Mash / Mashout

1. Heat strike water

Heat approximately 4.0–4.5 gallons of water to about 165°F (73°C) to achieve a mash temperature of 152°F (67°C) when grain is added. Target mash temp 152°F for a balanced fermentable profile.

2. Mash in

Add the crushed Maris Otter, Crystal 60L, Brown malt, Victory, Munich and flaked oats into the mash tun. Stir thoroughly to eliminate dry pockets. Hold mash at 152°F (67°C) for 60 minutes. Maintain temperature within ±2°F.

3. Mashout and vorlauf

After 60 minutes, raise temperature to ~168°F (76°C) for 10 minutes for mashout. Vorlauf (recirculate) until wort runs clear enough to transfer to kettle (about 5–10 minutes).

Sparge / Boil

4. Sparge

Sparge with enough 170°F (77°C) water to collect roughly 6.5–7 gallons of pre-boil wort (accounting for boil-off). Aim for 5.25 gallons in the fermenter after boil for target OG.

5. Bring to a boil and bittering hop addition

Bring the wort to a vigorous boil. At the start of the 60-minute boil, add 0.75 oz Northern Brewer (bittering). Start timer for 60-minute boil.

6. Mid-boil / clarity agent

With 15 minutes left in the boil, add 1 tsp Irish moss or Whirlfloc and the 0.75 oz Cascade hops (flavor). If using any wort nutrient, add now.

7. Late hop / whirlpool addition

At flameout (end of boil), turn off heat and add 0.5 oz Amarillo or Cascade hops directly to the kettle. Allow to steep in the hot wort (whirlpool) for 15–20 minutes to extract aroma without adding significant bitterness.

Cooling / Transfer / Fermentation

8. Cool wort

Chill the wort quickly to 66–68°F (19–20°C) using an immersion chiller, plate chiller, or ice bath. Aim to get below 80°F within 20–30 minutes to reduce DMS and infection risk.

9. Aerate and pitch yeast

Transfer chilled wort to sanitized fermenter, leaving behind trub. Top up with water to reach 5.25 gallons if necessary. Aerate vigorously (shake, pure O2 for 60 seconds, or aeration stone). Rehydrate or prepare yeast per manufacturer instructions and pitch the yeast at 66–68°F.

10. Primary fermentation

Ferment at 66–68°F (19–20°C) for 5–7 days until vigorous fermentation slows. Allow temperature to rise up to 68–70°F late in fermentation to ensure complete attenuation and clean finish. Expect final gravity around mid- to high-1.010s depending on attenuation.

11. Secondary / conditioning (optional)

Optional: rack to secondary after 5–7 days for an additional 7–10 days at 65–68°F to clear. Alternatively, leave in primary for 2–3 weeks for adequate conditioning.

Packaging

12. Prepare priming sugar

If bottling, dissolve 3.5 oz corn sugar in 12 oz boiling water, cool to room temp then add to sanitized bottling bucket. If kegging, carbonate to 2.2–2.5 volumes CO2.

13. Bottle or keg

Siphon beer gently to bottling bucket to combine with priming solution, fill and cap bottles. Condition bottles at 68–70°F for 2 weeks, then cold crash and age as desired. If kegging, carbonate and force-condition as required.

14. Maturation

Allow beer to condition for at least 2 weeks in bottle and an additional week in cold storage for best clarity and flavor. The beer will taste best after 3–4 weeks but is drinkable earlier.

A Very Fine Brown, American Brown Recipe

Recipe information

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Grain / Fermentables

Hops & Bittering

Yeast & Nutrients

Water & Misc