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ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.079
FG: 1.022
IBUs: 28
ABV: 7.5%
MALT/GRAIN BILL
10.6 lb (4.8 kg) Briess Brewers 2-Row
2.3 lb (1 kg) Simpsons Malted Oats
1.5 lb (680 g) flaked oats
12 oz (340 g) Weyermann Acidulated Malt
HOPS AND ADDITIONS SCHEDULE
0.36 oz (10 g) Warrior [15% AA] at 60 minutes
1.6 oz (45 g) Citra [12% AA] at flame-out
4 oz (113 g) Citra at dry-hop
Dried mint leaves, cold-steeped, to secondary (see Brewer’s Notes)
YEAST
Wyeast 1318 London III Ale Yeast
DIRECTIONS
Mash the grains at 152°F (67°C) for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear of grain but still hazy and then run off into the kettle. Sparge the grains and top up as necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 l) of wort—or more, depending on your evaporation rate. Boil for 90 minutes following the hops schedule.
After the boil, chill the wort to fermentation temperature, about 68°F (20°C). Aerate the wort and pitch the yeast.
Ferment at 68°F (20°C) for 2–3 days before raising the temperature to 72°F (22°C) until FG is reached.
BREWER’S NOTES
We recommend testing various mint applications on other beers before applying to any batch of beer. We enjoyed most a 50/50 mix of dried peppermint tea leaves and dried spearmint tea leaves cold steeped overnight, then strained. We added the tea to the fermentor when fermentation was mostly complete. We added 1.5 lb (680 g) total of dried mint leaves to a 30bbl batch.
That said, it was our goal to convey a subtle mint flavor and not overdo it. For more intense flavor, start with a more significant quantity of dried mint leaves (or tea) or test hot-brewing tea and infusing into the beer.
Some astute readers have noted the lack of lactose in this "milkshake" beer. We have brewed milkshakes with (the homebrew recipe equivalent) no lactose, 4 oz (113 g), and 8 oz (227 g). It all depends on how “thick" of a milkshake you would like it to be, and how strong you go with your vanilla. With more vanilla you can get away with less lactose, and vice-versa.
About dry-hopping: We believe you can get away with quite a bit less than your typical hazy/DDH type brew given all of the other flavors you have going on. Safe zone is around 1.5-1.75 lb per barrel—the homebrew equivalent being about 4 oz (113 g) for a 5-gallon batch.
Editor's note: With input from the brewers, we have updated the recipe to include information about lactose and dry-hopping in the Brewer's Notes, as well as dry hops in the Hops and Additions Schedule. These were absent from the printed version.