A Dangerous Contract American Barleywine 5 Gallon - 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 fermenter with 8 liters (2 Gallons) of warm water, then add 1 pack of No-Rinse Cleanser and stir until dissolved.

2. Use your measuring cup to scoop the liquid up and run it down the side of the Coopers Fermenter. Do this around the entire fermenter a few times. Then add your krousen kollar and repeat. Then take some of the solution and pour it into the lid and allow it to sit for 2 minutes. (If you have a different fermenter sanitizing may be different.) 

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

4. Pour some of the solution from the fermenter into a large bowl. You need enough to fully cover your brewing utensils. 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 the cleaning solution prior to use. Any remaining solution in your fermenter can be discarded.

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

STEP 2: BREWING Part One

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 can of Brewing Bootmaker Extract, (set it aside to be used in step 8) then place the unopened all but one of the Amber UME cans in hot tap water. (Save this second Amber can for the late addition.)

2. Place the packets of Crystal 60 grain into a muslin sack tying it closed, then trim away excess material.

3. Place 2 packets of Citra Hops into one hopsack 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 have passed, remove the 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 1 can of Amber UME and 1 can of Light UME to the hot grain water 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 you will let it boil for 30 minutes total.

8. 15 minutes into your boil (step 7) take the packet of yeast from under the lid of the can of Bootmaker pale ale brewing extract and dump the packet of yeast into the pot then allow it to boil for 15 more minutes of your 30-minute boil. Once the time is up, remove the pot from heat.

9. Open the cans of Bootmaker pale ale, can of wheat extract, and the second can of light extract and pour the contents into the hot mixture in your pot. Stir until thoroughly mixed. This mixture of unfermented beer is called wort. (You will still have one unused can of Amber UME for later use)

10. Fill your fermenter with enough cold water to cover the spigot hole. Approximately 1-2 gallons of water.

11. Pour the wort into your fermenter, and then bring the volume of the fermenter to one inch below the line for 19 liters (approximately the 17-liter mark) 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 fermenter, and place 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 Two

1. Bring one quart of water to a boil. In a separate bowl, use a packet of no-rinse to sanitize any utensils you are going to use. Once the water in the pot is boiling, remove the pot from heat.

2. Open the can of Amber Extract and add it to the pot containing the quart of boiled water 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 fermenter. Using either a sanitized auto-siphon or a tube that connects to the spigot gently transfer the beer to a sanitized fermenter.

2. Once all the beer has been transferred into the secondary fermenter, you will add the second packet of Nottingham brewing yeast to the fermenter and place 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.

STEP 5: Adding Extras

Adding extras is the process of adding additional ingredients to a beer that will impart more flavor and aroma to 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

OAKCHIP BOTTLING STEP:

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 3 1-gallon containers with warm water, then split the remaining pack of the No-Rinse Cleanser between them and mix 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 solutions into a large bowl. Use this solution to clean any other equipment you may be using 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