homebrewer’s corner
Luck of the Irish
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with one of these classic recipes. By Steve Hawk
There’s no denying it. St. Patrick’s Day is one of the most popular holidays celebrated at bars. Pub crawls, green beer, lots of toasting and laughter. You clearly don’t need to be Irish to be drawn into the festivities. But, if you prefer to celebrate at home this year—or to extend your celebration with your own private party—there are several homebrew recipes that will serve you very well. All are low ABV and very drinkable. Plus, the flavors are so genuinely Irish, you’ll be dancing a jig in no time.
Berliner Weisse
When formulating a list of beers for a traditional Irish holiday celebration, a Berliner Weisse is kind of a stretch. However, it’s a perfect way to achieve that goofy, obligatory green-colored beer, without settling on macro swill with food coloring. The Berliner Weisse is a light-bodied sour beer that originated from Germany around the 17th century. Due to its sourness, flavored syrups have historically been added to smooth out the tartness. The most popular of these additives is something called “woodruff” syrup, which not only imparts a sweet flavor, but also changes the beer to a green hue. This is definitely a more advanced recipe, as there are many ways to achieve the desired level of tartness, including different rests during the mash and utilizing multiple yeast strains. This recipe relies on a specific yeast blend created especially for the Berliner Weisse. It’s a good idea to discuss this process with your local home brew shop before attempting this recipe. But, it’s well worth the effort for the compliments you’ll receive.
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phillybeerscene.com
March2013 march2013
Ingredients:
3.5 lbs. Bohemian Pilsner 2.5 lbs. Wheat malt 0.70 oz. Hallertau [2.75 %] (15 min.) 1/2 tsp. yeast nutrient (15 min.) 1/2 tbsp. Irish moss (5 min.) Yeast: Wyeast 3191-PC Berliner Weisse Blend Info & Process:
Type: All Grain Batch Size: 5.5 gallons Boil Time: 15 minutes Mash: Single Infusion Total Grain Weight: 6 lbs. Sparge Water: 4 gallons 50 minutes Mash In: 2.5 gallons of water Temperature: 149.0 F 10 minutes Mash Out: 1.5 gallons of water Temperature: 162.0 F Estimated Original Gravity: 1.031 Estimated Final Gravity: 1.006 Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 3.3%
