Forgotten Boardwalk Brewing Co.’s Funnel Cake clone, all-grain

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.054   FG = 1.014 IBU = 26   SRM = 3   ABV = 5.4%

Ingredients

9 lbs. (4.1 kg) Pilsner malt
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) flaked oats
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) light Munich malt (6 °L)
0.25 lb. (0.11 kg) flaked maize
0.25 lb. (0.11 kg) lactose sugar (60 min.)
0.5 oz. (14 g) vanilla beans (dry hop)
7 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 14% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Fermentis US-05 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by step

Mill the grains and mix with 3.5 gallons (13 L) of 164 °F (73 °C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 152 °F (67 °C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear. Sparge the grains with 4.3 gallons (16.2 L) and top up as necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding lactose and hops at the start of the boil.

Conduct a 15-minute whirlpool after flameout and then 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 7 days, then raise the temperature to 70 °F (21 °C) for 72 hours. After completion of fermentation, add the vanilla beans and rest for three days. Crash the beer to 35 °F (2 °C) for 48 hours then bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.5 volumes.

Forgotten Boardwalk Brewing Co.’s Funnel Cake clone, partial mash

(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.054   FG = 1.013 IBU = 26   SRM = 3   ABV = 5.5%

Ingredients

4.5 lbs. (2 kg) Pilsen dried malt extract
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) Pilsner malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) flaked oats
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) light Munich malt (6 °L)
0.25 lb. (0.11 kg) flaked maize
0.25 lb. (0.11 kg) lactose sugar (60 min.)
0.5 oz. (14 g) vanilla beans (dry hop)
7 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 14% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Fermentis US-05 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by step

Bring 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water to approximately 162 °F (72 °C) and hold there. Place the crushed grains in a large grain bag and submerge in the water, being sure to mix the grains well to avoid dough balls. Hold for 45 minutes, maintaining a temperature above 150 °F (66 °C) but below 162 °F (72 °C). Remove the grain bag and place in a colander. Wash the grain bag with 1-gallon (4-L) of hot water. Add dried malt extract while stirring, and stir until completely dissolved, then top off to 6 gallons (23 L). Boil for 60 minutes, adding lactose and hops at the start of the boil.

Conduct a 15-minute whirlpool after flameout and then 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 7 days, then raise the temperature to 70 °F (21 °C) for 72 hours. After completion of fermentation, add the vanilla beans and rest for three days. Crash the beer to 35 °F (2 °C) for 48 hours then bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.5 volumes.

Tips for Success:

Forgotten Boardwalk Brewing Company, located in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, describes their Funnel Cake sweet cream ale smelling like “old-fashioned Nilla wafer” and tasting like classic Jersey Shore boardwalk funnel cake. The light Munich, flaked oats, and flaked maize create a rich pastry background, while the lactose and vanilla (a light touch of each) provide just enough sweetness. If you find your version is a bit cloying, just bump up the bittering hop addition by a few AAUs.