Ska Brewing Company: Kingpin Double Red Ale

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.083 FG = 1.023 IBU = 58 SRM = 18 ABV = 8.4%
A malty English Scottish Strong Red Ale.

Ingredients

1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) amber dried malt extract
11 lbs. (5 kg) 2-row pale malt
1 lb. 6 oz. (0.62 kg) Carapils® malt
1 lb. 4 oz. (0.57 kg) caramel malt (80 °L)
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) caramel malt (120 °L)
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) red wheat malt
10 AAU German Tradition hops (80 min.) (2.25 oz./62 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
7 AAU Crystal hops (30 min.) (2 oz./57 g at 3.5% alpha acids)
1.5 oz. (43 g) Willamette hops (5 min.)
1 oz. (28 g) Cascade hops (0 min.)
White Labs WLP007 (Dry English Ale) or Wyeast 1098 (British Ale) or Lallemand Nottingham yeast
¾ cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step

Mash the grains at 154 °F (68 °C) for 45 minutes and recirculate for 15 minutes before kettle run-off. Add amber dried malt extract to achieve desired gravity. (This can be dropped completely, it is included in this recipe because some systems have a hard time achieving the desired pre-boil gravity with this much grain.) Boil 90 minutes and wait for hot break before first hop addition, hence the “80 minute.” Follow the hopping schedule and cool to fermenter. Pitch yeast and ferment at 69 °F (21 °C). After final gravity is met, drop from fermentation temperature in stages down to 45 °F (7.2 °C), then drop yeast and cold condition the beer at 35 °F (1.7 °C) for the last few days before packaging. Add priming sugar or force carbonate to 2.5 volumes of CO2. If fining, Ska recommends Biofine® Clear to insure the beer is vegan, but isinglass will also do the trick.

Extract with grains option: Substitute the 2-row pale malt and Carapils® in the all-grain recipe with 3 lbs. (1.4 kg) light dried malt extract and 4 lbs. (1.8 kg) light liquid malt extract. Place crushed grains in a steeping bag and steep in 3 qts. (2.9 L) of water at 154 °F (68 °C) for 45 minutes. Remove grain bag and rinse with 1.5 qt. (1.4 L) of water at 170 °F (77 °C). Add water to “grain tea” to make 3.5 gallons (13 L), stir in both dried malt extracts and bring to a boil. Boil for 90 minutes, adding hops as soon as the hot break appears. Keep a small pot of boiling water handy and do not let boil volume drop below 3 gallons (11 L). Stir in liquid malt extract during final 15 minutes of the boil, stirring constantly until extract has dissolved completely. Add flavor and aroma hops according to schedule. Follow the remaining portion of the all-grain recipe.