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recipe

Milwaukee Brewing Co.’s Louie’s Demise Ale clone

A traditional German altbier. Owner Jim McCabe’s goal was to have a malt-forward, but well-balanced beer with complex flavors. The blend of Munich, honey, and caramel malts accomplishes this nicely and add earthy and caramel notes.

Milwaukee Brewing Co.’s Louie’s Demise Ale clone, All-Grain

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.054  FG = 1.012
IBU = 28  SRM = 14  ABV = 5.6%

Ingredients

7.5 lbs. (3.4 kg) 2-row pale malt
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) Gambrinus honey malt
1.25 lbs. (0.56 kg) Munich malt (10 °L)
0.5 lb. (0.22 kg) Munich dark malt (20 °L)
0.5 lb. (0.22 kg) crystal malt (60 °L)
5 oz. (0.14 kg) Carapils® (dextrin) malt
1 oz. (28 g) roasted barley (450 °L)
8 AAU Columbus hop pellets (60 min.) (0.6 oz./17 g at 13.4% alpha acids)
13.25 AAU Perle hop pellets (10 min.) (2.5 oz./71 g at 5.3%  alpha acids)
4.2 AAU Tettnang hop pellets (0 min.) (1.5 oz./43 g at 2.8% alpha acids)
1⁄2 tsp. Irish moss (30 min.)
1⁄2 tsp. yeast nutrient (15 min.)
White Labs WLP 051 (California Ale V) or Wyeast 1272 (American Ale II) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step

This is a single step infusion mash. Mix all of the crushed grains with 4.1 gallons (15.4 L) of 167 °F (75 °C) water to stabilize at 148 ºF (64 °C). This is a medium-thin mash using 1.4 quarts of strike water per pound of grain (2.9 L/kg). This ratio will help to maximize fermentability. A more fermentable wort is also created by the lower mash temperature. Mash for 60 minutes and slowly sparge with 170 ºF (77 ºC) water.

Collect approximately 6 gallons (23 L) of wort runoff and boil for 60 minutes. While boiling, add the hops, Irish moss and yeast nutrient as per the schedule. During the boil, use this time to thoroughly sanitize your fermentation equipment. After the boil is complete, cool the wort to 75 ºF (24 ºC) and transfer to your fermenter. Pitch the yeast and aerate the wort heavily. Allow the beer to cool to 68 ºF (20 ºC).

Hold at that temperature until fermentation is complete. Gently transfer to a carboy, avoiding any splashing to prevent aerating the beer. Allow the beer to condition for an additional week. Prime and bottle condition or keg and force carbonate to 2.4 volumes CO2. Allow the beer to age for at least two more weeks to fully develop the flavors and enjoy your Louie’s Demise Ale clone.

Milwaukee Brewing Co.’s Louie’s Demise Ale clone, Partial Mash

(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.054  FG = 1.012
IBU = 28  SRM = 14  ABV = 5.6%

Ingredients

3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) Muntons unhopped light liquid malt extract
22 oz. (0.62 kg) light dried malt extract
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) Gambrinus honey malt
1.25 lbs. (0.56 kg) Munich malt (10 °L)
0.5 lb. (0.22 kg) Munich dark malt (20 °L)
0.5 lb. (0.22 kg) crystal malt (60 °L)
5 oz. (0.14 kg) Carapils® (dextrin) malt
1 oz. (28 g) roasted barley (450 °L)
8 AAU Columbus hop pellets (60 min.) (0.6 oz./17 g at 13.4% alpha acids)
13.25 AAU Perle hop pellets (10 min.) (2.5 oz./71 g at 5.3%  alpha acids)
4.2 AAU Tettnang hop pellets (0 min.) (1.5 oz./43 g at 2.8% alpha acids)
1⁄2 tsp. Irish moss (30 min.)
1⁄2 tsp. yeast nutrient (15 min.)
White Labs WLP 051 (California Ale V) or Wyeast 1272 (American Ale II) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step

Place the milled grain in 2.5 gallons (9.5 L) of water at 148 ºF (64 ºC) for 60 minutes. Remove grains from the wort and rinse with 2 quarts (1.8 L) of hot water and top off to 3 gallons (11.4 L). Add the malt extracts at the start of the 60-minute boil and the hops, Irish moss and yeast nutrient as per the schedule. During the boil, use this time to thoroughly sanitize your fermentation equipment. When the boil is complete add the wort to 2 gallons (7.6 L) of cold water in the sanitized fermenter and top off with cold water up to 5 gallons (19 L). Cool the wort to 75 ºF (24 ºC). Pitch your yeast and aerate the wort heavily.

Allow the beer to cool to 68 ºF (20 ºC). Hold at that temperature until fermentation is complete. Gently transfer to a carboy, avoiding any splashing to prevent aerating the beer. Allow the beer to condition for an additional week. Prime and bottle condition or keg and force carbonate to 2.4 volumes CO2. Allow the beer to age for at least two more weeks to fully develop the flavors and enjoy your Louie’s Demise Ale clone.

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