ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.053
FG: 1.013
IBUs: 20
ABV: 5.4%
MALT/GRAIN BILL
8 lb (3.6 kg) Maris Otter
1 lb (454 g) British Crystal 65L
8 oz (227 g) Pale Chocolate malt (220L)
8 oz (227 g) Victory malt
HOPS & ADDITIONS SCHEDULE
1 oz (28 g) Fuggles [4% AA] at 60 minutes
1 oz (28 g) Fuggles [4% AA] at 10 minutes
0.5 oz (14 g) cracked fenugreek seeds
YEAST
Wyeast 1318 (London Ale III)
DIRECTIONS
Mill the grains and mix with 3.1 gallons (11.8 l) of 163°F (73°C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 152°F (67°C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear, then run off into the kettle. Sparge the grains with 4.1 gallons (15.6 l) and top up as necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 l) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, following the hops schedule.
After the boil, chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 60°F (16°C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 63°F (17°C) for 72 hours, then increase temperature by about 1°F (0.5°C) degree per day until you reach 71°F (22°C). On the completion of primary fermentation, add the fenugreek seeds. If tinctured, add to taste. If dry-added, add all the seeds and age to taste. Crash the beer to 35°F (2°C), then bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.25 volumes.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
Pay particular attention to the spice addition. Cracked seeds are your best bet, as whole seeds can take forever to impart flavor and ground seeds can add unpleasant bitterness and other unwanted/unpredictable flavors! Some boil the seeds, but I find a vodka tincture works just fine, and I’ve also seen brewers who have success with just tossing the cracked seeds directly into the fermentor. The tincture is faster and gives more control, but both allow you to dial in the flavor level you want! The base beer is essentially a dark-ish good, but slightly more-malty, version of Northern English Brown ale.