Black Forest Lager

5 gallons, extract with grains; OG = 1.038, FG = 1.010, IBU = 22

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. black malt
• 4 oz. dark crystal malt (90° Lovibond)
• 4 lbs. amber dry malt extract
• 4 AAU Hallertauer hops (1 oz. of 4% alpha acid)
• 2 AAU Saaz hops (2/3 oz. of 3% alpha acid)
• 1 pint starter Munich Lager yeast (White Labs WLP838 or Wyeast 2308)
• 1/2 cup corn sugar for priming
• 1 cup dark creme de cocoa
• 1 cup cherry liqueur

Step by Step:

Steep black and crystal malts in 2.5 gallons of cold water. Gradually raise heat to 150° F, hold 30 minutes. Remove grains and rinse them back into the pot with hot water. Stir in dry malt, bring to boil. Boil 15 minutes, add Hallertauer hops. Boil 45 minutes, add Saaz hops. Boil 15 minutes, remove from heat, cool 15 minutes. Add to fermenter along with enough chilled, pre-boiled water to make 5.25 gallons. Cool to 65° F, pitch yeast. Seal and ferment for two weeks at 65° F, then rack to secondary and age in a cold dark place (45° F) for a month. Prime with corn sugar, add liqueurs and bottle. Bottle condition cold (40° F) and dark for two months or more.