SMAH, The Beer, All-Grain

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain) 

(Note, depending on the adjunct used, the gravity and color can vary widely. It should result in a beer of about 5% ABV, but we will skip listing specific recipe statistics given the possible variance.)

Ingredients

10 lbs. (4.5 kg) pale 2-row malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) adjunct of choice
7 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.6 oz./17 g at 12% alpha acids)
Neutral ale yeast, such as SafAle US-05 or Wyeast 1056 (American Ale)
¾ cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by step

Mash grains at 150 °F (66 °C) for an hour. Mash out and collect 6 gallons (23 L) wort for a 60-minute boil. Proceed as usual.

Notes:
Use a neutral water profile. Depending on the adjunct used you may need to prepare it differently. It shouldn’t be a problem at this level of adjunct inclusion, but if you’re feeling nervous, a handful of rice hulls can be added for extra lautering insurance. 

Sinai Sour, All-Grain

(10 gallons/38 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.047  FG = 1.004
ABV = 5.6% 

Ingredients

10 lbs. (4.5 kg) purple Egyptian barley
5 lbs. (2.3 kg) smoked, acidulated emmer wheat
1 lb. (0.45 kg) rice hulls
4 cups desert dates
4 cups Israeli golden raisins
4 cups sycamore figs
2 cups prickly juniper berries 
6 oz. (170 g) carob fruit (~2 cups)
½ cup black cumin 
½ cup Hojari frankincense
4 cups Yemeni Sidr honey
Primer yeast [can substitute Wyeast 2565 (Kölsch) or SafAle K-97]

Step by step

I started by malting, acidulating, and smoking the emmer wheat. Also, in individual jars, soak the dates, figs, raisins, juniper berries, and carob fruit in just enough water to cover.

On brew day, crush barley and emmer wheat and combine with rice hulls for a step mash beginning with a 30-minute protein rest at 131 °F (55 °C). Follow with 30-minute rests at 147 °F (64 °C) and 157 °F (69 °C). Mash out at 172 °F (78 °C) and sparge to collect 11.5 gallons (43.5 L) in the kettle.

Remove the soaked adjuncts and set the liquid aside for later. Add all of the adjuncts with the exception of the honey and frankincense to the boil kettle and boil for 60 minutes. 

Cool to 95 °F (35 °C) and stir in the liquid from the soaked adjuncts as well as the honey and frankincense. Cover and allow to cool to room temperature overnight. 

Transfer wort to a sanitized fermenter for two days to allow to sour. Then pitch yeast and allow to ferment/rest for one month before transferring to a secondary to condition an additional two weeks.

Bottle without the addition of priming sugar. 

Fonio Gold, All-Grain

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.051  FG = 1.011
IBU = 32  SRM = 4  ABV = 5.3% 

The intention on this beer was to take advantage of the crisp and tropical fruit character of fonio to give an extra hop dimension to an otherwise neutral beer. You’ll see how this builds on the SMAH (Single Malt, Adjunct, and Hop) concept while showcasing the truly global nature of brewing today! 

Ingredients

8.5 lbs. (3.9 kg) Gambrinus IPA malt
1.9 lbs. (0.9 kg) fonio, pre-hulled, par cooked
7 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.6 oz./17 g at 12% alpha acids)
1.5 oz. (42 g) Styrian Wolf hops (whirlpool) 
Neutral ale yeast, such as SafAle US-05 or Wyeast 1056 (American Ale)
¾ cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by step

I used the Bru’n Water “Gold Dry” water profile with higher sulfate levels for this beer. Mash the grains at 152 °F (67 °C) for 60 minutes, lauter, and collect 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Boil for 90 minutes, adding hops as indicated. Cool to 180 °F (82 °C) and then add the whirlpool hops and rest for 20 minutes before chilling to fermentation temperature. Ferment and package as normal.

Notes:
Fonio is incredibly small, almost the size of the material used in a sandblasting cabinet. As such, it can slip down through the mash and settle on the bottom of the mash tun. I helped mitigate some of that by mashing in the grains separately. Stir in half of the IPA malt, stir in half of the fonio, repeat. It was not entirely successful, but no matter, the fonio lautered like a charm even at 18+% of the mash.

Fibonacci Saison, All-Grain

(6 gallons/23 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.087  FG = 1.008 
IBU = 23  SRM = 6 ABV = 10.4%  

A year ago, the Maltose Falcons lost one of our most important members – Bruce Brode. He was an incredibly talented brewer and confoundedly deep thinker about a wide range of self-learned subjects. He’s responsible, in part, for the broad scope of the Beer Judge Certification Program guidelines, worked tirelessly to promote judging and the Southern California Homebrewers Fest and was, importantly to the club, the keyboardist and chief arranger of the Maltose Falcons Brews Band. 

He was very much a mentor to me. In his memory, I reached back to a party where he played a friend’s experimental musical composition designed around the Fibonacci sequence (aka 1,1,2,3,5 . . .). In that spirit, I created a recipe where everything (minus a mash temperature) was a Fibonacci number. I used both spelt, chit malt and fonio to provide additional earthy and rustic characters for a real Farmhouse feel. Sit back, this one is a bit crazy.

Ingredients

8 lbs. (3.6 kg) Weyermann Pilsner malt
5 lbs. (2.3 kg) Weyermann pale wheat malt
3 lbs. (1.4 kg) Weyermann Munich malt
2 lbs. (0.9 kg) fonio, pre-hulled, par cooked
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Crisp chit malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Weyermann spelt malt
5.4 AAU Magnum hops (89 min.) (0.45 oz./13 g at 12% alpha acids)
4.1 AAU Willamette hops (55 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 5.5% alpha acids)
1.2 oz. (34 g) Willamette hops (0 min.)
1 Campden tablet
Wyeast 3726 (Farmhouse Ale)
¾ cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by step

I used a step mash, beginning with mashing all grains at 144 °F (62 °C) for 13 minutes and then raising the mash to 150 °F (66 °C) for 55 minutes. Mash out and vorlauf until runnings are clear. Collect 7 gallons (26.5 L) of wort and boil for 90 minutes, adding at times indicated. 

When the boil is complete, cool and oxygenate wort, then pitch yeast and ferment at 63 °F (17 °C) for 7 days. Ramp to 70 °F (21 °C) and hold for 10 days. Keg and force carbonate or add priming sugar and bottle condition as usual.

Bear Chase Brewing Co.’s Evenin’ Sunset clone, All-Grain

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain) 
OG = 1.075  FG = 1.018  
IBU = 40  SRM = 5  ABV = 7.5% 

Ingredients 

12 lbs. (5.4 kg) North American Pilsner malt 
1.8 lbs. (0.8 kg) Weyermann Carafoam® malt 
14 oz. (410 g) dextrose (corn sugar)  
2.5 oz. (71 g) Callista hops (5 min.) 
1.25 oz. (35 g) Simcoe® hops (3 min.) 
2.5 oz. (71 g) Callista hops (whirlpool) 
1.25 oz. (35 g) Simcoe® hops (whirlpool) 
2.5 oz. (71 g) Citra® Lupomax^TM hops or 3.25 oz. (92 g) Citra® T-90 pellets (dry hop) 
1 tsp. gypsum (calcium sulfate) 
Wyeast 1318 (London Ale III) or Imperial Yeast A38 (Juice), or SafAle S-04 yeast 
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming) 

Step by Step 

Mash in with 3.5 gallons (13 L) of 161 °F (71 °C) strike water to achieve a rest temperature of 150 °F (66 °C). Hold at this temperature for 60 minutes. 

With sparge water at 170 °F (77 °C), collect about 6.5 gallons (24.6 L) of wort. Bring to a boil, then set a timer for a 60-minute boil. Add corn sugar at start of boil. 

This recipe uses only late-boil and whirlpool hop additions to minimize bitterness and maximize aroma. Add the first addition of Callista hops with 5 minutes remaining, and the first Simcoe® addition with 3 minutes remaining. After the boil is complete, turn off the heat stir wort to create a whirlpool and then add the whirlpool hops and allow them to steep for 15 minutes. 

Cool wort and ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). When the gravity drops to around 1.022 SG, add dry hops. Dry hop for four to five days. Transfer to a keg and force carbonate to 2.5 volumes or add priming sugar and bottle condition.  

Bear Chase Brewing Co.’s Evenin’ Sunset clone, Extract

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.075  FG = 1.018  
IBU = 40  SRM = 5  ABV = 7.5% 

Ingredients 

6.6 lbs. (3 kg) extra light dried malt extract 
1.8 lbs. (0.8 kg) Weyermann Carafoam® malt 
14 oz. (410 g) dextrose (corn sugar)  
2.5 oz. (71 g) Callista hops (5 min.) 
1.25 oz. (35 g) Simcoe® hops (3 min.) 
2.5 oz. (71 g) Callista hops (whirlpool) 
1.25 oz. (35 g) Simcoe® hops (whirlpool) 
2.5 oz. (71 g) Citra® Lupomax^TM hops or 3.25 oz. (92 g) Citra® T-90 pellets (dry hop) 
Wyeast 1318 (London Ale III) or Imperial Yeast A38 (Juice), or SafAle S-04 yeast 
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming) 

Step by Step 

In a muslin bag, steep the Carafoam® in 6 gallons (23 L) of water at 150 °F (66 °C) for 15 minutes. Afterwards, remove the grain bag, allowing to drip into the kettle. Bring to a boil, then set a timer for a 60-minute boil. Add corn sugar at start of boil. 

This recipe uses only late-boil and whirlpool hop additions to minimize bitterness and maximize aroma. Add the first addition of Callista hops with 5 minutes remaining, and the second addition of Simcoe® hops with 3 minutes remaining. After the boil is complete, turn off the heat stir wort to create a whirlpool and then add the whirlpool hops and allow them to steep for 15 minutes. 

Cool wort and ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). When the gravity drops to around 1.022 SG, add dry hops. Dry hop for four to five days. Transfer to a keg and force carbonate to 2.5 volumes or add priming sugar and bottle condition. 

English Porter, All-Grain

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.053  FG = 1.015
IBU = 28  SRM = 30  ABV = 4.9%

Ingredients

7.1 lbs. (3.2 kg) U.K. pale ale malt
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) U.K. brown malt
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) U.K. crystal malt (60 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Munich malt
10 oz. (283 g) U.K. chocolate malt
6.8 AAU Fuggle hops (60 min.) (1.5 oz./43 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Goldings hops (10 min.)
Wyeast 1968 (London ESB), White Labs WLP002 (English Ale), Imperial Yeast A09 (Pub), or LalBrew Windsor yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step

This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Adjust all brewing water to a pH of 5.5 using phosphoric acid. Add 1 tsp. of calcium chloride to
the mash.

This recipe uses an infusion mash. Use enough water to have a moderately thick mash (1.5 qts./lb.). Mash in the base malts (pale, Munich, brown) at 153 °F (67 °C) and hold for 60 minutes. Add the crystal and chocolate malts, stir, begin recirculating, raise the mash temperature to 169 °F (76 °C), and recirculate for 15 minutes.

Sparge slowly and collect 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of wort. 

Boil the wort for 75 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated in the recipe. 

Chill the wort to 66 °F (19 °C), pitch the yeast, and ferment at this cool-ish temperature, as a clean profile is the goal.

When fermentation is complete, rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.

English Porter, Extract with Grains

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.053  FG = 1.015
IBU = 28  SRM = 30  ABV = 4.9%

Ingredients

6.2 lbs. (2.8 kg) light liquid malt extract
1.25 lbs. (0.57 g) U.K. crystal malt (60 °L)
10 oz. (283 g) U.K. chocolate malt
6.8 AAU Fuggle hops (60 min.) (1.5 oz./43 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Goldings hops (10 min.)
Wyeast 1968 (London ESB), White Labs WLP002 (English Ale), Imperial Yeast A09 (Pub), or LalBrew Windsor yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step

Use 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C). Turn off the heat. Add the crystal and chocolate malts in a mesh bag and steep for 30 minutes at this temperature. Remove grain bag, allowing to drip into the kettle.

Add the malt extract and stir thoroughly to dissolve completely. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil. 

Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated in the recipe. 

Chill the wort to 66 °F (19 °C), pitch the yeast, and ferment until at this cool-ish temperature, as a clean profile is the goal.

When fermentation is complete, rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate. 

The King’s Diamonds

(6.5 gallons/25 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.095  FG = 1.020
IBU = 38  SRM = 11  ABV = 9.8% 

Ingredients

17 lbs. (7.7 kg) Crisp Chevallier® Heritage malt
6 lbs. (2.7 kg) Crisp Maris Otter malt
13 oz. (370 g) Invert #3 syrup (mix of invert syrup and blackstrap molasses)
18 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (1.5 oz./42 g at 12% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Target hops (whirlpool)
LalBrew Verdant IPA yeast (second generation harvested from a batch of mild)

Step by step

Mash grains at 149 °F (65 °C) for 60 minutes. Mash out at 172 °F (78 °C) for 10 minutes. Vorlauf until the wort is clear and then run off into the kettle. Sparge grains with 3 gallons (11.5 L) of 168 °F (76 °C) water to collect 8 gallons (30 L) in the kettle. Boil wort for 60 minutes, adding the Magnum hops at the start of the boil. When the boil is complete, turn off heat, add the Target hops, stir to create a whirlpool and let rest 20 minutes. 

Transfer to your fermenter and pitch yeast. Allow to ferment for up to two months. Package this beer in a keg and force carbonate.

Extract version: Replace malts with 12.5 lbs. (5.7 kg) pale ale dried malt extract. Bring 8 gallons (30 L) of water to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the malt extract until dissolved. Return to a boil for 60 minutes. Follow the remainder of the all-grain recipe. 

Trans Canada Brewing Co.’s MisBEEhavin’ clone

(5-gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.063 FG = 1.017
IBU = 55 SRM = 12.5 ABV = 6%

Ingredients

9 lbs. (4 kg) Maris Otter malt
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) crystal malt (40 °L)
10 oz. (285 g) crystal malt (15 °L)
10 oz. (285 g) crystal malt (80 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) buckwheat honey (15 min.)
14.3 AAU Northern Brewer hops (60 min.) (1.5 oz./43 g at 9.5% alpha acids)
 2.4 AAU Northern Brewer hops (15 min.) (0.25 oz./7 g at 9.5% alpha acids)
1 Whirlfloc tablet
½ tsp. yeast nutrient
Wyeast 1469 (West Yorkshire) or SafAle S-04 yeast
¾ tsp. corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step

Mash the grains at 152 °F (67 °C) with 3 gallons (11.5 L) of water for 60 minutes. Then raise the temperature to 168 °F (76 °C) to mash out and sparge with enough water to collect 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops and honey at times indicated. Add Whirlfloc and yeast nutrient, if you choose, with 15 minutes remaining. 

Chill wort to 75 °F (25 °C), aerate, and pitch yeast. Ferment at this temperature until complete. Keg and force carbonate or bottle condition as usual.

Extract with grains option:
Replace the Maris Otter malt with 5.5 lbs. (2.5 kg) Maris Otter liquid malt extract. Bring 6 gallons (23 L) of water up to 170 °F (77 °C) while steeping crystal malts in a muslin bag. After 15 minutes, remove the grains and stir in the malt extract with the heat off. Once dissolved, return to heat and bring to a boil. Follow the remainder of the all-grain instructions.

Strong Scotch Ale

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.083  FG = 1.022
IBU = 24  SRM = 18  ABV = 8.1%

Ingredients

17.1 lbs. (7.8 kg) Golden Promise malt
5 oz. (142 g) roasted barley
7.2 AAU Golding hops (60 min) (1.5 oz./43 g at 4.8% alpha acids)
White Labs WLP028 (Edinburgh Scottish Ale), Wyeast 1728 (Scottish Ale), or SafAle US-05 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step

This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Adjust all brewing water to a pH of 5.5 using phosphoric acid. Add 1 tsp. calcium chloride to the mash.

Mash the Golden Promise at 158 °F (70 °C) for 60 minutes. Start recirculating wort. Add the roasted barley and raise the temperature to 168 °F (76 °C) for 15 minutes. 

Sparge slowly and collect 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of wort. Take the first gallon (3.8 L) of runnings and boil separately in a pot over high heat to reduce to one quart (1 L); be careful to stir and not scorch the wort. Add the reduced wort back to the kettle. While boiling this smaller portion, begin a 90-minute boil with the remaining 5.5 gallons (21 L). When the small portion is reduced, add it to the larger portion and continue the boil. Add hops with 60 minutes remaining in the boil.

Chill the wort to 59 °F (15 °C), pitch the yeast, and ferment until complete. 

Rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate to 2.5 volumes CO₂.

Strong Scotch Ale

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.083  FG = 1.022
IBU = 24  SRM = 18  ABV = 8.1%

Ingredients

11.4 lbs. (5.2 kg) liquid pale malt extract
5 oz. (142 g) roasted barley
7.2 AAU Golding hops (60 min) (1.5 oz./43 g at 4.8% alpha acids)
White Labs WLP028 (Edinburgh Scottish Ale), Wyeast 1728 (Scottish Ale), or SafAle US-05 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step

Use 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C). Steep the roasted barley in a grain bag for 15 minutes. Remove and rinse. Turn off the heat. Add the malt extract and stir thoroughly to dissolve completely. You do not want to feel liquid extract at the bottom of the kettle when stirring with your spoon. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil. 

Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at the start of the boil. 

Chill the wort to 59 °F (15 °C), pitch the yeast, and ferment until complete. 

Rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate to 2.5 volumes CO₂.

The Brewing Lair’s BLT clone, All-Grain

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.075  FG = 1.010
IBU = 36  SRM = 4  ABV = 8.6%

Ingredients

8.8 lbs. (4 kg) Pilsner malt
2 lbs. (0.9 kg) pale ale malt
2 lbs. (0.9 kg) cane sugar
11 oz. (315 g) chit malt
6 AAU German Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g  at 12% alpha acids)
3 oz. (85 g) Mosaic® hops (0 min.)
4 oz. (113 g) Mosaic® hops (dry hop)
White Labs WLP550 (Belgian Ale), Wyeast 3522 (Belgian Ardennes), or Imperial Yeast B45 (Gnome) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step

With the goal of creating a highly fermentable wort, mash in with 2.5 gallons (9.5 L) of 161 °F (71 °C) strike water to achieve a rest temperature of 150 °F (66 °C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes.

With sparge water at 170 °F (77 °C), collect about 6.5 gallons (24.6 L) of wort. Bring to a boil. At the start of the boil, set a timer for 90 minutes. With 60 minutes remaining, add Magnum hops.

At flameout, add the Mosaic® hops and cane sugar and let sit for 20–30 minutes before chilling. Chill the wort to 73 °F (23 °C). Pitch the yeast. During primary fermentation, allow the temperature to free rise up to 80 °F (27 °C). 

Once primary fermentation is complete and the gravity is stable for at least three days, add 4 oz. (113 g) of Mosaic® hops for a three-day dry hop.

Add priming sugar and bottle or keg and force carbonate to 3.0 volumes.

The Brewing Lair’s BLT clone, Extract Only

(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.075  FG = 1.010
IBU = 36  SRM = 4  ABV = 8.6%

Ingredients

5.3 lbs. (2.4 kg) Pilsner dried malt extract 
1 lb. (0.45 kg) pale ale dried malt extract
2 lbs. (0.9 kg) cane sugar
6 AAU German Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g  at 12% alpha acids)
3 oz. (85 g) Mosaic® hops (0 min.)
4 oz. (113 g) Mosaic® hops (dry hop)
White Labs WLP550 (Belgian Ale), Wyeast 3522 (Belgian Ardennes), or Imperial Yeast B45 (Gnome) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step

Bring 6 gallons (23 L) of water to a boil. Remove from heat and carefully stir in the malt extract. When fully dissolved, return to heat. At the start of the boil, set a timer for 90 minutes. With 60 minutes remaining, add Magnum hops.

At flameout, add the Mosaic® hops and cane sugar and let sit for 20–30 minutes before chilling. Chill the wort to 73 °F (23 °C). Pitch the yeast. During primary fermentation, allow the temperature to free rise up to 80 °F (27 °C).

Once primary fermentation is complete and the gravity is stable for at least three days, add 4 oz. (113 g) of Mosaic® hops for a three-day dry hop.

Add priming sugar and bottle or keg and force carbonate to 3.0 volumes.