Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Fermentables / Grains
Hops & Bittering
Yeast & Fermentation
Water & Additives
Optional Flavor Additions (Gummy worm inspiration)
Method
Mash / Grain Preparation
Heat strike water
Heat about 3.5 gallons (13.2 L) of brewing water to ~165°F (74°C) to achieve a mash temperature of 152°F (67°C) when grains are added.
Mash in
Add the crushed Pilsner, Vienna, Crystal 10L, and flaked maize to the mash tun. Stir thoroughly to avoid dough balls and target a mash temperature of 152°F (67°C). Hold for 60 minutes.
Mash out
Raise temperature to 168°F (76°C) for 10 minutes to mash out (improves lautering).
Sparge
Sparge with enough water at 168°F to collect roughly 6.5–7.0 gallons of wort in the boil kettle (target pre-boil gravity ~1.050).
Boil / Hopping
Bring to boil
Bring wort to a vigorous boil once collected. Watch for boil-over and reduce heat if necessary.
Bittering hop addition (60 min)
At the start of the 60-minute boil, add Magnum hops (0.5 oz) for bittering.
Kettle fining
With 15 minutes left in the boil, add Irish moss or Whirlfloc and the yeast nutrient. If using dried citrus peel, add the peel with 10–12 minutes left to sanitize flavors without excessive bitterness.
Late hop additions (5–0 min)
With 5 minutes left, add Hallertau Mittelfrüh (1.0 oz). At flameout, add Cascade or Amarillo (0.5 oz) for whirlpool aroma and leave steeping for 10–20 minutes.
Optional: Fruit puree addition
If using fruit puree to evoke gummy-fruit notes, do not add to the hot boil. Cool the wort quickly, then add sanitized fruit (8 oz) to the fermenter when the wort is below 80°F (27°C).
Cooling & Transfer
Cool wort
Cool the wort as rapidly as possible (immersion chiller, counterflow, or plate chiller) to ~68°F (20°C). Aim to minimize oxygen pickup after the initial aeration step.
Aerate
Aerate or oxygenate the cooled wort thoroughly for 60–90 seconds of pure O2 or vigorous shaking/stirring to introduce sufficient dissolved oxygen for yeast health.
Pitch yeast
Pitch the hydrated/room-temperature yeast (or the dry yeast directly per manufacturer instructions) into the cooled wort. Seal fermenter and attach an airlock.
Fermentation
Primary fermentation
Ferment at 66–68°F (19–20°C) for 5–7 days or until vigorous fermentation subsides. If using fruit puree, add at this stage when the primary fermentation has slowed (day 3–5) to preserve volatile fruit character and reduce infection risk; keep fermenter at 68°F.
Secondary / conditioning (optional)
Rack to a secondary for 5–7 days to help clarify and allow additional aroma hop or fruit character to mellow, if desired.
Final conditioning
Allow beer to finish and clear for a total of 2–3 weeks from brew day (primary + optional secondary). Temperature may be raised a few degrees for a diacetyl rest if needed for 24–48 hours.
Packaging
Prepare priming sugar
Boil the corn sugar (3.5 oz) in 12 oz (355 ml) water for 5 minutes, cool, and add to sanitized bottling bucket.
Bottle
Transfer beer gently to the bottling bucket to mix with priming solution, avoiding excess oxygen. Bottle into 12-oz bottles and cap.
Carbonation and conditioning
Store bottles at 68–72°F (20–22°C) for 10–14 days to carbonate. Then cold-condition in the refrigerator for 24–48 hours before serving to help clarify.
Serving & Notes
Serve chilled (45–50°F / 7–10°C). Expect final ABV around 5.5–6.0% depending on mash efficiency. The grain bill and optional citrus/fruit additions create a light, slightly sweet, mildly fruity pale ale character reminiscent of gummy-fruit candy without artificial flavors. Adjust hops and fruit amounts to taste.