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Recipe: The Establishment Left My Wallet in El Segundo
This fan favorite at The Establishment in Calgary is an offbeat, pineapple-infused take on a light and smoky Lichtenhainer.
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In this riff on a Lichtenhainer—a light, oak-smoked wheat beer—pineapple melds with the smoke to create a grilled-pineapple impression. The key ingredient is the oak-smoked wheat—other smoked malts will not have the same effect.
ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 73%
OG: 1.047
FG: 1.010
IBUs: 6
ABV: 4.8%
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In this riff on a Lichtenhainer—a light, oak-smoked wheat beer—pineapple melds with the smoke to create a grilled-pineapple impression. The key ingredient is the oak-smoked wheat—other smoked malts will not have the same effect.
ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 73%
OG: 1.047
FG: 1.010
IBUs: 6
ABV: 4.8%
[PAYWALL]
MALT/GRAIN BILL
4.6 lb (2.1 kg) German pilsner
4.6 lb (2.1 kg) Weyermann Oak Smoked Wheat Malt
1 lb (454 g) rice hulls
HOPS & ADDITIONS SCHEDULE
Food-grade lactic acid (see below)
0.7 oz (20 g) Hallertauer Mittlefrüh at 20 minutes, second boil [6 IBUs]
4.4 lb (2 kg) pineapple puree, pasteurized, in primary
YEAST
Lactobacillus plantarum; Escarpment Kölsch (or other clean German ale/Kölsch strain)
DIRECTIONS
Mill the grains, mix with the rice hulls, and mash at 153°F (67°C) for 60 minutes. Recirculate until the runnings are relatively clear, then run off into the kettle. Sparge and top up as necessary to get about 6 gallons (23 liters), depending on your evaporation rate. Boil for 60 minutes without a lid. At flameout, add food-grade lactic acid to adjust pH to 4.5. Cool wort to 97°F (36°C), paying close attention to sanitation during this stage. Pitch Lacto and stir with sanitized spoon. Cover with sanitized lid and keep warm (close to 97°F/36°C) until the wort acidifies to 3.6 pH—about 24–36 hours.
Bring the wort to a boil and boil for 30 minutes, adding hops according to the schedule. Chill to about 61°F (16°C), aerate well, and pitch the yeast. Ferment at about 61°F (16°C). Once gravity has dropped to about 1.020, add the pineapple puree and allow the temperature to rise to about 64–68°F (18–20°C) until fermentation is complete and beer passes a forced diacetyl test (see “Hunting for Diacetyl,” beerandbrewing.com). Rack beer off the yeast and fruit into a corny keg purged with CO2. Crash and carbonate to at least 2.9 volumes.
BREWER’S NOTES
Bacteria: You can replace the L. plantarum with your own favorite Lacto strain—a half-cup of probiotic yogurt works, too!
Fruit: You can make your own puree from canned pineapple or, ideally, freshly ripe pineapples. Keep in mind that pineapple has an enzyme (bromelain) that deteriorates head-forming proteins. If using fresh pineapple, consider heating the puree to pasteurization temperatures to denature the enzyme—either boil or hold at 176°F (80°C) for at least 8 minutes—then cool before adding to the fermentor.
