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recipe

Klosterbrauere Ettaler Curator clone

This doppelbock is much darker tasting than others, with massive aromas and flavors of fruitcake, port, figs and raisins. Although extremely rich and thick, this beer is readily drinkable which poses a dilemma after a liter or so. There seem to be a lot of German bierkellars that have tilted, uneven floors!

Curator clone, all-grain
Klosterbrauere Ettaler, Germany

(5 gallons/19 L)
OG = 1.086 FG = 1.022
IBU = 56 SRM = 37 ABV = 8.3%

Ingredients

14 lb. 4 oz. (6.5 kg) Munich malt (20 °L)
4 lb. 12 oz. (2.2 kg) Munich malt (10 °L)
11 oz. (0.31 kg) Carafa® Special III malt
14 AAU Yakima Magnum hops (120 min.) (0.88 oz./25 g of 16% alpha acids)
White Labs WLP833 (German Bock) or Wyeast 2487 (Hella-Bock) yeast
0.75 cups corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step

This employs a triple decoction mash program. Mash in cold with 2–2.5 qt./lb. (4.2–5.2 L/kg) water. Bring up to 95 °F (35 °C) with direct heat. Pull a third of the mash, boil for 30 minutes. Add back to main mash to bring temperature up to 131 °F (55 °C).

Repeat the decoction. Add back to main mash, which should be at 146 °F (63 °C). Repeat decoction, boil longer than first two decoctions. Add back to main mash to raise temperature to 166 °F (74 °C). Let stand a few minutes then move on to lautering and sparge. Wort boil time is 120 minutes. Ferment at 50 °F (10 °C). Lager at 30 °F (-1.1 °C) for four to five months.

Curator clone, partial mash
Klosterbrauere Ettaler, Germany

(5 gallons/19 L)
OG = 1.086 FG = 1.022
IBU = 56 ABV = 8.3%

Most Munich malt extracts are a made from a mixture of pale malt and Munich malt, so this clone may not be quite as malty as the original.

Ingredients

3 lb. 5 oz. (1.5 kg) Munich malt (20 °L)
11 oz. (0.31 kg) Carafa® Special III malt
10 lbs. (4.5 kg) Munich liquid malt extract
16 AAU Yakima Magnum hops (60 min.) (1.0 oz./28 g of 16% alpha acids)
White Labs WLP833 (German Bock) or Wyeast 2487 (Hella-Bock) yeast
0.75 cups corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step

Put crushed grains in a large nylon steeping bag. Heat 5.5 qts. (5.2 L) of water to 163 °F (73 °C) and pour into your 2.0-gallon (7.6-L) cooler. Slowly submerge grain bag, then open the bag and use a large brewing spoon to ensure that grain mixes completely with the water. Let mash rest, starting at 152 °F (67 °C) for 45 minutes. While mash is resting, heat 0.75 gallons (2.8 L) of water to 152 °F (67 °C) in your brewpot. Also heat 5.5 qts. (5.2 L) of water to 180 °F (82 °C) in a large kitchen pot.

Recirculate your partial mash wort by drawing off a pint or two of wort from the cooler and returning it to the top of the mash. Repeat until wort is clear or 3 quarts (~3 L) have been recirculated. Next, run off entire first wort and add to the hot wort in your kettle. Stir 180 °F (82 °C) water into grains in cooler until liquid level is the same as during the first mash. Let rest for 5 minutes, then recirculate and run off wort as before. Bring wort to a boil, then turn off heat and stir in roughly a third of the liquid malt extract. Resume heating, add bittering hops and boil for 60 minutes. Stir in remaining liquid malt extract with 15 minutes left in boil.

After the boil, put a lid on your brewpot and cool the wort (either in a cold-water bath in your sink or with a wort chiller). Cool until the side of the brewpot no longer feels warm. Rack cool wort to fermenter and top up to 5 gallons (19 L) with cool water. Aerate and pitch yeast. Ferment at 50 °F (10 °C). Lager in secondary at 30 °F (-1.1 °C) for 4–5 months.

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