Long Trail Brewing Co.’s Long Trail Ale clone

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.052 FG = 1.016 IBU = 30 SRM = 14 ABV = 4.8%

Ingredients

9 lbs. (4.1 kg) 2-row pale malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) crystal malt (80 °L)
12 oz. (0.34 kg) wheat malt
1.6 oz. (45 g) chocolate malt
5.4 AAU Northern Brewer hops (60 min.) (0.6 oz./17 g at 9% alpha acids)
2.7 AAU Northern Brewer hops (30 min.) (0.3 oz./8.5 g at 9% alpha acids)
2.75 AAU Willamette hops (5 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 5.5% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1187 (Ringwood Ale) or White Labs WLP005 (British Ale) or Safale S-04 yeast
¾ cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step

Mill the grains, then mix with 3.4 gallons (12.8 L) of 166 °F (74 °C) strike water to achieve a single infusion rest temperature of 151 °F (66 °C). Hold at this temperature for 60 min. Mashout to 170 °F (77 °C). Vorlauf until your runnings are clear before directing runnings to your boil kettle. Batch or fly sparge the mash to obtain 6.5 gallons (25 L) of wort.

Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops at the indicated times left in the boil. At 15 minutes left in boil, add either Irish moss, Whirlfloc, other kettle fining agent of your choice to the wort. After the boil, whirlpool for a couple of minutes and allow the wort to settle before rapidly chilling the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, which is 66 °F (19 °C) for this beer. Pitch yeast.

Maintain fermentation temperature to avoid too many esters, which can easily occur with this strain. You may need a diacetyl rest for this strain so don’t hesitate to raise the temperature of the fermentation at least 4 °F (2 °C) during the last third of fermentation. Bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.6 volumes.

Long Trail Brewing Co.’s Long Trail Ale clone, extract with grains

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.053 FG = 1.013 IBU = 30 SRM = 14 ABV = 5.2%

Ingredients

5 lbs (2.27 kg) light dried malt extract
12 oz. (0.34 kg) crystal malt (80 °L)
8 oz. (0.23 kg) maltodextrin powder
1.6 oz. (45 g) chocolate malt
5.4 AAU Northern Brewer hops (60 min.) (0.6 oz./17 g at 9% alpha acids)
2.7 AAU Northern Brewer hops (30 min.) (0.3 oz./8.5 g at 9% alpha acids)
2.75 AAU Willamette hops (5 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 5.5% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1187 (Ringwood) yeast or White Labs WLP005 (British Ale) or Safale S-04 yeast
¾ cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step

Bring 6.5 gallons (25 L) of water to roughly 150 °F (66 °C). Steep the chocolate and crystal malts for 15 minutes before removing. Add the DME and maltodextrin, with stirring, before heating to a boil.

Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops at the indicated times left in the boil. At 15 minutes left in boil, add either Irish moss, Whirlfloc, other kettle fining agent of your choice to the wort. After the boil, whirlpool for a couple of minutes before rapidly chilling the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, which is 66 °F (19 °C) for this beer. Pitch yeast.

Maintain fermentation temperature to avoid producing excess esters. You may need a diacetyl rest for this strain so don’t hesitate to raise the temperature of the fermentation at least 4 °F (2 °C) during the last third of fermentation. Bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.6 volumes.

Tips for Success: This amber beer is all about balance without sacrificing either the depth of flavor or drinkability. For the ingredients to really shine, ensure that you’re using the freshest versions of them possible. In addition, aim for gypsum and calcium chloride water additions to hit 247 ppm and 100 ppm, respectively. As is the case with most British ale yeasts, you’ll probably pick up a bit of diacetyl, so don’t be afraid to perform a diacetyl rest. When in doubt, microwave a beer sample for 30 seconds, which will volatilize any aromatics including 2,3-butanedione.