All-Grain Recipe

(40th Anniversary Collaboration with Firestone Walker Brewing Co.)
by Firestone Walker Brewing Co. and Steve Cook
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.120  FG = 1.019
IBU = 68  SRM = 40  ABV = 13.6%

Ingredients

10 lbs. (4.5 kg) domestic 2-row malt
3.25 lbs. (1.5 kg) Crisp brown malt
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) Simpsons crystal malt (30/37 °L)
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) Great Western crystal malt (75 °L)
4 oz. (113 g) wheat malt
2 oz. (54 g) Briess chocolate malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) brown sugar
1 lb. (0.45 kg) buckwheat honey
4 lbs. (1.8 kg) light liquid malt extract (or as needed, to reach gravity)
10 AAU Columbus hops (90 min.) (0.67 oz./19 g at 15% alpha acids)
11 AAU (Centennial hops) (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 11.1% alpha acids)
1.25 oz. (35 g) Cascade hops (whirlpool)
2 oz. (57 g) French oak cubes, soaked in rum for 1 month 
White Labs WLP005 (British Ale), Wyeast 1187 (Ringwood Ale), or SafAle S-33 yeast

Step by Step

One month prior to brew day add oak cubes and just enough rum to cover them to a Mason jar and store in a cabinet. 

This recipe uses a balanced water profile with equal parts chloride-to-sulfate. Mash all of the grains at 155 °F (68 °C) for 60 minutes. Increase the temperature to 169 °F (76 °C) for 5 minutes and then begin lautering. Collect enough wort to finish with 5.5 gallons (21 L) in the fermenter following a two-hour boil. 

Boil for two hours, adding the hops as indicated. Add the brown sugar and buckwheat honey in the last 15 minutes. Take a gravity sample and add enough malt extract to bring the gravity up to 1.120. Add the whirlpool hop addition at the end of the boil, give the kettle a vigorous swirl to form a whirlpool, then cover and let sit for 20 minutes.

Chill the wort to 62 °F (17 °C), aerate if using liquid yeast, and pitch yeast. When fermentation is complete, add the rum-infused oak cubes during secondary and age to taste.

Bottle or keg and force carbonate as usual.

Partial Mash Recipe

(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.120  FG = 1.019
IBU = 68  SRM = 40  ABV = 13.6%

Ingredients

8.4 lbs. (3.8 kg) light liquid malt extract 
3.5 lbs. (1.6 kg) domestic 2-row malt
3.25 lbs. (1.5 kg) Crisp brown malt
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) Simpsons crystal malt (30/37 °L)
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) Great Western crystal malt (75 °L)
4 oz. (113 g) wheat malt
2 oz. (54 g) Briess chocolate malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) brown sugar
1 lb. (0.45 kg) buckwheat honey
10 AAU Columbus hops (60 min.) 0.67 oz./19 g at 15% alpha acids)
11 AAU (Centennial hops) (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 11.1% alpha acids)
1.25 oz. (35 g) Cascade hops (whirlpool)
2 oz. (57 g) French oak cubes, soaked in rum for 1 month 
White Labs WLP005 (British Ale), Wyeast 1187 (Ringwood Ale), or SafAle S-33 yeast

Step by Step

One month prior to brew day add oak cubes and just enough rum to cover them to a Mason jar and store in a cabinet. 

Add the 2-row, brown, and wheat malts to a steeping bag (or two, you want them loosely packed after tying off the bag) and mash in 3 gallons (11.5 L) of water at 155 °F (68 °C) for 45 minutes. Pull the grains and top off kettle to 6 gallons (23 L). In a separate bag, add the crystal and chocolate malts and steep about 15 minutes as the temperature is brought up to 170 °F (77 °C). Remove grains and turn off heat. Carefully stir in the malt extract. Once dissolved, return to heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 60 minutes. Follow the remainder of the all-grain recipe.