Paul Sangster’s Doppelbock/Eisbock

Paul Sangster’s Doppelbock/Eisbock

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.100  FG = 1.026
IBU = 28  SRM = 33  ABV = 10%

Best of Show, America’s Finest City Homebrew Competition (502 entries)

Ingredients
15 lbs. (6.8 kg) light Munich malt (10 °L)
5.0 lbs. (2.3 kg) German Pilsner malt
3.0 lbs. (1.4 kg) CaraMunich® malt (50 °L)
6 AAU Hallertauer hops (60 min.) (1.5 oz./42 g of 4% alpha acids)
4 AAU Hallertauer hops (30 min.) (1.0 oz./28 g of 4% alpha acids)
White Labs WLP833 (German Bock Lager) yeast

Step by Step 
Water profile: half RO water, half filtered San Diego tap water, with 2 grams of calcium carbonate added. Dough in with 7.0 gallons (26 L) of 170 °F (77 °C) water to hit a mash temp of 154 °F (68 °C). Mash for 60 min, then mash out at 168 °F (76 °C). Collect 8.0 gallons (30 L) sweet wort. Boil 90 minutes. Chill rapidly. Oxygenate. Ferment at 50 °F (10 °C) for 3–4 weeks, raising to 55 °F (13 °C) during last 3 days. Lager for a year.

To turn into an eisbock, reduce slightly (remove a quart or two of ice), then lager another year. This is a strong doppelbock, but is not overly intense on the malts; reduction increases the intensity. Eis by freezing until slushy, then transferring it to another keg via a surescreen to filter out the larger chunks. Concentrate to taste, but watch over-concentrating. Additional lagering greatly helps the flavors smooth out. [Original extract efficiency = 55%. Two base malts adjusted proportionally. 10 AAU bittering hops (60-min addition).]

Paul Sangster’s Doppelbock/Eisbock

(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.100  FG = 1.026
IBU = 28  SRM = 33  ABV = 10%

Ingredients
5.5 lbs. (2.5 kg) liquid Munich malt extract
5.0 lbs. (2.3 kg) dried German Pilsner malt extract
0.75 lbs. (0.34 kg) German Pilsner malt
0.25 lbs. (0.11 kg) Munich malt (10 °L)
3.0 lbs. (1.4 kg) CaraMunich® malt (50 °L)
6 AAU Hallertauer hops (60 min.) (1.5 oz./42 g of 4% alpha acids)
4 AAU Hallertauer hops (30 min.) (1.0 oz./28 g of 4% alpha acids)
White Labs WLP833 (German Bock Lager) yeast

Step by Step 
Place crushed grains in a large steeping bag and place in a 2.0-gallon (7.6-L) beverage cooler. Mix 5.5 qts. (5.2 L) of hot (~168 °F/76 °C) water into the grains and let rest, insulated, for 45 minutes. (The temperature should end up around 154 °F/68 °C.) Draw off a couple cups of wort and pour them back into cooler. Repeat 3 or 4 times to complete recirculation. Draw off between 0.5-1.0 qt. (~0.5–1.0 L) of wort and pour in brewpot. Add the same amount of hot (~185 °F/85 °C) water to top of cooler. You’ll need about 6 qts. (~6 L) of hot water (sparge water) total. If grain bed temperature approaches 170 °F (77 °C), cool sparge water to 170 °F (77 °C). Keep collecting wort (and adding sparge water) until you have collected 11 qts. (10 L) of wort. Add water to make 4 gallons (15 L) of wort, stir in dried malt extract and bring to a boil. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Stir in liquid malt extract during final 15 minutes of boil. Cool wort, transfer to fermenter and top up to 5 gallons (19 L) with cold water. Ferment at 50 °F (10 °C) for 3–4 weeks, raising the temperature to 55 °F (13 °C) during last 3 days. Lager for a year. See all-grain recipe for eisbock option.