November 24, 2008...11:26 pm

BBBD Spruce Ale

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*Based on recipe in The Complete Joy of Home Brewing by Charlie Papazian

Ingredients:
3.3 lbs.  Dark Malt Extract
1.0 lb.  Amber Malt Extract
2 lbs.  Clover Honey
0.25 lbs.  American Crystal 60L
0.5 lbs  American Black Malt
1 oz.  Centennial hops (9.1% AA)
1 oz.  Amarillo hops (8.0% AA)
1 oz.  Spruce Essence
1 pkg.  California Ale Yeast

Phase 1: The Boil
Steeped the grains for 30 minutes and then brought wort up to a boil and added Centennial hops and malt extracts. Added Irish moss with 15 minutes left in the boil and then added Amarillo hops and Spruce essence with five minutes left in the boil.

Phase 2: Primary Fermentation
Brought wort down to 70 degrees by adding 8 lbs. of ice and 2 gallons of water. Then added the California Ale yeast and allowed to ferment for 14 days.  Starting gravity was 1.050 and calculated 37 IBUs

Phase 3: Racking
The brew was racked and continued to ferment in the closest for two weeks all the while keeping it between 60-62 F.

Phase 4: Bottling
Final gravity of the brew was 1.010 which yielded 5.25% ABV.  The brew was allowed to age in bottles for 2 weeks.

Final Verdict
This brew is fantastic and aging can only improve the taste.  Tasted after one and two weeks and carbonation was really there and it has a very strong spruce taste.  After three weeks the carbonation was there and the spruce taste had subsided a little giving away to more malt taste.


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