Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Easy Muggle Beer

You've heard me use the term before.  Muggle.   But what the heck is a Muggle?  In the wizarding world of Harry Potter a muggle is a non magical person.   In our brewing world.   A muggle is a person who doesn't care for craft beer.   And they are everywhere.   They show up when you least expect them, and they want to "try" some of your home brew.

You know how the scene plays out.  You pour them an award winning Stout, or an amazing DIPA that you and your wizarding friends know is damn near world class (because let's face it home made beer is amazing when you get it right).   And they politely take a sip or two, and then leave the rest, oping instead for a Miller Lite.

I say put an end to this misanthropy, this afrrontery to all we hold dear.  Put an end the waste of beer before it happens.   Always have some home made muggle beer on hand.   As you know I have an affinity for cream ales.   But not boring cream ales.   I like my cream ales with some body, and some character.   This beer, is not that beer.  This beer is designed to be an American Pub ale.  A basic yellow fizzy beer.   This is the beer for right after you more the lawn.   With just enough hop character to know it is in fact a beer, around 21 IBUs.   A basic beer that will taste far better than the BMC crap they drink.  Good enough that you will enjoy it too.

Here is my basic yellow beer.   BYB.  Now when a muggle asks to try your beer you can say "Be Right Back with some BYB"

The Grist

Water preparation.   I will use 1 tsp of 5.2 stabilizer for this batch.

5.5 # of Pilsner (or pale ale malt, or even two row)
.5 #   of Corn Sugar
.5 #   of Cara Pils
.2 #   of Cara 40

Mash at 150 ish for 60 to 75 minutes.   In truth, I mash in low, then rise to 149-150 then rest for 60 minutes.

The hops.

.5 oz of Cluster at 60  Why cluster?   Why not?
.5 Saaz at 30
.5 Saaz at 5

No dry hops, no randall, no hop back, no whirlpool...  it's just basic beer.

The yeast and other stuff

1 package of US05
1 tsp of irish moss
1 tsp of yeast nutrient

Ferment cool.  lower 60s  Ill probably ferment at 64 F. ish.

Fermentation will take about 10 days.   Then fine with gelatin.  And bottle or keg.   That's it.  Simple good basic beer,  your muggle friends will love it and you just might enjoy it too.  

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