Mom's Special Ale

Source: Steve McRuiz
Recipe added: 12/19/96
Email: stevem@webzone.net

Tasting notes: This beer came out really good after only 2 weeks in the bottle. Balanced pretty nicely. I was actually going for a McNally's type Irish ale with some cinnamon spice added, but the cinnamon is just barely present (you wouldn't know it was there unless you knew it was in the ingredient list). It's just barely fruity, definitely not estery. The Morgan's Caramalt contributed greatly to the colour, a deep reddish, with a touch of copper. Slightly alcoholic finish. Makes for hoppy-tasting burps, too. Nice, full bodied beer. After 6 weeks, it just keeps getting better. Stuff I'd do over again: If I'd do this recipe over again, I'd probably add the cinnamon sticks in the secondary fermenter and leave the beer in the secondary fermenter for 2 weeks, instead of just 1. I'd also leave it in the primary for only 1 week. I had to leave it in 2 weeks this time because I went out of town, and it was bubbling so beautifully when I left, that I didn't want to disturb it. I would also try oxygenating the wort a little bit more to try and get my final gravity lower. Specifics: 6.04% alcohol by volume, 4.83% alcohol by weight.

Specifics

Recipe type: Extract
Batch Size: 5.0 gallons
Starting Gravity: 1.066
Finishing Gravity: 1.022
Time in Boil: 60 minutes
Primary Fermentation: 2 weeks
Secondary Fermentation: 1 week

Ingredients:

6 lbs. English light syrup malt extract
2 lbs. English light dry malt extract
2.2 lbs. Morgan's Master Blend Caramalt syrup malt extract
1 lb. 80 L. crystal malt
2.5 oz. Fuggle hops (boil)
1 oz. Challenger hops (finishing)
1 oz. Perle (7.3% a.a.) hops (aromatic)
1 tsp. Irish moss
Wyeast #1968 London ESB yeast
10 cinnamon sticks (4"-5")
.75 cup corn sugar (priming)

Procedure:

Place 80 L. crystal malt in straining bag and suspend in 3 gallons cold water, bring to boil. Once water comes to boil, remove spent crystal malt grains and feed to awaiting birds outside. Add all syrup and dry malt extracts, along with Fuggle hops for the boil. Boil for 30 minutes, then stir in Irish moss. Boil for an additional 25 minutes, then stir in Challenger hops. Boil for 5 more minutes, then remove pot from flame. Cool until 100 degrees F., then mix into fermenter holding 2 gallons cold water, top until 5 gallons total capacity. Pitch with Wyeast #1968 yeast. Add cinnamon sticks to primary fermenter and let sit for 2 weeks. Rack to secondary fermenter and dry hop with Perle hops (pellets), let sit for 1 week. Prime with corn sugar and bottle.

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