by Brewer » Fri Dec 30, 2005 4:10 pm
Mike,
Here's a recipe I found at Brewer's Den. If you give this a try, let me know. Or if you come upon another recipe that works, let me know. Either way, don't be shy with your hops!
Independence Day
Reminiscent of Sierra Nevada Celebration
Kit Price: $29.95 (Dry Yeast) $34.40 (Liquid Yeast)
Ingredients for 5 Gallons:
* 0.25 lbs. Ex Light DME
* 6.8 lbs. Can pale malt extract
* 1 lb. Light crystal
* 1 lb. Medium crystal
* 2.5 ozs. Centennial
* 1 oz. Northern Brewer
* 1 tsp. Irish Moss
* 1 Wyeast American Ale #1056 or Nottingham
* 1 cup Priming sugar
Optional (not included in the kit):
* 1/3 oz. Burton Water Salts
If you are using the Wyeast, two to three days prior to brewing, you will need to start the liquid yeast. Inside the packet, you will feel a small pouch. Press down on the pouch with the heel of your hand until it pops. Shake the foil envelope vigorously for a few minutes, and then place the envelope in a warm (not hot) spot until the packet swells one to two inches. Once the packet has swollen, you can brew the beer. Thoroughly clean and sanitize anything that will come in contact with the fermenting beer, except bottles and caps which will be sanitized just prior to bottling. Place the cracked grains inside a muslin-boiling bag.
Place the grains into a large stainless steel or enamel pot (sufficient to hold 2+ gallons). Add 1 gallon of cold water, turn on the heat and bring to a boil slowly. Bring the grains to approximately 160 degrees (F) and steep for 30 minutes to make tea. Remove the grains from the pot.
Let the malt cans stand in warm water while you heat the grains in order to make it easier to remove it from the can. Open the cans of malt and empty the contents into the pot. Then add the dry malt and bring to a boil, stirring often in order to avoid scorching the ingredients. Once the wort has started to boil, if you are going to use Burton Water Salts to harden the water, add the contents of the package at this point and bring to a new boil. While you are boiling the wort, place 3 gallons of cold water into the primary fermenter. Once the wort has started to boil, add the Northern Brewer hops. Thirty minutes later, add 1 oz. of Centennial hops and Irish Moss. Twenty minutes later, add 1 oz. Centennial hops wrapped in the muslin boiling bag and boil for 10 more minutes while stirring and watching for boil over. When you are done with this process, cool the hot wort and transfer into the primary fermenter and top off to the 5-gallon level. Cover to prevent contamination and wait for the temperature to reach 70 degrees F. Take a hydrometer reading and note the results. Add the Wyeast American Ale #1056 to the wort. If using Nottingham, add yeast to 1 1/2 cups of warm water and allow it to become active (approx. 10 minutes) then pitch. Place the blow off hose into the lid and allow it to hang down into a jar that contains enough water to cover the bottom of the blow off. Allow the beer to ferment for 2 days in the primary fermenter, then siphon it into the secondary fermenter. Fill the airlock 1/2 full with water or vodka and place it in the secondary fermenter. Allow the beer to ferment for an additional 5 to 14 days. Use your hydrometer to check the specific gravity. Fermentation is complete when the specific gravity remains the same for 2 consecutive days.
Once again: sanitize all of the equipment that comes in contact with your beer, including the caps. Dissolve the priming sugar in a cup of water by bringing it just to a boil. Then pour it into the bottling bucket. Using the final 1/2 oz. of Centennial hops make a hop tea and pour it into the bottling bucket. Siphon the beer from the secondary fermenter into the bottling bucket. Fill and cap the bottles. Let the beer stand at room temperature for 3 - 5 days, then move to a cooler area for 3 to 4 weeks (the hardest part, but worth the wait). If you don't have a secondary fermenter, don't worry, the beer will be just fine. You may wish to use the blow off tube for the first few days, then place the airlock on the primary fermenter.
* Starting Specific Gravity - 1.054
* Finishing Specific Gravity - 1.014
Bob