Recipes
Here are some recipes for a few of the homebrewed beers which I make. Most are original, and if they are based on another published recipe then I say so. Where I've tried to make a beer similar to a commercial example then my starting point has been to check the information given in Roger Protz's book The Real Ale Almanac (5th edition) or the brewer's website and then putting those values into my spreadsheet.
In all of these recipes I give the weight of the grain and a percentage (by weight) - This is because your system may be more or less efficient than mine. If you try it using the weights that I give and find that the gravity is way different from what it should be, then adjust the amounts to suit, keeping the percentages right.
The hops have a weight and an alpha acid value. If you have hops with a different alpha acid value, you can easily calculate the required amount - for example if my beer is made with 42g of 6% alpha acid, and your hops are 5% alpha acid, then you need 42 x 6 / 5 = 50.4g (I'd round it to the nearest gram).
I generally use vacuum packed hops. They normally come in a gold foil pack and weigh 113g. Once opened they're kept in a dark, sealed plastic box in the refrigerator to keep them fresh.
You might notice that I use Progress hops quite a lot. I like them, but if you can't get them try using Fuggles instead.
Unless I say otherwise, the quantities are for making 5 Imperial Gallons (23 litres). I use grams and degrees celsius (centigrade) because it's easier for my calculations.
At the end I cool the wort down to at least 25°C before pitching the yeast. I'm happy with the results I get using dried yeasts and use either DCL's SAFAle S-04 or Munton's Premium Gold dried yeast - they're both excellent and worth the extra money. Many microbreweries use SAFAle S-04 yeast, so if it's good enough for a commercial brewery, it should be good enough for you too.
I always use Irish Moss, even if I'm making a dark beer. Leave it out for the dark beers if you want to save a few pence - I like my beers to be bright, even when they're dark.
The amount of mash water in litres is calculated as 2.3 times the weight of the grain for mashing - so if I had 5kg of grain I use 2.3 x 5 = 11.5 litres of mash water.
The method I use for making 5 gallons (23 Litres) is always the same -
- Mash the grain in the quantity of water and at the temperature specified for 75 minutes.
- Drain and sparge to collect 6 Imperial Gallons (27 litres) and bring to the boil.
- Boil for the time specified, adding the hops at the right times.
- If sugars are used, these are generally added about half way through the boil.
- Add Irish moss as directed on the container (usually about 2 teaspoonfuls) about 20 minutes before the end of the boil.
- At the end of the boil, leave for 10 to 15 minutes for the hops to settle.
- Run off and force cool down to at least 25°C. Aerate thoroughly before pitching the yeast.
- Leave to ferment for about 4 days before transferring to secondary fermentation vessel, with airlock.
- Leave for at least another 5 days before transferring to barrel or bottles. I generally prime the barrel with about 1/3 cup of dextrose monohydrate (what homebrew shops call glucose powder or brewing sugar).
Special 38
This is a recipe from my eternal quest for a beer that is similar to Young's Special. The 38 indicates that it was my 38th attempt. It doesn't help that Youngs have changed the recipe themselves twice since I started so that I've forgotten what I'm trying to make actually tastes like, but I rather like this version. (I know that Young's Special doesn't have Brambling Cross hops in it - but I like them in my version. If you prefer, use Fuggles or Progress instead.)
Specifics
- 34 IBU
- 1045 OG
- 75 minute mash
- 90 minute boil
- 67°C mash
- 10.4 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 4294g | (90.5%) |
| Crystal Malt | 142g | (3%) |
| Flaked Barley | 71g | (1.5%) |
| Cane Sugar | 237g | (5%) |
Hops
| Brambling Cross | 6% A/A | 47g | 90 mins |
| Goldings | 5% A/A | 20g | 10 mins |
American Bitter
This is a nice, easy drinking beer, very pleasant in the summer. I call it 'American Bitter' because it uses American hops - Willamette and Cascade. There are quite a lot of cascade hops added near the end, which give it a nice hop flavour.
Specifics
- 32 IBU
- 1048 OG
- 75 minute mash
- 70 minute boil
- 67.5°C mash
- 11.6 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 4834g | (95.5%) |
| Crystal Malt | 228g | (4.5%) |
Hops
| Willamette | 4% A/A | 78g | 60 mins |
| Cascade | 4% A/A | 39g | 2 mins |
Hobgoblin 3
This is a similar beer to Wychwood's Hobgoblin. Very tasty.
Specifics
- 28 IBU
- 1048 OG
- 75 minute mash
- 100 minute boil
- 67°C mash
- 11.6 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 4948g | (98%) |
| Chocolate Malt | 101g | (2%) |
Hops
| Progress | 6% A/A | 42g | 90 mins |
| Styrian Goldings | 5% A/A | 16g | 5 mins |
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Dark Island
Based on Orkney's Dark Island but with the strength upped a bit, this is a nice brown ale with a reasonable hop flavour.
Specifics
- 26 IBU
- 1045 OG
- 4.8% ABV
- 75 minute mash
- 70 minute boil
- 67°C mash
- 10.1 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 3728g | (80%) |
| Munich Malt | 221g | (5%) |
| Chocolate Malt | 140g | (3%) |
| Crystal Malt | 140g | (3%) |
| Flaked Wheat | 140g | (3%) |
| Soft Dark Brown Sugar | 280g | (6%) |
Hops
| Progress | 5.5% A/A | 44g | 60 mins |
| Goldings | 4.3% A/A | 23g | 5 mins |
Old Thumper
This is a similar beer to Ringwood's Old Thumper. In the past I've tried reducing the strength to my normal beer strength of around 4.8% ABV but I prefer it at a similar strength to the original.
Specifics
- 32 IBU
- 1058 OG
- 75 minute mash
- 100 minute boil
- 68°C mash
- 14.2 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 5536g | (90%) |
| Crystal Malt | 246g | (4%) |
| Flaked Wheat | 370g | (6%) |
Hops
| Progress | 6% A/A | 32g | 90 mins |
| Goldings | 4.3% A/A | 23g | 90 mins |
| Goldings | 4.3% A/A | 21g | 15 mins |
Abbotish 2
This is an attempt to make a beer which is something like Greene King Abbot Ale. Amber malt is not easy to come by - I have to either buy it by mail order or make a special order with my homebrew shop - but it's needed in Abbot Ale. Greene King changed the recipe for Abbot Ale back in 1995 and most people seem to think that the current version is an improvement. I'm in the minority, because although Abbot is a very pleasant beer, I prefer the original. I only wish I could make something similar.
Specifics
- 30 IBU
- 1048 OG
- 75 minute mash
- 90 minute boil
- 68°C mash
- 11.3 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 4560g | (90.5%) |
| Crystal Malt | 227g | (4.5%) |
| Amber Malt | 151g | (3%) |
| Cane Sugar | 101g | (2%) |
Hops
| Challenger | 7% A/A | 36g | 90 mins |
| Fuggles | 5.0% A/A | 20g | 10 mins |
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Honey Wheat Beer
This is very refreshing in the summer - but be careful, because it's strong. The honey is added about halfway through the boil, like any other sugar. Crush the coriander seeds just before you add them.
Specifics
- 24.5 IBU
- 1050 OG
- 6% ABV
- 75 minute mash
- 90 minute boil
- 66°C mash
- 8 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 3003g | (62.5%) |
| Wheat Malt | 481g | (10%) |
| Clear honey | 1321g | (27.5%) |
Hops
| Cascade | 5.0% A/A | 48g | 90 mins |
| Cascade | 5.0% A/A | 16g | added 5 mins before run off |
| Crushed coriander seeds | | 20g | 15 mins |
HSH 10
I was trying to make a beer similar to St Austell HSD. This is nothing like it, but I like it anyway.
Specifics
- 23.5 IBU
- 1050 OG
- 75 minute mash
- 90 minute boil
- 67°C mash
- 11.3 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 4409g | (85%) |
| Crystal Malt | 182g | (3.5%) |
| Black Malt | 26g | (0.5%) |
| Flaked Wheat | 311g | (6%) |
| Cane Sugar | 259g | (5%) |
Hops
| Progress | 6% A/A | 4g | 90 mins |
| Fuggles | 4% A/A | 50g | 90 mins |
90/-
This was inspired by the beer of the same name, made by Mitchell's Brewery, Knysna, South Africa. For those who don't know, 90/- is pronounced '90 shilling' and the name comes from an old Scottish method of classifying the strength of beer by the cost of the barrel. Cinnamon bark is usually available in a rolled stick about 6 inches long. Each stick weighs about 6 grams.
Specifics
- 25 IBU
- 1048 OG
- 75 minute mash
- 90 minute boil
- 67°C mash
- 11.8 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 4480g | (86.8%) |
| Crystal Malt | 600g | (11.6%) |
| Black Malt | 80g | (1.6%) |
Hops
| Northern Brewer | 7.5% A/A | 16g | 90 mins |
| Fuggles | 4% A/A | 30g | 90 mins |
| 2/3 of a stick of cinnamon bark | | | 90 mins |
| 1/3 of a stick of cinnamon bark | | | 10 mins |
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Munich Bitter
Made with a high percentage of Munich Malt, this has a lovely malty character.
Specifics
- 36 IBU
- 1047 OG
- 75 minute mash
- 90 minute boil
- 67°C mash
- 11.8 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 3002g | (60%) |
| Crystal Malt | 250g | (5%) |
| Munich Malt | 1750g | (35%) |
Hops
| Northern Brewer | 7.5% A/A | 32g | 60 mins |
| Goldings | 5% A/A | 20g | 30 mins |
| Goldings | 5% A/A | 20g | 15 mins |
Exwick Gold
Golden colour beers are very popular at the moment (CAMRA have even coined the term 'Golden Ales' to describe them). To me they often tend to lack character, but Exwick Gold is very nice. I doubt if the small amount of wheat malt is noticeable. I've replaced it with the same quantity of flaked wheat or carapils in the past and it's still nice.
Specifics
- 36 IBU
- 1048 OG
- 75 minute mash
- 90 minute boil
- 67°C mash
- 11 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 4720g | (94.1%) |
| Wheat Malt | 50g | (0.9%) |
| Dextrose monohydrate (Glucose Powder) | 250g | (5%) |
Hops
| Northern Brewer | 7.5% A/A | 36g | 90 mins |
| Cascade | 4.4% A/A | 44g | 10 mins |
Dark White
Dark white? Simple - this is a wheat (white) beer with a small amount of chocolate malt, to make it dark.
Specifics
- 23 IBU
- 1048 OG
- 75 minute mash
- 90 minute boil
- 67°C mash
- 11.6 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 2522g | (50%) |
| Wheat Malt | 2471g | (49%) |
| Chocolate Malt | 113g | (1%) |
Hops
| Cascade | 5.1% A/A | 44g | 90 mins |
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Glenny Bitter
This is a lovely bitter, loosely based on the ingredients given for Wychwood Best Bitter (no longer in production) in Roger Protz's book The Real Ale Almanac (3rd edition). I call it Glenny because Wychwood Brewery used to be called Glenny Brewery.
Specifics
- 32 IBU
- 1048 OG
- 75 minute mash
- 90 minute boil
- 67.5°C mash
- 11.4 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 4740g | (96%) |
| Crystal Malt | 185g | (3.75%) |
| Chocolate Malt | 12g | (0.25%) |
Hops
| Progress | 6% A/A | 16g | 90 mins |
| Northern Brewer | 9.6% A/A | 18g | 90 mins |
| Goldings | 5% A/A | 20g | 10 mins |
Robust Porter
This is based on a recipe in an old issue of 'Zymurgy'. There are lots of roast flavours from the high quantities of chocolate and black malt.
I recently opened an 18 month old bottle of this brew and it had mellowed beautifully, if you can wait that long.
Specifics
- 40 IBU
- 1050 OG
- 75 minute mash
- 70 minute boil
- 68°C mash
- 11.8 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 4044g | (75%) |
| Munich Malt | 447g | (8.3%) |
| Chocolate Malt | 224g | (4.1%) |
| Black Malt | 224g | (4.1%) |
| Crystal Malt | 224g | (4.1%) |
| Carapils | 224g | (4.1%) |
Hops
| Northern Brewer | 7.5% A/A | 41g | 60 mins |
| Progress | 6% A/A | 20g | 30 mins |
| Goldings | 4.3% A/A | 20g | 2 mins |
Old Grumpy
This is based on a recipe of the same name in Graham Wheeler's 'CAMRA Guide to Home Brewing'. At this strength I only make 2 gallons (9 litres). You'll need to collect about 12 litres from the mash tun to allow for evaporation and trub loss in the boil. It's a lovely warming winter beer. After bottling it's stored away for a year or two to mature.
Specifics
- 55 IBU
- 1075 OG
- 8.1% ABV
- 75 minute mash
- 90 minute boil
- 68°C mash
- 8.1 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 2677g | (70%) |
| Crystal Malt | 460g | (12%) |
| Roast Barley | 76g | (2%) |
| Flaked Wheat | 306g | (8%) |
| Cane Sugar | 306g | (8%) |
Hops
| Goldings | 5% A/A | 51g | 90 mins |
| Goldings | 5% A/A | 9g | 15 mins |
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Big Lamp
This is a very nice winter beer, based on the recipe for Big Lamp Brewery's 'Old Genie' in Graham Wheeler's book, 'Brew your own Real Ale at Home'. Old Genie is far too strong (7.4% ABV) for everyday drinking for me, so I've reduced the strength to a more modest 6.4%.
Specifics
- 38 IBU
- 1058 OG
- 6.4% ABV
- 75 minute mash
- 90 minute boil
- 68°C mash
- 12.3 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 4618g | (78%) |
| Crystal Malt | 533g | (9%) |
| Black Malt | 178g | (3%) |
| Cane Sugar | 592g | (10%) |
Hops
| Progress | 6% A/A | 60g | 90 mins |
| Goldings | 5% A/A | 15g | 15 mins |
Valhalla
This beer is based on one of the same name in Marc Ollosson's book, 'Real ales for the home brewer'. All of the beers in the book are apparently clones of commercially available beers, but I'm not sure what beer this is meant to be a copy of. It's certainly very nice, a sweet, dark, smooth tasty beer. I don't make this one as often as I'd like, mainly because my local homebrew shop doesn't regularly stock amber malt or wheat malt.
Specifics
- 38 IBU
- 1052 OG
- 5.2% ABV
- 75 minute mash
- 90 minute boil
- 67°C mash
- 12.8 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 4460g | (80%) |
| Amber Malt | 334g | (6%) |
| Crystal Malt | 334g | (6%) |
| Wheat Malt | 334g | (6%) |
| Roast Barley | 111g | (2%) |
Hops
| Progress | 6% A/A | 58g | 90 mins |
| Fuggles | 4.5% A/A | 11g | 15 mins |
Cutthroat Porter
The recipe for this delicious porter can be found on Brew Your Own's website. It is a copy of Odell's Cutthroat Porter, and the BYO recipe was provided by the owner, Doug Odell. The Odell Brewing Company is in Fort Collins, Colorado, and this has increased my desire to visit Colorado one day and try the original, as the homebrew version is one of the nicest porters I have tasted. I have made a few minor modifications in my version, mainly to match my equipment and in order to increase the output to 5 imperial gallons.
Specifics
- 43 IBU
- 1052 OG
- 5.2% ABV
- 75 minute mash
- 60 minute boil
- 68°C mash
- 12.8 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 4551g | (81.81%) |
| Carapils | 253g | (4.55%) |
| Crystal Malt | 190g | (3.41%) |
| Amber Malt | 126g | (2.27%) |
| Munich Malt | 126g | (2.27%) |
| Chocolate Malt | 253g | (4.55%) |
| Roast Barley | 63g | (1.14%) |
Hops
| Northern Brewer | 8% A/A | 22g | 60 mins |
| Fuggles | 4.5% A/A | 55g | 60 mins |
| Goldings | 5% A/A | 14g | 1 min |
| Goldings | 5% A/A | 7g | At run off |
| Northern Brewer | 8% A/A | 7g | At run off |
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Light Ale
This beer is actually based on a lager recipe in Charlie Papazian's excellent book, 'The Home Brewer's Companion'. I don't often drink lagers and I've never wanted to make one, but the basis of the recipe seemed to be what I wanted to produce so I altered the hops to suit what I'd got and used my normal top fermenting yeast, and what turned out was a delicious light ale. Charlie's recipe is called 'Schwedagon Gold', and it's for a Münchner light beer.
Specifics
- 22 IBU
- 1046 OG
- 4.7% ABV
- 75 minute mash
- 75 minute boil
- 68°C mash
- 11.2 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 4279g | (88%) |
| Crystal Malt | 146g | (3%) |
| Carapils | 146g | (3%) |
| Munich Malt | 292g | (6%) |
Hops
| Northern Brewer | 8% A/A | 13g | 75 mins |
| Cascade | 4.8% A/A | 20g | 30 mins |
| Cascade | 4.8% A/A | 20g | 15 mins |
| Cascade | 4.8% A/A | 10g | At run off |
MSB
My local homebrew shop has started stocking flaked maize again, and as this is an essential ingredient in Fuller's ESB I thought I'd have a go at producing something similar. At 5.5% ABV, ESB is a bit too strong for regular drinking for me - my favourite is a 50/50 blend of Fullers ESB and London Pride. When I lived in London many years ago this used to be called 'mixed' and a good barman would always pull a generous half pint of ESB and then top it up with Pride!
A quick search on the internet found an article about Fuller's Special Edition ESB in which Fuller's head brewer said "we kept the original ESB recipe: 91.5% pale ale malt, 3.5% crystal malt and 5% flaked maize" and said that the normal ESB is 34[IBU] so this information gave me the basis of a weaker version of ESB, which I call MSB (moderately special bitter).
Specifics
- 31 IBU
- 1050 OG
- 5% ABV
- 75 minute mash
- 90 minute boil
- 68°C mash
- 12.1 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 4806g | (91.5%) |
| Crystal Malt | 184g | (3.5%) |
| Flaked Maize | 536g | (5%) |
Hops
| Fuggles | 5% A/A | 52g | 90 mins |
| Goldings | 5.5% A/A | 15g | 15 mins |
FES
There are no problems in finding recipes for a reasonable copy of Guinness. Guinness is OK, but it's a bit weak for my taste. My favourite is Guinness Foreign Extra Stout. The secret to FES is that you need a 'soured' beer to add to the fresh brew. In my case I buy a small can of ordinary Guinness and about a week before brewing, pour it into a bowl, cover it with a clean cloth and leave it somewhere cool and safe where it can't get knocked over. Then, right at the end of the boil, this is added to the freshly brewed beer. You could use some of your previous brew of FES in the same way, if you wanted.
This recipe is for 2 gallons (9 litres). You'll need to collect about 12 litres from the mash tun to allow for evaporation and trub loss in the boil. It doesn't need to be left for long to mature - just give it a few weeks.
Specifics
- 63 IBU
- 1078 OG
- 7.5% ABV
- 75 minute mash
- 75 minute boil
- 68°C mash
- 9.3 litres mash water
Kettle
| Pale Malt | 3072g | (75.8%) |
| Crystal Malt | 255g | (6.3%) |
| Roast Barley | 385g | (9.5%) |
| Flaked Wheat | 340g | (8.4%) |
Hops
| Northern Brewer | 9% A/A | 29g | 60 mins |
| Goldings | 6.3% A/A | 14g | 60 mins |
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