On Tap Recipe

Preparation

Sanitize all fermenter, spoon, thermometer, airlock, siphon and kegging/bottling equipment with a no-rinse sanitizer according to manufacturer's directions. Crush specialty crystal malt if not pre-crushed. Measure out hops, priming sugar, and yeast. Heat 2.5–3 gallons (9.5–11.5 L) of water to strike temperature of about 155–165°F (68–74°C) if steeping grains; otherwise heat to near-boil for extract brewing.

Steep Specialty Grains

Place the crushed crystal malt in a grain bag and submerge in the heated water (150–160°F / 65–71°C). Steep for 20–30 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. Remove the grain bag and allow it to drain into the pot; do not squeeze aggressively. Bring the wort to a gentle boil.

Add Malt Extract and Boil

Remove the pot from heat briefly and stir in the pale ale malt extract (and light dry malt extract if using), ensuring it dissolves fully to avoid scorching. Return to a boil. Once boiling, start a 60-minute timer for the total boil time.

Hop Additions

At the start of the 60-minute boil, add 0.5–0.75 oz of Cascade hops for bittering. With 15 minutes left in the boil, add Irish moss (1 tsp) to help clarity. With 10 minutes left, add the remaining 0.75 oz Cascade hops for flavor/aroma. If you want stronger aroma, add half of the flavor hops at 5 minutes and half at flameout.

Cool Wort

At the end of the boil, turn off heat and chill the wort quickly to yeast-pitching temperature (65–70°F / 18–21°C) using an immersion chiller, counterflow chiller, or ice bath. If using a kettle without a chiller, place the pot in an ice bath and stir to accelerate cooling. Aim to get to target within 20–30 minutes to reduce contamination risk and improve clarity.

Transfer and Top Up

Sanitize the fermenter and transfer the chilled wort into it. Top up with pre-boiled and cooled water to reach 5 gallons total volume if necessary, leaving a couple inches of headspace. Take a hydrometer reading to record original gravity (OG). Adjust with small amounts of light dry malt extract if you need to raise gravity slightly.

Pitch Yeast and Ferment

Sprinkle or rehydrate and pitch the ale yeast into the wort when temperature is 65–70°F (18–21°C). Seal the fermenter, attach an airlock, and ferment in a dark, temperature-controlled space at 65–68°F (18–20°C) for 7–10 days for primary fermentation. Expect active bubbling in the first 48–72 hours.

Secondary/Conditioning (optional)

If desired, transfer to a secondary fermenter after primary fermentation subsides (day 7–10) for a further 5–7 days to clear. If not transferring, allow the beer to remain in primary until clearing and stable final gravity are reached (usually 10–14 days total). Take a hydrometer reading to confirm fermentation is complete.

Package — Keg or Bottle

Sanitize keg and all kegging equipment or sanitize bottles and caps thoroughly. If kegging: prime with 3.25 oz (approx. 92 g) of priming sugar dissolved in 1 cup boiling water and add to keg before transferring beer, or force-carbonate with CO2 (30–40 psi for rapid force carbonation, then set serving pressure to 10–12 psi). If bottling: dissolve priming sugar in 1 cup boiling water, cool, mix gently with beer, and bottle. Cap bottles and store at 65–70°F (18–21°C) for 10–14 days to carbonate, then cold condition in fridge for 24–48 hours before serving.

Carbonation and Serving

For kegged beer, carbonate to about 2.3–2.6 volumes CO2 (typical for pale ale) by setting the CO2 regulator and chilling at serving pressure for 24–72 hours. For bottles, check carbonation after 10 days. Serve on tap at 38–45°F (3–7°C) through a properly cleaned faucet and lines. Pour with a 45° tilt then straighten to create a half-inch to one-inch head.

Storage and Enjoyment

Store kegs refrigerated at serving temperature and consume within 2–3 months for best freshness. Bottles last longer if kept cool and dark. Enjoy your draft pale ale fresh for balanced hop aroma and malt character.