ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.072
FG: 1.019
IBUs: 24
ABV: 7.6%
MALT/GRAIN BILL
5 lb (2.3 kg) Maris Otter
4 lb (1.8 kg) Pilsner malt
1 lb (454 g) Munich
1 lb (454 g) red wheat malt
1 lb (454 g) Victory malt
8 oz (227 g) Special B
8 oz (227 g) CaraPils
1 oz (28 g) Black Patent
12 oz (340 g) dark Belgian candi syrup
HOPS SCHEDULE
1 oz (28 g) Styrian Goldings [5% AA] at 60 minutes
0.5 oz (14 g) Styrian Goldings [5% AA] at 20 minutes
YEAST
Wyeast 3522 (Belgian Ardennes) Yeast
DIRECTIONS
Mill the grains and mix with 4.1 gallons (15.6 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, allowing the lauter to dissolve the candi syrup. Sparge the grains with 3.1 gallons (11.9 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 64°F (18°C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch the yeast.
Ferment at 64°F (18°C) until visible activity begins, then increase by one degree Fahrenheit per day until you reach 70°F (21°C) and hold. Upon completion of fermentation, crash the beer to 35°F (2°C), then bottle or keg and carbonate to about 2.5 volumes of CO2.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
Keep the yeast moving here—a slow, steady rise in fermentation temperature will promote a full attenuation and a dry finish without hot alcohols, making this a highly drinkable and digestible beer for its strength.