Choctoberfest (5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)

OG = 1.068  FG = 1.018 IBU = 16  SRM = 8  ABV = 6.9%

Ingredients

2 lbs. (0.91 kg) Pilsner malt
2 lbs. (0.91 kg) Munich malt
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) Vienna malt
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) Carapils malt
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) crystal malt (60 °L)
5 lbs. (2.27 kg) Pilsen dried malt extract
2 AAU Tettnanger hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 4% alpha acids)
2.5 AAU Spalt hops (15 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 5% alpha acids)
2 AAU Tettnanger hops (5 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 4% alpha acid)
2.5 AAU Spalt hops (5 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 5% alpha acids)
4 Tbsp. unsweetened ground cocoa (5 min.)
1 qt. (1 L) yeast slurry of Wyeast 2308 (Munich lager) or similar
2/3 cup corn sugar for priming

Step by Step

Heat 1.75 gal. (6.6 L) of water to 166 °F (74 °C), submerge the cracked grains. Hold at 154 °F (68 °C) for 60 min. Wash the grains with 2 gal. (7.6 L) water at 169 °F (76 °C). Add dried malt extract to kettle off heat and when fully dissolved, bring wort to a boil. Total boil is 60 min. Add the hops according to the schedule and the cocoa into the boil with 5 min. remaining, then turn off the heat. Add to fermenter along with enough water to make 5.25 gal (20 L). Cool to 60 °F (16 °C). Pitch yeast. Seal and ferment cool (55 to 60 °F/13 to 16 °C) for two weeks. Rack to secondary if you desire and age cold (40 °F/4 °C) for two to four weeks. Prime with corn sugar, bottle, or keg and force carbonate.

All-grain version: Increase pilsner malt to 11 lbs. (5 kg), mash water to 4.5 gal. (17.2 L), and sparge water to 5 gal. (19 L). Adjust boiling time to suit your rate of evaporation and maintain the hop schedule as above.

Extract with grains version: Omit the pilsner malt, Munich and Vienna malts. Steep Carapils and crystal malt in 3 gal. (11 L) of water as temperature comes up to 160 °F (71 °C), then remove grains and bring liquid to a boil. Increase Pilsen dried malt extract to 6 lbs. (2.7 kg) and add 1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) Munich dried malt extract and proceed as above.

A note about cocoa: Cocoa and hot chocolate mix are not the same thing. In this recipe (and elsewhere in your brewing adventures) you only want to use cocoa, that is, the extract of the cocoa bean, not a prepared chocolate containing milk solids, sugars, preservatives, and so forth. Try for the most pure cocoa you can find, unsweetened, unpreserved. A word of caution: Cocoa contains lipids and fats, which reduce foam retention.