Fonthill Farmhouse – Apple Brandy Barrel (Extract)
This recipe was developed specifically for the annual brewfest at the beautiful Fonthill Castle in Doylestown. The delightful brew was such a huge hit on that warm summer evening that we decided to make it available in our stores, and now we’re brewing it on Saturday, May 4 for our spring barrel brew. While maintaining the spicy characteristics of a Belgian Saison, it is generously hopped with New Zealand’s finest, lending a robust and juicy fruit profile.
Ingredients Statistics
6.6 Briess Pilsen Light Malt Extract Original Gravity 1.063
1 lb. Weyermann Wheat* Final Gravity 1.010
1 lb. Dingemans Caravienne 20° L* Alcohol Content 6.9%
1 lb. Clear Belgian “Simplicity” Candi Syrup
3/4 oz. New Zealand Pacifica Hop Pellets (Bittering) with 60 minutes left in the boil.
1/2 oz. New Zealand Nelson Sauvin Hop Pellets (Flavoring 1) with 10 minutes left in the boil.
1/2 oz. New Zealand Pacific Jade Hop Pellets (Flavoring 2) with 5 minutes left in the boil.
1/2 oz. New Zealand Nelson Sauvin Hop Pellets (Finishing 1) with 1 minute left in the boil.
1/4 oz. New zealand Pacifica Hop Pellets (Finishing 2) with 1 minute left in the boil.
1/2 oz. New Zealand Pacific Jade Hop Pellets (Finishing 3) with 1 minute left in the boil.
White Labs WLP566 Belgian Saison II
8 Muslin Bags
5 oz. Priming Sugar (for Bottling)
*The malted grains are all crushed together in the clear plastic bag.
Procedure
A few hours before you begin to brew, prepare your liquid yeast according to the package instructions. We assume that you are familiar with basic homebrewing techniques, so these procedures are abbreviated.
- Put the cracked grains into 2 large muslin bags (or 4 small ones) and add them to your brew kettle along with 1½ to 2 gallons of cold water, or more depending on the size of your kettle. Heat slowly.
- Steep the grains in hot water (about 145° – 160°F) to extract flavor and color – do not allow to boil. After about 30 minutes, remove the grain bags and then bring the water to a boil.
- Remove the pot from the heat and add the cans of malt extract. Keep the kettle off the burner and stir until the malt extract is completely dissolved.
- Put the pot back on the burner and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, place bittering hops into muslin bags, add them to the pot, and set your timer to boil for 60 minutes. Keep an eye on the pot to avoid boil-overs.
- After 45 minutes of boiling, remove the pot from the heat (you do not have to stop the timer) and add the Belgian Candi Sugar. Keep the kettle off the burner and stir until the syrup is completely dissolved. You may also add ½ teaspoon of Irish moss, or 1 Whirlfloc tablet, to help clarify your beer (optional). Bring back to a boil (not optional).
- After 50 minutes of boiling, add the first flavoring hops (in a muslin bag).
- After 55 minutes of boiling, add the second flavoring hops (in a muslin bag).
- After 59 minutes of boiling, add all the finishing hops (in a muslin bag).
- After 60 minutes of boiling, turn off the heat. Put a lid on your pot and cool it in an ice bath (use your sink) for about 30 minutes. Remove the hop bags from the kettle.
- Make sure the wort is below 80°F before you have your wort transferred into a barrel, but do not perform the transfer yourself. Instead, let a Keystone Homebrew employee know that you are ready.
- Be prepared to drop off your sanitized and volume-calibrated fermentors at our Montgomeryville store by Saturday, May 25. If using a keg, you may bring a pre-sanitized keg to our store on the day of the event, or you may purchase a Sanikeg from us at any time.
- This beer will ferment in the barrel for approximately one month. We will then transfer it to your fermentor and contact you so you can pick it up.
- Using a hydrometer, confirm completion of fermentation prior to bottling. When ready to bottle, siphon beer into your sanitized bottling bucket, leaving sediment behind. Boil priming sugar in 1-2 cups of water for a few minutes, gently stir into the beer, and bottle as usual.