22 feb 2012

UN RICETTA PER FARSI LA BIRRA ALLE CASTAGNE

Chestnuts bier: a new way to use the chestnuts

Ingredients
1. steel pot of 25 lit
2. Large fine mesh grain bag
3. Small hop bags
4. Lallemand’s brewing yeasts – All their yeasts are certified GF
5. Fining agent
6. 6.5 and 6 gal carboys
7. Amylase and pectinase
8. 5 pounds dry roasted chestnut
9. 5 pounds corn sugar

Heat 5 gallons of water to about 160-170 degrees and add bag with chips to pot.
Add pectinase and amylase per manufacture’s directions.
Chestnuts are really a fruit and the pectinase will create a much clearer end product by dissolving suspended pectins.
Add water needed to fill brewing pot.
Allow to soak 12-24 hours [24 is better] to obtain maximum enzyme action.
During soak, raise and lower grain bag a couple times an hour when possible to get maximum sugar extraction. At the end of the soak you should have a brix of 4-5%.

Remove the chip bag and allow to drain as much as possible back into pot. You will lose 3-4 quarts of fluid aborbed into chips.
Add 5 pounds corn sugar and add water to bring volume back. The brix should be 11-12%

Bring wort to boil.
Hops are up to brewer but I like Centinnials and Cascades.
Add 2 ounces of hop in bag and boil for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and add 2 ounces of steeping hops for about 30 minutes or so. Chill wort as fast as possible with water coil cooler.

Transfer to 6.5 gal carboy along with yeast and airlock.

When fermentation is over, rack off into 2nd carboy along with fining agent. Airlock and allow settling to occur. Cold crashing really works well.

After clarification re-rack and add maltodextrin and heading powder. These will give the beer texture and “good mouth feel”.

You are now ready to bottle or keg. Use standard procedures for bottle carbonation.

REMEMBER, THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE GUIDE TO BREWING. IT IS A RECIPE. STANDARD, GOOD BREWING PRACTICES MUST BE USED.