Lines on the Map English Strong Ale

ABV: 8.7%

IBU: 56

SRM: 35+

OG: 1.090 (21.6°P)

FG: 1.022 (5.6°P)

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dark ale in a glass

Lines on the Map was originally featured in the article “Partial Mashing to the Rescue” (July/August 2023 Zymurgy Magazine). 

Chris Colby shares this homebrew recipe for a strong dark ale with a moderately roasty character. It is reasonably dry considering its high original gravity, and the malt, hops, alcohol, and roast character are all in balance. It is meant to seem like an English ale, but it is not an attempt to clone any commercial brand or mimic any classic beer style. For best results, make an appropriately sized yeast starter so you are pitching actively fermenting yeast, and hold the fermentation temperature as constant as you can manage. If you can’t find fresh Goldings, feel free to use any other English hop variety you like.

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Lines on the Map was originally featured in the article “Partial Mashing to the Rescue” (July/August 2023 Zymurgy Magazine). 

Chris Colby shares this homebrew recipe for a strong dark ale with a moderately roasty character. It is reasonably dry considering its high original gravity, and the malt, hops, alcohol, and roast character are all in balance. It is meant to seem like an English ale, but it is not an attempt to clone any commercial brand or mimic any classic beer style. For best results, make an appropriately sized yeast starter so you are pitching actively fermenting yeast, and hold the fermentation temperature as constant as you can manage. If you can’t find fresh Goldings, feel free to use any other English hop variety you like.

Ingredients:

  • MALTS & ADJUNCTS
  • 9 lb. (4.1 kg) English pale ale malt, approx. 3°L
  • 6 oz. (170 g) crystal malt, 60–80°L
  • 5 oz. (150 g) chocolate malt, 350–400°L
  • 3 oz. (85 g) black malt, 500°L
  • 4 lb. (1.8 kg) light liquid malt extract
  • 8 oz. (230 g) sucrose (cane sugar)
  • HOPS
  • 3 oz. (85 g) Goldings, 5% a.a. @ 60 min
  • 1 oz. (28 g) Goldings, 5% a.a. @ 0 min
  • 1 oz. (28 g) Goldings, 5% a.a., dry hop
  • YEAST
  • 3 qt. (3 L) starter attenuative English ale yeast
  • WATER
  • Carbon filter and adjust with distilled water and CaSO₄ as needed for roughly 70 ppm carbonates and 150–200 ppm Ca.
  • ADDITIONAL ITEMS
  • 0.5 tsp. Irish moss (or other fining agent) @ 20 min
  • 0.5 tsp. calcium chloride (optional)
  • 4.5 oz. (130 g) corn sugar for priming bottles to 2.3 vol. (4.6 g/L) CO₂

Specifications:

Yield: 5 US gal. (18.9 L)

Original Gravity: 1.090 (21.6°P)

Final Gravity: 1.022 (5.6°P)

ABV: 8.7%

IBU: 56

SRM: 35+

Directions:

Make your yeast starter 2–3 days ahead of time. Mash grains at 150°F (66°C) for 60 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. (Add boiling water or heat mash tun to maintain temperature after stirring, if needed.) Mash out to 170°F (77°C) and recirculate wort. Collect roughly 6.5 gal. (24.6 L) of wort. Boil for 90 minutes to reduce volume to just over 5 gal. (18.9 L).

For the final hour of the boil, stir in roughly 1 lb. (450 g) of malt extract every 15 minutes. Add the bittering hops for the final 60 minutes of the boil. Stir in cane sugar in final 5 minutes. Add second dose of hops at knockout.

Chill wort to 68°F (20°C) and rack to fermenter. Aerate wort and pitch yeast. Ferment at 70°F (21°C). Avoid letting the fermentation temperature climb. After fermentation is complete, add dry hops. Leave dry hops in contact with the beer for 5 days, then keg or bottle.


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