BCBS Recipe Book – House Beardslee Old Ale (Old Ale)
Anyone who’s been around the club for more than a minute knows Past President Chuck Beardslee is a helluva brewer. Whether it’s his 2022 National Homebrew Competition medal winning Berry Mead or his latest experiments with San Fransisco sourdough bread, the guy is a yeast wrangler extraordinaire!
In Throwdown! 2023, Chuck won two of the four flights. Last week we featured his Irish Stout. This week let’s showcase his multiple-award winning House Beardslee Old Ale. This is a beer that consistently scores in the mid-30s to low 40s in competitions, so it’s one you should think about putting into your rotation
House Beardslee Old Ale
OG 1.075 FG 1.020 ABV 7.7% SRM 14 IBU 35
Grains
9.000 lbs Maris Otter – Warminster Floor Malted (3L)
1.750 lbs Weyermann Munich Light (~7L)
0.750 lbs Weyermann or Dingeman Aromatic Malt (19L)
0.750 lbs Crystal/Caramel 80L
0.375 lbs Briess Extra Special Malt (130L)
0.125 lbs Weyermann Carafa 2 Dehusked (425L)
0.125 lbs Weyermann Acidulated Malt
Efficiency 80%+. If your efficiency runs lower, bump all grains by 10%.
Mash Schedule
20 minutes at 145F, 45 minutes at 162F, 10 minutes at 168F
(if you prefer a single mash temp, rest 1 hour at 156-158F)
Boil and Hop Schedule
90 minute boil
@60 add 1oz Magnum 11%AA (31-32 IBUs)
@10 add 1oz East Kent Golding 4%AA (4 IBUs)
Yeast, Fermentation Schedule and Packaging
Use 2 packs of SafAle S-04 pitched at 64F. Hold for 2 days at 64F then gradually bring up to 72F over 4-6 days. Hold until FG is stable. Bottle condition or carbonate to 2.25-2.5 vol CO2. If the body/mouthfeel of the beer seems a bit thick, go with 2.5 vol to balance it out.
Brewer’s Notes
This recipe was tweaked from what we did for the Rum Barrel project in 2020/21, and was last brewed as a partigyle with a Dark Mild. These volumes are reduced for brewing the old ale on its own.
