Piss Yeller

Classification: pale ale, American light lager, all-grain

Source: Ron and Sharon Montefusco, (biohazrd@graceba.net), HBD Issue #2130, 7/31/96

The philosophy behind this beer is basically this; to brew a lager-like ale that most people would recognize as "beer" and have the taste characteristic lesser beer-educated Americans associate with beer. The wheat is to serve the purpose of rice or corn in American beers and "lighten" both the color and the mouth-feel. Fortunately, malted wheat is not an adjunct according to the Reinheitsgebot and this is still an all-malt beer. (Sharon is of German descent and enforces the purity law) The Saaz hops give the beer a flavor that most educated beer palets will associate with a lager or pilsner beer, Ive found that the Saaz flavor needs some mellowing time. I also carbonate this beer a little more heavily than most ales (I add a cup or a cup and a quarter of corn sugar to 5 gallons at botteling time). Once again this is to imitate the heavily carbonated nature of American beers. Hope you enjoy it, please let me know how it turns out if you brew it.

Its not real involved unless you want to add a double decoction mash to bring out the malt flavor (a la Warsteiner).

Ingredients: (for 5 gallons)

6 lb Belgian Pilzen Malt
2 1/2 lb Wheat malt
1oz 4.3% Willamet Hops
1/2 oz Saaz Hops (adjust to taste)
Wyeast #1056 American Ale Yeast or Coopers dry

Procedure:

Strike 10 qts at 126 deg. F and protein rest at 120 to 123 deg. for 30 to 45 minutes. Increase to converstion temp of 150 to 155 and hold for 45 minutes or until iodine test is negative. (Decoction mashing procedures single or double can be used instead) Be sure to mash-out at 168 deg. for 5 min. this will help prevent a slow or stuck sparge (why I don't know but every time I brain cramp and forget to mash-out the sparge runs poorly) Sparge with 5 gallons of 168 deg. water and collect. Boil 90 minutes adding Willamet at start of boil and add the Saaz at end of boil (about 10 minutes).

This beer benefits greatly from a week or two of cold laggering in the bottle after carbonation. The color is lighter than Sam Adams Boston Lager and the flavor is somewhat similar. I've got to admit, I started brewing this for my wife and some of our less beer "aware" friends but I really enjoy it myself also.

Specifics:

OG: 1.048
FG: 1.012-1.007