LET’S BREW… AMERICAN PALE ALE

Malt extract is the amount of soluble material that can be extracted from the malt during mashing. There are many delicious and tasty recipes that may be related to baking, brewing, confectionery etc. Today we will try to use Mahalaxmi Malt Extract’s malt in brewing and will make - American Pale Ale. 

So, Make it, try it and let us know about your experience……

To give you a brief about this 6-row pale malt extract recipe - it acts as the basic building blocks of a tasty American Pale Ale and provides a nice grainy character and the crystal provides some caramel sweetness and smooths out the mouthfeel. The hop schedule consists of two of the American classics which are designed to balance bitterness, flavour and aroma.

Ok, enough with the explanation. Let’s begin the work. First off, collect the ingredients:

5 1/2 pounds dry light malt extract

1/2 pound American 6-row malt, crushed

1/2 pound Crystal 20L malt, crushed

1/2 ounce Centennial hops—60 minutes

1 ounce Cascade hops—15 minutes

1 ounce Cascade hops at flame out

1 ounce Centennial hops—15 minutes

1/2 ounce Centennial hops at flame out

6 gallons of tap water, split. If possible, place 3 gallons in the refrigerator to cool in a sanitised container

11.5 gram package Safale US-05

Time to brew now…..

In the first step, tie the American 6-row malt and Crystal 20L malt into a mesh hop-bag and heat 1 gallon of water in a large pot to 160°F. Then remove the heat, add malt and let steep for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes raise the temperature slowly to 170°F but make sure the mesh bag isn’t sitting directly on the bottom of the pot.  Then remove the grain bag and add water to make 3 gallons total.

Bring the wort to a vigorous boil and when the water is heating, slowly add malt extract, stirring constantly until completely dissolved. When the boiling begins, add 1/2 ounce Centennial hops in the mesh bag.

When you have boiled it for around 60 minutes,  remove from heat, add 1 ounce Cascade and 1/2 ounce Centennial in a mesh bag and cover. After the wort cools down below 180°F everything that touches it should be sanitary, and exposure to open air should be limited as much as possible.

Place the wort in the pot filled with ice and leave it to cool it down below 85°F. Then transfer the wort to the sanitise fermenter. Top off to 5 gallons using refrigerated water.

Now time to sanitise outside of the yeast package, fermentation stopper and airlock. Then carefully pour yeast into cooled wort i.e. wort below 70°F, and agitate vigorously. Ferment in a dark place, keeping ambient temperature consistent, preferably between 62-66°F.

Last but not the least- Bottle the same after two to three weeks.

And Voila! Time to try.