBU = 41  SRM =  32  ABV = 7.8%

Ingredients
13 lbs. (5.9 kg) British pale ale malt
8.0 oz. (0.23 kg) crystal malt (60 °L)
2.0 oz. (57 g) crystal malt (120 °L)
5.0 oz. (0.14 kg) aromatic malt
3.0 oz. (85 g) chocolate malt
2.0 oz. (57 g) black malt
3.0 oz. (85 g) molasses
12 oz. (0.34 kg) cane sugar
9 AAU Northern Brewer hops (60 min.)
5 AAU Fuggles hops (15 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
1.0 oz. (28 g) Fuggles hops (2 min.)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Fuggles whole hops (dry hop)
Wyeast 1028 (London Ale) or White Labs WLP026 (Burton Ale) yeast
(2 qt./2 L yeast starter)

Step by Step
Mash at 152 °F (67 °C). Boil for 75 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Add sugar with 15 minutes left in the boil. Pitch yeast and ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). After primary fermentation has ceased, let beer set for 3 days, then rack to secondary and add dry hops. Dry hop for 2 weeks. Let age for 6 months.

Old Cthulhiar (a.k.a. Very Old And Very Peculiar)

(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.078  FG = 1.017
IBU = 41  SRM =  32  ABV = 7.8%

Ingredients
4.0 lbs. (1.8 kg) British pale ale malt
8.0 oz. (0.23 kg) crystal malt (60 °L)
2.0 oz. (57 g) crystal malt (120 °L)
5.0 oz. (0.14 kg) aromatic malt
3.0 oz. (85 g) chocolate malt
2.0 oz. (57 g) black malt
5.0 lbs. (2.3 kg) light dried malt extract
3.0 oz. (85 g) molasses
12 oz. (0.34 kg) cane sugar
9 AAU Northern Brewer hops (60 min.)
5 AAU Fuggles hops (15 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
1.0 oz. (28 g) Fuggles hops (2 min.)
0.5 oz.  (14 g) Fuggles whole hops (dry hop)
Wyeast 1028 (London Ale) or White Labs WLP026 (Burton Ale) yeast
(2 qt./2 L yeast starter)

Step by Step
Mash pale malt at 153 °F (67 °C) for 45 minutes in 7.8 qts. (7.5 L) of water. Sparge grains to yield just short of 2.5 gallons (9.5 L) of wort. While mashing, steep specialty grains in 2 qts. (~2 L) of water in your brewpot at 153 °F (67 °C). Add wort from partial mash to steeping liquid in your brewpot and add roughly one third of the malt extract. Boil wort for 75 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Add sugars and remaining malt extract for final 15 minutes of boil. Cool wort and transfer to fermenter. Top up to 5 gallons (19 L) with cool water and pitch yeast. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). After primary fermentation has ceased, let beer set for 3 days, then rack to secondary and add dry hops. Dry hop for 2 weeks.

Extract with Grains Option:
Reduce amount of pale ale malt to 0.75 lbs. (0.34 kg) and use a total of 6.75 lbs. (3.1 kg) light dried malt extract. Steep grains at 152 °F (67 °C). Add roughly one half of the malt extract and boil wort for 75 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Add sugars and remaining malt extract for final 15 minutes of boil. Cool wort and transfer to fermenter. Top up to 5 gallons (19 L) with cool water and pitch yeast. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). After primary fermentation has ceased, let beer set for 3 days, then rack to secondary and add dry hops. Dry hop for 2 weeks. Age for 6 months.

Tips for Success:
The partial-mash fomulation of this beer utilizes steeped specialty grains (in the brewpot) and a separate small mash. This beer is a darker, stronger and more bitter interpretation of Theakston’s Old Peculiar. It gets its name from Cthulhu — a central character (one of the Old Ones) in H. P. Lovecraft’s writings. For best results, make a 2-qt. (2-L) yeast starter and pitch the yeast from this. This is underpitching, compared to the optimal pitching rate, but is done intentionally to help the yeast develop an estery character that is appropriate for this beer.