Gary Foster’s Spotted Dog (California Common)

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.050 FG = 1.011 IBU = 37  SRM = 12  ABV = 4.5%

Ingredients

8 lbs. (3.6 kg) domestic, Great Western 2-row pale malt
9 oz. (255 g) crystal malt 60 °L
6 oz. (170 g) Victory malt
3 oz. (85 g) pale chocolate malt (200 °L)
6 oz. (170 g) wheat malt
22.5 AAU Northern Brewer hop pellets (10 min.) (2.5 oz./71 g of 9.0% alpha acids)
9 AAU Northern Brewer hop pellets (5 min.) (1 oz./28 g of 9.0% alpha acids)
9 AAU Northern Brewer hop pellets (1 min.) (1 oz./28 g of 9.0% alpha acids)
White Labs WLP810 (San Francisco Lager) yeast

Step-by-Step

Mash at 154 °F (68 °C) for 60 minutes. Sparge to collect 6 gallons (23 L). Boil for 60 minutes.  Add first hop addition with 10 minutes left in the boil. Add whirlfloc at 5 minutes along with second hop addition. Add final hop addition at 1 minute (yes, there is no 60 minute hop addition, this is not a typo). Chill quickly to below 70 °F (21 °C). Pitch a 2 L yeast starter and ferment at 65 °F (18 °C) for approximately two weeks (leave it on the yeast this extra time to help clean things up). Crash cool to 50 °F (10 °C) a few days prior to kegging or bottling to settle out the yeast. Keg or bottle and lager at 34 °F (1 °C) for 1 month. You will not need to dry hop this beer, the hop aroma and flavor will be quite enough.