ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.048
FG: 1.011
IBUs: 25
ABV: 4.8%
MALT/GRAIN BILL
8 lb (3.6 kg) Maris Otter
1 lb (454 g) British Medium Crystal malt (65L)
0.25 lb (113 g) British Pale Chocolate malt
HOPS SCHEDULE
1 oz (28 g) East Kent Goldings [5% AA] at 60 minutes
1 oz (28 g) Fuggles [4% AA] at flame-out
YEAST
Wyeast 1028 (London Ale) Yeast
DIRECTIONS
Mill the grains and mix with 2.89 gallons (11 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 4.3 gallons (16.5 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 63°F (17°C). Aerate the wort and pitch yeast.
Ferment at 65°F (18°C) until the approximately halfway through primary fermentation, then allow temperature to rise at will (or step up by 1°F (0.5°C) per day for one week, and then let free rise). Crash the beer to 35°F (2°C), then bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 1.5 volumes.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
These beers (and this recipe) are at their best when they’re dry and malty, which can be a tough act to bring off. The chocolate malt will help dry out the beer, but help it along by pushing your fermentation so that the yeast clears out as much of the fermentable sugar (and diacetyl) as possible! You can serve this a bit higher in CO2, but try to keep it on the lower side. It feels more authentic, and lets the subtler malt notes come through.