Calling Bird India Ale

Josh Weikert

ALL-GRAIN

Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters) Brewhouse efficiency: 72% OG: 1.053 FG: 1.013 IBUS: 56 ABV: 5.2%

MALT/GRAIN BILL

9 lb (4.1 kg) Maris Otter 0.5 lb (227 g) British Crystal 45 0.5 lb (227 g) British Crystal 90 0.5 lb (227 g) British Crystal 120

HOPS SCHEDULE

1 oz (28 g) Nugget [12% AA] at 60 minutes 1 oz (28 g) East Kent Goldings [5% AA] at 10 minutes 1 oz (28 g) Fuggles [4% AA] at 10 minutes 1 oz (28 g) Fuggles [4% AA] at flame-out 1 oz (28 g) Fuggles at dry hop, 5 days (or to taste)

YEAST

Wyeast 1007 (German Ale)

DIRECTIONS

Mill the grains and mix with 2.89 gallons (11 l) of 163°F (73°C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 152°F (67°C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear, then run off into the kettle. Sparge the grains with 4.3 gallons (16.5 l) and top up as necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 l) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, following the hops schedule.

After the boil, chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 63°F (17°C). Aerate the wort and pitch yeast.

Ferment at 64°F (18°C) for 72–96 hours, and then allow to free rise (not higher than 70°F (21°C). At that point, crash the beer to 35°F (2°C), then add the dry hops. Wait five days (or until hops character matches your preference) then bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2 volumes.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

This will be on the high side for bittering, but given the robust caramel character, it’s a good balance (and it extends your shelf life because it won’t rapidly devolve into a not-quite-bitter English amber). Also, I know it’s an English beer, but the light berry esters and smooth malts you get from the German Ale yeast are just too good a fit to ignore. I believe in using authentic regional ingredients, but I find it’s also helpful to yield to the flavor targets regardless of their nationality!