Tröegs Brewing Co.’s Mad Elf clone
Back in 2002, Owners Chris and John Trogner decided to brew a special beer — a big Belgian-style ale with cherries and honey — for the holidays, and thus, a superstar named Mad Elf was born. The calculated SRM is the color prior to the cherry puree addition. The final color of the beer will be ruby red.
Tröegs Brewing Co.’s Mad Elf clone, All-Grain
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.092 FG = 1.015
IBU = 13 SRM = 17 ABV = 11%
Ingredients
12.5 lbs. (5.67 kg) Pilsner malt
2.63 lbs. (1.19 kg) Munich malt (8-10 °L)
0.75 lb. (0.34 kg) dark Munich malt (20 °L)
0.31 lb. (0.14 kg) caramel malt (80 °L)
0.13 lb. (0.06 kg) chocolate malt
0.31 lb. (0.14 kg) Special B malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) cane sugar (sucrose) (0 min.)
0.25 lb. (11 g) (0.11 kg) honey (0 min.)
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) tart cherry puree
0.9 lb. (0.41 kg) sweet cherry puree
2.7 AAU Galena hops (90 min.) (0.2 oz./6 g at 13.6% alpha acids)
2.3 AAU Hersbrucker hops (10 min.) (0.5 oz./6 g at 4.6% alpha acids)
White Labs WLP530 (Abbey Ale) or Wyeast 3787 (Trappist Style High Gravity) or LalBrew Abbaye yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Using 1.3 qts. per pound of grain, mash in at 146 °F (63 °C), rest for 10 minutes, then raise temperature to 152 °F (67 °C) and hold for 40 minutes. Increase temperature to 162 °F (72 °C) for final 10 minutes. Recirculate about 10 minutes to set the grain bed then sparge and collect 7 gallons (26 L).
Boil 90 minutes, adding the hops per the instructions. Add the cane sugar and honey at knockout, stirring well to dissolve. Chill rapidly to 65 °F (18 °C), pitch plenty of yeast (at least two packs with a starter), and oxygenate thoroughly. After 24 hours of fermentation, add the cherry purees. After 12–14 days, drop the beer about 6 °F (3 °C) per day for four days to help the beer clear. Rack the beer into a keg and force carbonate to 2.7 volumes, or prime and bottle condition. If bottle conditioning, leave the beer at 70–75 °F (21–24 °C) for at least two weeks.
Tröegs Brewing Co.’s Mad Elf clone, Extract with Grains
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.092 FG = 1.015
IBU = 13 SRM = 17 ABV = 11%
Ingredients
7 lbs. (3.2 kg) Briess Pilsen dried malt extract
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) Munich or Vienna dried malt extract
0.75 lb. (0.34 kg) dark Munich malt (20 °L)
0.31 lb. (0.14 kg) caramel malt (80 °L)
0.13 lb. (0.06 kg) chocolate malt
0.31 lb. (0.14 kg) Special B malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) cane sugar (sucrose) (0 min.)
0.25 lb. (11 g) (0.11 kg) honey (0 min.)
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) tart cherry puree
0.9 lb. (0.41 kg) sweet cherry puree
2.7 AAU Galena hops (90 min.) (0.2 oz./6 g at 13.6% alpha acids)
2.3 AAU Hersbrucker hops (10 min.) (0.5 oz./6 g at 4.6% alpha acids)
White Labs WLP530 (Abbey Ale) or Wyeast 3787 (Trappist Style High Gravity) or LalBrew Abbaye yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Using a 5-gallon (19-L) kettle, start by steeping all the specialty grains (placed in a muslin bag) in about 2 gallons (7.5 L) of water at 152 °F (67 °C) for 15 minutes. Remove grain bag then add water bringing total volume in kettle to about 4 gallons (15 L). Bring liquid to or near a boil. Turn off the flame and slowly add half of the malt extract, stirring to avoid clumping or scorching. Adding just half of the extract maximizes hop isomerization. Turn flame back on and bring to boil. With 15 minutes left in the boil, add the remaining malt extract.
Follow the remainder of the all-grain recipe for boil, fermenting, and packaging instructions. After chilling the beer, but before pitching your yeast, remember to top up with water to 5 gallons (19 L).
