Recipe

Smuttynose Brewing Company: Frankenlager clone

Smuttynose Brewing Company: Frankenlager clone

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.060   FG = 1.015
IBU = 61 SRM = 4 ABV = 6.1%

Frankenlager is Smuttynose’s interpretation of an IPA decoction-mashed and fermented like the classic lagers of Europe. It’s crisp and refined, but certainly not meek or mild.

Ingredients
12.5 lbs. (5.7 kg) US 2-row pale malt
50 AAU German Magnum pellet hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 14% alpha acids)
1.8 AAU Saphir pellet hops (20 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 3.5% alpha acids)
3.4 AAU Saphir pellet hops (10 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 3.5% alpha acids)
3.5 AAU Saphir pellet hops (0 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 3.5% alpha acids)
5 oz. (140 g) Saphir pellet hops (dry hop)
1⁄2 tsp. yeast nutrient (15 min.)
1⁄2 Whirfloc® tablet (15 min.)
White Labs WLP920 (Old Bavarian Lager) or White Labs WLP833 (German Bock Lager) yeast
2⁄3 cup (133 g) dextrose (if priming)

Step by Step
This is either single or double decoction mash, so build in some extra time in your brew day to account for the added steps. Mill the grains and mix with 4.7 gallons (17.8 L) of 158 °F (70 °C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 147 °F (64 °C). Hold at this temperature for 40 minutes. Remove one gallon (3.8 L) of the grist and bring it to a boil (decoction) then add it back to the mash tun. This should step the mash up to 162 °F (72 °C) where you hold again for 20 minutes. Direct fire (or double decoct) up to 170 °F (77 °C) and hold for 10 minutes if you wish to perform a mash out. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear. Sparge the grains with approximately 3.5 gallons (13.25 L) of 170 °F (77 °C) water until 6.5 gallons (24.6 L) of 1.046 SG wort is collected in your boil kettle. Boil for 60 minutes adding hops, yeast nutrient, and kettle finings according to the ingredients list. After the boil, create a whirlpool by gently stirring with a mash paddle for 2 minutes and then let rest for an additional 13 minutes. Chill the wort to 50 °F (10 °C), aerate, and pitch yeast. It is recommended that you pitch 424 billion yeast cells, which can be obtained by using either 1 fresh vial after making a 2.3 L stir plate starter, 2 fresh vials after making a 4.35 L non-stir plate starter or 5 fresh vials without a starter.

Ferment at 50 °F (10 °C) until you reach terminal gravity. Add dry hops and dry hop at 50 °F (10 °C) for a week. Crash cool for two days and then package. Carbonate to between 2.4 and 2.5 volumes of CO2.

Extract option:
Substitute the 2-row pale malt in the all-grain recipe with 8.5 lbs. (3.9 kg) golden light liquid malt extract. Bring 6.5 gallons (24.6 L) of water up to a boil. Remove from heat and add your malt extract and stir until fully dissolved. Return to a boil for 60 minutes. Follow the remaining portion of the all-grain recipe.

Issue: January-February 2016

Frankenlager is Smuttynose’s interpretation of an IPA decoction-mashed and fermented like the classic lagers of Europe. It’s crisp and refined, but certainly not meek or mild.