Batch No. 3: Beyond kits

Production of this beer requires a larger boiling pot that will hold about three gallons of liquid. In addition, a longer boiling period is used. This recipe moves the brewer beyond the world of beer kits and develops skills that will allow him or her to brew virtually any extract-based beer.

Equipment: 3-gallon capacity boiling pot. A grain bag big enough to hold two pounds of grain comfortably or a strainer that can be used to remove grain from the pot. In addition, you might want to think about getting a wort chiller and some of the other equipment listed in Beyond Basics.

Unlike our first recipes that rely on kits for the base, this recipe uses individual beer components to build a custom base. Here are the ingredients that you should purchase:

Ingredients

1 lb pre-crushed pale ale malt
1 lb pre-crushed crystal malt (60-80 deg L)

6 lbs Northwestern Gold liquid malt extract
2 lbs light or gold dry malt extract

.75 oz Galena hops (pellets)
1.5 oz English Kent Goldings Hops (pellets)

1 pkg Whitbread Ale Yeast

Original Gravity: 1.070 - 1.078

If a grain bag will be used, place the crushed grain into the bag and close it securely.

Add 2-3 gallons of water in the pot along with the crushed grains. Heat until the water just comes to a boil and remove the grains. (If a grain bag is not used, you will need to scoop out the grains with a strainer, removing as much of the grain debris as possible.)

Add the liquid and dry extracts. Stir to dissolve.

When wort begins to boil again, add 0.75 oz of Galena hops.

After 25 minutes of boiling, add 0.75 oz of Goldings hops.

After another 20 minutes of boiling, add the final 0.75 oz of Goldings hops and turn off heat. Allow wort to stand undisturbed for at least 5 minutes.

Because of the larger volume of hot wort involved with this recipe, you will need to take some additional measures for cooling. The best option would be to build or buy a wort chiller that can be used to quickly cool the wort after boiling. See Beyond Basics.

If a wort chiller is not available, put the pot in your sink and fill the sink with cold water. After ten minutes or so, youâll need to drain the water and put in fresh water. Continue this until the wort temperature drops below 100 degrees. Now add the wort to your fermenter along with two gallons of cold tap water.

Now follow the usual procedures for pitching and fermenting as shown in Managing Fermentation.