Boulevard Brewing’s Nutcracker Ale

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.072 FG = 1.016
IBU = 32 SRM = 23 ABV = 7.8%

Ingredients

9 lbs. (4.1 kg) 2-row pale malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) aromatic malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) English medium crystal malt (50 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Special B malt
10 oz. (283 g) Carapils® malt
6 oz. (170 g) wheat malt
1.25 lbs. (0.56 kg) brown sugar
6.5 AAU Magnum pellet hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 13% alpha acid)
1.4 AAU Cascade pellet hops (30 min.) (0.25 oz./7 g of 5.75% alpha acid)
1.4 AAU Cascade pellet hops (0 min.) (0.25 oz./7 g of 5.75% alpha acid)
6.5 AAU Chinook pellet hops (0 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g of 13% alpha acid)
1⁄2 tsp. yeast nutrient (15 min.)
1⁄2 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.)
White Labs WLP002 (English Ale) or Wyeast 1968 (London ESB) or Lallemand London ESB Ale yeast
3/4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step

Mash the grains at 152 °F (67 °C) for 60 minutes. Vourlaf until runnings are clear, and sparge. Collect approximately 6 gallons (22.7 L) of wort runoff to boil for 60 minutes.

Add the hops, Irish moss, and yeast nutrient at the times indicated in the ingredients list. Stir in the brown sugar at the end of the boil. Chill the wort to 75 °F (24 °C), aerate the wort heavily, and pitch your yeast. Allow the beer to cool to 68 °F (20 °C). Hold at that temperature until fermentation is complete.

Transfer to a carboy, avoiding any splashing to prevent aerating the beer. Allow the beer to condition for 1 week and then bottle or keg. Allow to carbonate and age for 2 weeks.

Extract with Grains option:
Omit the 2-row pale malt. Add 3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) Muntons light, unhopped, malt extract and 1.8 lbs. (0.81 kg) light dried malt extract. Steep the crushed grains in 2 gallons (7.6 L) of water at 152 °F (66.7 °C) for 30 minutes. Pull the grain bag out and drain over the brew pot in a colander. Rinse with 2 quarts (1.9 L) of hot water. Add the liquid and dried malt extracts and bring to a boil. While boiling, add the hops, yeast nutrients, and Irish moss as per the ingredients list. Stir in the brown sugar at the end of the boil. After the boil, cool the wort and transfer it to a sanitized fermenter. Top off with cold water up to 5 gallons (19 L), aerate well, and pitch the yeast. Follow the remainder of the all-grain recipe.