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Will-o'-Wisp Autumn Ale (no pumpkin)

Brewed: 10/20/2024   Kegged: 10/26/2024

AutumnAle.jpgAutumn of 2022, my wife (aka the SheppyBrew Beer Model) told me she didn't really want to brew a Pumpkin Ale this year. I didn't really ask why, but I suspect that she didn't want me nagging her in 2023 to finish up the beer.

Seriously, the last time we brewed the pumpkin beer, we had it on tap from the end of September until the following MARCH!

She just doesn't drink enough to go through a whole five gallons.

For quite some time, I've been thinking that the beer would be better with just the base. No pumpkin and (more importantly) no spices.

Another advantage of doing just the base is that we could make a pumpkin spice tincture and add it "on demand" if she really wanted a pumpkin spice beer.

Win / win.

So ... this is the recipe we brewed. Since I really like the name, I kept it on the non-pumpkin beer.

It's my beer. I can call it what I want. If you brew your own non-pumpkin Autumn Ale, you can call it what you want.



For more information on Will-o-Wisp, see Sheppy's Blog: Will-o-Wisp.


Will-o'-Wisp Autumn Ale --- Batch 2 (363)

Style American Brown Ale Batch Size 5.50 gal
Type All Grain Boil Size   6.60 gal
Brewhouse Efficiency   65.00   Boil Time   60 minutes

Recipe Characteristics

Recipe Gravity 1.054 SG Estimated FG 1.014 SG
Recipe Bitterness 26.4 IBUs (Rager) Alcohol by Volume 5.3 %
BU : GU   0.488        
Recipe Color 18.5 SRM
Color
   
Measured OG:   1.054    Measured FG:   1.013 
ADF:   75    Measured ABV:   5.4 

Ingredients

Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU Volume
7.96 gal Denver, Colorado Water 1 - -
6.00 g Calcium Chloride (Mash) Water Agent 2 - -
2.00 g Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash) Water Agent 3 - -
2.00 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash) Water Agent 4 - -
0.50 tsp Lactic Acid (Mash) Water Agent 5 - -
10 lbs Golden Promise (Simpsons) (2.0 SRM) Grain 6 81.2 % 0.78 gal
2 lbs Crystal, Medium (Simpsons) (55.0 SRM) Grain 7 16.2 % 0.16 gal
3.0 oz Pale Chocolate Malt (200.0 SRM) Grain 8 1.5 % 0.01 gal
2.0 oz Midnight Wheat Malt (550.0 SRM) Grain 9 1.0 % 0.01 gal
1.000 oz Magnum [12.60 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 10 26.4 IBUs -
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 11 - -
1.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04) [23.66 ml] Yeast 12 - -

Mash Profile

Mash Steps
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Saccharification Add 32.01 qt of water at 158.9 F 152.0 F 45 min
Heat Heat to 158.0 F over 10 min 158.0 F 15 min
Mash Out Heat to 170.0 F over 7 min 170.0 F 10 min


If steeping, remove grains, and prepare to boil wort

Recipe Notes
Brewing salts in the mash water. This should bring Denver water profile (as defined by BeerSmith) to
Ca=101,Mg=15,Na=21,SO4=223,Cl=119,HCO3=104
Acid addition to bring calculated pH around 5.4
Mash grains as directed.
Boil as directed. Cool to as close to 60 degrees as possble.
Hold low temperature for first 24 - 48 hours of fermentation, allowing to raise where it wants after that.
Ferment 2 weeks. Keg and carbonate.

Brewing Record

Brew Date:   Strike Temp:  
Mash Temps:  
Pre-boil OG   (1.049 SG)   Pre-boil Vol   (6.60 gal)
Actual Mash Efficiency   Pitch Temp    
Fermentation            
Day 1: 
Day ... 
Day ... 

Click here to see previous recipes
 
Brewing Notes:
10/08/2024 esheppy
Ordering ingredients from the Brew Hut today. Thinking I'll brew Sunday or Monday.
10/14/2024 esheppy
Picked up ingredients. Not sure when I'll brew.
10/20/2024 esheppy
Brew Day today went well. Hit the gravity numbers fine.
10/21/2024 esheppy
1.054 OG. Made a mistake in leaving the fermenter outside to cool some while I went on a bike ride and by the time I was back, the fermenter was in the sun and the Tilt said it was 79 degrees.But, once I got the fermenter in the basement, it recovered into the high 60's. Fermentation was going strong by the time went to bed. Today, Tilt says 1.046 at 66.
10/22/2024 esheppy
Bubbling slowed down. Krausen starting to fall. Tilt says 1.014 at 72 degrees. I think I might be able to keg by this coming weekend. We'll see.
10/23/2024 esheppy
Bubbling seems to be pretty much done. Krausen gone. Getting pretty clear looking. Tilt says 1.011 at 70 degrees. I am planning on kegging this weekend.
10/26/2024 esheppy
Kegged. Final Tilt reading 1.008 at 69, but the hydrometer read 1.013. Gorgeous mahogany color. Already pretty clear. Great malt flavor. Maybe a bit more dry than I remember this beer. Nicely balanced. Not much hop flavor at all. Yummy. Chilling in the beer fridge.
10/31/2024 esheppy
Foamy, I think this is mostly high psi currently in the keg. Might purge CO2 before Learn to Homebrew guests arrive. I am really liking the flavor. Malty. A bit of chocolate. Caramel. Fairly clean. Not much hop flavor but nicely balanced.
11/03/2024 esheppy
Served at Learn to Homebrew Day, which was a huge success. People really seemed to like all the beers.
11/10/2024 esheppy
Smooth. Nice brown ale. A touch of chocolate. A touch of caramel. Yummy.
11/14/2024 esheppy
Checked into untappd. Rich and smooth. Balanced. A little nutty. Nice dark chocolate and caramel notes. Easy drinking.
Comments:
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