Recipes
Harold-is-Weizen (German Hefeweizen)
Jamil Zainasheff provides BYO readers with a recipe for a classic German-style hefeweizen.
Cyser Apple Honey Mead
A cyser is traditionally a “sack mead,” or a sweet mead, that’s made with honey and apples. This cyser is quite like a wine, and will have a wine’s higher alcohol content when it’s finished. An important note: When buying the apple juice or cider, be sure it doesn’t contain any preservatives — like potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate or sulfites — which would kill the yeast. Check at a health-food store or find a cider producer who’ll sell you juice right off the press.
Raspberry Melomel
This raspberry melomel is perfect for summer brewing. It’s even more perfect for conjuring up memories of summer when it’s opened and enjoyed later.
Fall Spice Metheglin
If you like pumpkin pie, then you may want to try this Fall-spiced metheglin. This is meant to brew up a 1-gallon (3.8 L) batch, but feel free to scale the recipe up.
Royal Metheglin
We’re not sure if the metheglin served to royalty was any better than a peasant’s variety, but we’re sure the spices make this mead fit for a king.
Munich Dunkel
In Munich they brew dunkel, which simply means “dark” in German. This recipe is for a dark, clean, malty lager that goes great with oompah bands and Bavarian pretzels.
Holiday Ale
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains) OG = 1.063 FG = 1.015 IBU = 35 SRM = 10 ABV = 6.6% Ingredients: 12 oz. (0.34 kg) British crystal malt (55° L) 1
Gruit-Style Spiced Ale
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains) OG = 1.063 FG = 1.015 IBU = 28 SRM = 14 ABV = 6.5% Ingredients: 12 oz. (0.34 kg) crystal malt (60° L) 4 oz.
Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu Optimator clone
Optimator is brewed and then lagered in the brewery’s deep cellars. This smooth beer is a beautiful ruby brown color with a whipped-cream head. The aroma is one of smooth, sweet malt and warming alcohol. It sits rich and malty on the palate, with alcohol a defining presence.
Hofbräuhaus Oktoberfestbier clone
All the Munich breweries prepare an Oktoberfest for the celebration. The Hofbräuhaus, which means “Royal Court Brewery,” is probably the most famous of the city’s breweries. In fact, the Hofbräuhaus may be the most famous brewery, beer garden and beer hall in the world.
Hofbräuhaus Oktoberfest has a creamy, tight, off-white head and a luscious amber color. The nose is aromatic malt the palate is smooth, with intense malt and nutty, bread-like nuances. The finish is one of semi-sweet malt.
Brauerei Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel Clone
The Ayinger brewery was established in 1878 and has been named one of the “Top Ten Breweries in the World” for four consecutive years at the World Beer Championships. The brewery lies some 15 miles outside of Munich, in a picturesque valley at the foot of the Alps, in the 1200-year-old village of Aying.
The trademark of the Aying beers is their incredible maltiness. This dunkel is a classic example of its style. It has a rich, chestnut-brown color with a creamy beige head. The aroma of warm, sweet malt has nuances of toffee. There is a big, round malt palate that ends with a hint of coffee and hops.
Hacker-Pschorr Weisse Clone
Hacker-Pschorr brewery was established in 1417 in Munich and is now owned by Paulaner. The brewery uses only the finest Bavarian barley and wheat malts, noble hops from Germany and Bohemia, and spring water from the Alps to brew its beers.
Hacker-Pschorr Weisse is brewed with 60 percent wheat and 40 percent barley malt. After it’s finished fermenting at warm temperatures, it is aged for a short time at cold temperatures. It is unfiltered, which provides a hazy yellow color with an off-white, feathery head. This is a classic example of a wheat beer with a wheat and estery aroma. The flavor is crisp, clean and well-balanced.
