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recipe

Gordon Strong’s Grape Ale

All-Grain Recipe

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.055 (pre-juice) FG = 1.010 
IBU = 10  SRM = 4  ABV = 7.7%

Ingredients

5 lbs. (2.3 kg) Pilsner malt
1.75 lbs. (794 g) wheat malt
0.4 lbs. (181 g) Carapils® malt
2.1 gal. (8 L) Moscato grape juice, fresh, unconcentrated (21 °Brix = 1.088 SG)
4.6 AAU Amarillo® hops (0 min.)(0.5 oz./14 g at 9.2% alpha acids) 
4.3 AAU Mandarina Bavaria hops (0 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 8.5% alpha acids)
2.5 oz. (71 g) Amarillo® hops (dry hop)
2.5 oz. (71 g) Mandarina Bavaria hops (dry hop)
Lalvin D-47 or Lalvin 71B yeast
7⁄8 cup corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step

This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Adjust all brewing water to a pH of 5.5 using phosphoric acid. Add 1 tsp. of calcium chloride to the mash.

This recipe uses an infusion mash. Use enough water to have a moderately thick mash (1.5 qts./lb. or 3.1 L/kg). Mash in the malts at 151 °F (66 °C) and hold for 60 minutes. Raise the temperature to 169 °F (76 °C), and recirculate for 15 minutes.

Sparge slowly and collect 4 gallons (15 L) of wort. Target a pre-boil gravity of about 1.049.

Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at the end of the boil and allowing them to steep for 20 minutes, stirring the wort gently. Target final volume is 3.2 gallons (12 L) of wort at about 1.055.

Chill the wort to 65 °F (18 °C), then add the grape juice, resulting in a pre-fermentation volume of about 5.25 gallons (20 L) and an OG of about 1.068. Pitch the yeast, and ferment until complete, about 10 days, allowing the temperature to rise as high as 73 °F (23 °C). Dry hop for two days, then remove hops. Rack to secondary at 73 °F (23 °C) and gradually chill over 10 days to 36 °F (2 °C). Racking should result in about 5 gallons (19 L) of finished beer. Cold condition on the yeast for 6–8 months. To learn more on this process and best practices, check out: https://winemakermag.com/technique/lees-sur-lie-aging-and-battonage

If possible (using a container such as a Corny keg that can hold pressure), prime the beer in secondary and allow natural carbonation slowly over time. A slow forced carbonation over a long period of time can replicate this process. Rack and package.

Extract-Only Recipe

(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.055 (pre-juice) FG = 1.010 
IBU = 10  SRM = 4  ABV = 7.7%

Ingredients

4 lbs. (1.8 kg) weizen or wheat dried malt extract
2.1 gal. (8 L) Moscato grape juice, fresh, unconcentrated (21 °Brix = 1.088 SG)
4.6 AAU Amarillo® hops (0 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 9.2% alpha acids) 
4.3 AAU Mandarina Bavaria hops (0 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 8.5% alpha acids)
2.5 oz. (71 g) Amarillo® hops (dry hop)
2.5 oz. (71 g) Mandarina Bavaria hops (dry hop)
Lalvin D-47 or Lalvin 71B yeast
7⁄8 cup corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step

Use 4 gallons (15 L) of water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C). 

Turn off the heat. Add the malt extract and stir thoroughly to dissolve completely. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil. 

Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at the end of the boil and allowing them to steep for 20 minutes, stirring the wort gently. Follow the all-grain recipe for post-boil, fermentation, and packaging instructions for the beer.

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