Rotating Draft Seasonal Recipe

1. Heat strike water and mash

Heat approximately 4.25 gallons (16 L) of water to strike temperature ~165°F (74°C) to achieve a mash temperature of 152°F (67°C). Add the crushed pale malt, caramel/crystal, Munich/Vienna, and wheat malt to the strike water while stirring to avoid dough balls. Hold the mash at 152°F (67°C) for 60 minutes for full conversion.

2. Mash out and lautering

Raise mash temperature to 168°F (76°C) for 10 minutes to mash out. Begin lautering/sparging: drain wort to your boil kettle, then sparge with ~3.5 gallons (13 L) of 170°F (77°C) water slowly to collect about 6.5 gallons (25 L) of wort pre-boil.

3. Boil

Bring collected wort to a rolling boil. Begin a 60-minute timed boil.

4. Bittering hop addition (60 minutes)

At the start of the boil (60 minutes remaining), add 0.75 oz bittering hops. Add the 0.5 lb adjunct sugar with 15 minutes left in the boil to increase fermentable sugars and lighten body.

5. Flavor/aroma hops and spices (15 minutes)

With 15 minutes remaining, add 1.5 oz of flavor/aroma hops and the 1 tablespoon seasonal spice blend. If using delicate fruit (berries, peaches), do NOT add fruit in the boil unless pasteurizing is desired; reserve fruit for fermentation or secondary. If using a firm puree like pumpkin, add with 10–15 minutes remaining to lightly pasteurize and extract flavor.

6. Late additions (0 minutes)

At flameout, you may add a small whirlpool addition (0.5–1 oz) of an aroma hop for an intensified seasonal nose. Allow wort to sit in the kettle for 10–20 minutes off heat to let hop oils steep, then chill.

7. Cool and transfer

Cool wort quickly to 66–68°F (19–20°C) using an immersion chiller or other method. Transfer chilled wort to a sanitized fermenter, leaving behind as much trub as possible.

8. Add seasonal fruit/puree (if using raw or pureed fruit)

If using fresh fruit or puree that you want to preserve bright fresh character, purge fruit of oxygen as much as possible and add to the fermenter after primary fermentation has slowed (3–5 days) or into a secondary. For 2 lbs fruit per 5 gallons, sanitize fruit or use frozen/thawed fruit to minimize contamination. If you added puree during the boil, do not add here. Mix gently to incorporate.

9. Pitch yeast

Aerate the wort well (oxygenate) and pitch the ale yeast (rehydrated or a fresh packet). Ferment at 66–68°F (19–20°C) for 5–7 days until vigorous activity slows, then allow another 5–7 days of conditioning. If using fruit in secondary, rack to secondary and condition for 5–10 days more to extract fruit character.

10. Dry hop (optional)

If using a dry hop addition for aroma, add 1 oz of seasonal aromatic hops after primary fermentation has slowed (typically 3–5 days) and leave on for 3–5 days, then remove. Keep dry hop contact under 7 days to limit vegetal character.

11. Cold crash and clarify

After fermentation and any dry hopping/fruit conditioning are complete, cold crash to near 35–40°F (2–4°C) for 24–48 hours to help clarify the beer and drop out particulate.

12. Priming and package

If bottling, dissolve 3.5 oz (approx. 100 g) corn sugar in 2 cups (480 ml) boiling water, cool and add to sanitized bottling bucket. Rack beer onto priming solution and bottle. Prime for 2 weeks at room temperature for carbonation. For kegging, transfer to sanitized keg, carbonate to desired volumes (2.2–2.6 volumes CO2), and cold condition for a few days.

13. Serve chilled at 45–50°F (7–10°C) in clean glassware. Because this is a rotating seasonal beer, label each batch with the seasonal additions (fruit, spices, hops) and tasting notes. Enjoy fresh for bright fruit character; some spice-forward versions may benefit from short bottle conditioning for 2–4 weeks.