SIERRA NEVADA BREWING COMPANY PALE ALE
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain) OG = 1.052 FG = 1.011 IBU = 38 SRM = 10 ABV = 5.4%
This signature pale ale was originally dreamed up as a homebrew. Now, decades later, it has launched thousands of homebrews in its wake. It’s a crisp, hoppy classic by which all American pale ales are measured.
INGREDIENTS
10 lb. 2 oz. (4.6 kg) 2-row pale malt
11 oz. (0.3 kg) caramel malt (60°L)
4.4 AAU Perle hops (90 mins.) (0.5 oz./14 g
of 8.8% alpha acids)
6.0 AAU Cascade hops (45 mins.) (1.0 oz./28 g
of 6% alpha acids)
STEP BY STEP
1.5 oz. (43 g) Cascade hops (0 mins.)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), White Labs WLP001
(California Ale), or Fermentis Safale US-05 yeast
(1 qt./1 L yeast starter)
1 cup (200 g) dextrose (for priming)
Two or three days before brew day, make a yeast starter, aerating the wort thoroughly (preferably with oxygen) before pitching the yeast. Mash the grains at 155°F (68°C). Mash out, vorlauf, and then sparge at 170°F (77°C). Collect 6.5 gallons (25 L) of wort. (Check that the nal runnings do not drop below SG 1.010.) Boil 90 minutes, adding the hops at the times indicated. Pitch the yeast and ferment at 68°F (20°C) until nal gravity is reached. Bottle or keg as usual.
EXTRACT WITH GRAINS OPTION: Scale the 2-row pale malt down to 1 pound 5 ounces (0.60 kg) and add 1.75 pounds (0.80 kg) light dried malt extract and 4 pounds (0.79 kg) light liquid malt extract. Place the crushed grains in a steeping bag. Steep the grains at 155°F (68°C) in 3 quarts (2.9 L) of water. Remove the bag and place in a colander over the brewpot. Rinse the grains with 2 quarts (2 L) of 170°F (77°C) water. Add water to the brewpot to make at least 3 gallons (11 L) of wort. Stir in the dried malt extract and boil the wort for 90 minutes, adding the hops at the times indicated. Keep some boiling water handy and do not let the boil volume dip below 3 gallons (11 L). Add the liquid malt extract in the nal 15 minutes of the boil. Chill the wort and transfer to your fermenter. Top up the fermenter to 5 gallons (19 L). Follow the remaining portion of the all-grain recipe.