Two Rivers Brewing Co. Esoterik clone

Two Rivers Brewing Co. Esoterik clone

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.099 FG = 1.024
IBU = 49 SRM = 71 ABV = 10.8%

Esoterik is a commemorative beer named in honor of Mr. Anthony Marraccini, who has contributed extensively to the work of the Arts Community of Easton, Pennsylvania – and it’s quite a tribute. The dark fruit really pops in this recipe, but only if you hold the alcohols in check.

Ingredients
15.5 lbs. (7 kg) Muntons Propino Pale malt (pale 2-row)
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) roasted barley
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Special B malt
0.5 lbs (0.23 kg) Caramunich III malt
0.5 lbs (0.23 kg) chocolate malt
0.5 lbs (0.23 kg) pale chocolate malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) D2 candi syrup
13 AAU Nugget hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 13% alpha acid)
2 oz. (57 g) East Kent Goldings hops (0 min.)
White Labs WLP095 (Burlington Ale) or Gigayeast GY054 (Vermont Ale) or Imperial A04 (Barbarian) yeast
¾ cup (133 g) dextrose (if priming)

Step by Step
Mill the grains, then mix with 24.4 quarts (23.1 L) of 167 °F (75 °C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 154 °F (68 °C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear, and sparge. Sparge the grains with enough water to obtain 6.5 gallons (24.6 L) of wort. Remove kettle from heat and stir in Belgian candi syrup until dissolved. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredient list and Irish moss if desired.

After the boil, chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 65 °F (18 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast.

Ferment at 66 °F (19 °C), for the first two days, then free rise to 70 °F (21 °C) and hold there until the completion of primary fermentation. Once the beer completes fermentation, reduce temperature to 32 °F (0 °C), then bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.4 volumes.
Extract with Grains Option:
Omit the Muntons Propino Pale malt and add 10.75 lbs. (4.9 kg) Maris Otter liquid malt extract. Bring 5.4 gallons of water to approximately 162 °F (72 °C) and hold there. Steep grains for 20 minutes, then remove bag and allow to drain into the wort. Add liquid extract and Belgian candi syrup while stirring, and stir until completely dissolved. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredient list and Irish moss if desired. Now follow the remainder of the all-grain recipe.

Tips for Success:
Head Brewer Josh Bushey recommends pitching more healthy yeast than you think you’ll need (and incidentally, if you can’t source the Vermont IPA strain from the various yeast providers, any alcohol-tolerant and mildly estery yeast will work, too). The relatively high mash temperature will add body, but the candi syrup will balance against that, leaving behind a beer that’s intensely flavorful and full but still quite drinkable.