A Dangerous Contract American Barleywine - Archived

STEP 1: Sanitizing

Cleaning is one of the most important steps in brewing. It kills microscopic bacteria, wild yeast, and molds that may cause off-flavors in your beer. Make certain to clean all equipment that comes in contact with your beer by following the directions below:

1. Fill clean keg with warm water to line mark 1 on the back, then add ½ pack (about 1 tablespoon) of No-Rinse Cleanser and stir until dissolved. Once dissolved, the solution is ready to use. Save the remaining ½ of No-Rinse Cleanser because you will need it for bottling.

2. Screw-on the lid and swirl the keg so that the cleaning solution makes contact with the entire interior of the keg, including the underside of the lid. Note that the ventilation notches under the lid may leak solution. Allow to sit for at least 2 minutes and swirl again.

3. To clean the spigot, open it fully and allow the liquid to flow for 5 seconds and then close.

4. Pour the rest of the solution from the keg into a large bowl. Place your spoon/whisk, can opener and measuring cup into the bowl to keep them cleaned throughout the brewing process. Leave them immersed for at least 2 minutes in cleaning solution prior to using.

5. After all, surfaces have been thoroughly cleaned, do not rinse or dry the keg or utensils. Return lid to the top of the keg, proceed immediately to brewing.

STEP 2: BREWING Part 1

Brewing beer is the process of combining a starch source (in this case, a malt brewing extract) with yeast. Once combined, the yeast eats the sugars in the malt, producing alcohol and carbon dioxide (CO2). This process is called fermentation.

1. Remove the yeast packet from under the lid of the cans of Brewing Extract, (set them aside to be used in step 8) then place the unopened cans of Golen Ale and BrewMax LME's in hot tap water. (save the bewitched for the late addition.)

2. Place the packet of grain into a muslin sack tying it closed, then trim away excess material.

3. Place ½ packet of Citra Hops into one hopsack and then place the other ½ into a separate hop sack, tying closed, then trim away excess material.

4. Add 1 gallon of water to a large pot. Heat the water until it reaches 155-160 degrees. Once the water has achieved this temperature range, add the grain sack so that it is fully submerged and maintain the temperature range for 30 minutes.

5. After 30 minutes has passed, remove grain sack, and rinse it with 2 cups of hot water using a colander or strainer while allowing the runoff to flow back into your pot. Discard grain sack.

6. Add in the 3 Packets of Golden LME and mix until dissolved. Then bring this mixture to a boil and continue to stir to prevent scorching.

7. Once the mixture is boiling add in one muslin sack with the Citra hops and let it boil for 30 minutes.

8. 15 minutes into your boil (step 7) take the 3 packets of yeast from under the lid of the cans of brewing extracts and dump them into the pot then add your second muslin sack with Citra hops to boil for the last 15 minutes of your 30-minute boil. Once the time is up, remove the pot from heat.

9. Open the cans of GOLDEN ALE EXTRACT ONLY and pour the contents into the hot mixture in your pot. Stir until thoroughly mixed. This mixture of unfermented beer is called wort.

10. Fill your fermenter with cold tap water to the mark 1 on the back. If using any other fermenter this would be approximately 1 gallon of water.

11. Pour the wort into your fermenter, and then bring the volume of the fermenter to one inch below line 2 by adding more cold water.

12. Stir your wort mixture vigorously with your sanitized spoon or whisk.

13. Sprinkle the Nottingham yeast packet into the keg, and screw on the lid. Do not stir.

Put your fermenter in a location with a consistent temperature between 68° and 78° F (20°-25° C), and out of direct sunlight. Ferment for 7 days.

STEP 3: BREWING Part 2

1. Bring one quart of water to a boil. Add any utensils you are going to use to the pot so they get sanitized. Once boiling remove the pot from heat.

2. Open the can of Bewitched Amber Ale Extract and add it to the pot and mix until dissolved.

3. Cover and let cool until it is around room temperature.

4. Once cool remove the lid from your fermenter and gently add this mixture into the fermenter and put the lid back on.

5. Let this ferment for another 14 days

STEP 4: Racking

Racking is moving your beer into a secondary fermenter to get the beer off of the sediment at the bottom of the fermenter.

1. Once 21 Days total has passed since you started this brew you will want to rack it into a second LBK. Using either a sanitized auto-siphon or a tube that connects to the spigot gently transfer the beer in the sanitized LBK (follow general LBK sanitizing instructions).

2. Once all the beer has been transferred into the secondary fermenter put it in a location with a consistent temperature between 68° and 78° F (20°-25° C), and out of direct sunlight for an additional 21 days.

If you have any questions about this process please contact our customer service team.

STEP 5: Adding Extras

Adding extras is the process of adding additional ingredients to a beer which will impart more flavor and aroma in your finished brew.

1. A few days before you are ready to bottle add the oak chips to a mason jar and add enough Cognac to cover the chips. Let this sit until you are ready to bottle

STEP 6: Bottling & Carbonating

After 21 from racking days, your beer is fully fermented and ready to bottle. We recommend using oxygen barrier bottles or some type of glass bottle for this recipe. To get the truest flavor for this beer age for one year.

1. When your beer is ready to bottle, fill a 1-gallon container with warm water, then add the remaining ½ pack of the No-Rinse Cleanser and stir until dissolved. Once dissolved, it is ready to use.

2. Distribute the cleaning solution equally among the bottles. Screw on caps (or cover with a metal cap if using glass bottles) and shake bottles vigorously. Allow to sit 10 minutes, then shake the bottles again. Remove caps and empty all cleaning solution into a large bowl. Use this solution to clean any other equipment you may be used for bottling. Do not rinse.

3. Add 2-3 oak chips from your mason jar into each bottle then add 1Tbsp of Cognac into each bottle. (if using 12oz bottles cut the measurement in half)

4. Add 2 Carbonation Drops to each 740-mL bottle. For 1-liter bottles, add 2 ½ drops; for ½-liter bottles add 1 drop. Alternatively, you can add table sugar using this table as a guide. 

5. Holding the bottle at an angle, fill each bottle to about 2 inches from the bottle’s top.

6. Place caps on bottles, hand tighten, and gently turn the bottle over to check the bottle’s seal. It is not necessary to shake them.

7. Store the bottles upright and out of direct sunlight in a location with a consistent temperature between 70°-76°F or 21°-24°C. Allow sitting for a minimum of 14 days. If the temperature is cooler than suggested it may take an additional week to reach full carbonation. 

Tip from our Brewmasters

After the primary carbonation has taken place your beer is ready to drink. We recommend putting 1 bottle in the refrigerator at first for 48 hrs. After 48hrs. give it a try and if it is up to your liking put the rest of your beer in the fridge. If it does not taste quite right, leave the bottles out at room temp for another week or so. Keep following this method until your brew tastes just how you like it. 

This process is called conditioning and during this time the yeast left in your beer can help clean up any off flavors. Almost everything gets a little better with time and so will your beer.