Bourbon Barrel Old Ale Recipe (Extract, Fall 2013)

We will be brewing this beer as part of a Bourbon Barrel Brew at our Montgomeryville store on October 26. Everyone is welcome to attend! The primary fermentation will be conducted in bourbon barrels here at the store (optional), which will add complexity and complementary flavors. This recipe is for 5 gallons, but you can brew any volume you’d like – just fill out the online sign-up form so we can get an accurate headcount.

Statistics

Original Gravity   1.093
Final Gravity   1.022
Alcohol Content   9.0%

Extract + Grains Ingredients

13.2 lbs. Muntons Light LME
0.5 lb. Black Treacle
0.75 lb. Briess Crystal 80°L
0.25 lb. Muntons Black Patent

2 oz. Horizon Hops (Bittering) with 60 minutes left in the boil

London Ale Yeast (starter provided by Keystone Homebrew Supply)

4 Muslin Bags

Procedure

We assume that you are familiar with basic homebrewing techniques, so these procedures are abbreviated.

1. Divide the cracked grains between 2 of the muslin bags (no more than ½ pound per bag) and add them to your brew kettle along with 2 gallons of cold water. Heat slowly.

2. 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, top up to your desired boil volume (a full wort boil is desirable, if possible while avoiding boil-overs), and then bring to a boil.

3. Turn off the heat and add the malt extract (liquid and dried), along with the treacle. Keep the kettle off the heat and stir until the malt extract is completely dissolved.

4. Turn the heat back on and return to boiling. Once boiling, place the bittering hops into a muslin bag, add them to the pot, and set your timer to boil for 1 hour. Keep an eye on the pot to avoid boil-overs.

5. After 45 minutes of boiling, add ½ teaspoon of Irish moss, or 1 Whirlfloc tablet, to help clarify your beer.

6. After 60 minutes of boiling, turn off the heat. Put a lid on your pot and cool your wort as quickly as possible. Remove the hop bags from the kettle.

7. 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.`

8. Be prepared to drop off your sanitized and volume-calibrated fermentors at our Montgomeryville store by Sunday, November 17. 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. We will contact you when your beer is ready for pickup. Please plan to retrieve your beer within a week of being contacted.

9. This beer will benefit from extended bulk aging in a keg or glass carboy. 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.