Chocolate Schwarzbier

5 gallons, all-grain; OG = 1.056; FG = 1.015; SRM = 38; IBU = 33

Ingredients:

• 7.0 lbs. Pilsner malt
• 1.0 lb. dark Munich (20° L)
• 1.0 lb. light Munich (8° L)
• 0.5 lb. aromatic malt
• 0.5 lb. Carafa III
• 5.25 AAU Tettnanger hops (90 minutes) (1.5 oz. of 3.5% alpha acids)
• 1.4 AAU Tettnanger hops (30 minutes) (0.4 oz. of 3.5% alpha acids)
• 1 oz. Saaz hops (5 minutes)
• Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager) or White Labs WLP820 (Octoberfest/Märzen) yeast (make 2–4 L yeast starter)
• 3/4 cup corn sugar (for priming)

Step by step:

Mash with 3.85 gallons of filtered or boiled water at 122° F for 20 minutes. Ramp to 153° F for 60 minutes (and an iodine test indicates full conversion). Mash-out at 172° F. Bring the wort to a full boil and boil for 90 minutes.

Add Tettnanger hops at beginning of boil. Add second charge of Tettnanger hops with 30 minutes left in the boil. Add 1 oz. of Saaz hops for final 5 minutes of the boil. Shut down heat, cool wort as quickly as possible. Pitch yeast starter.

Ferment for nine to ten days at 50° F. Rack to secondary. Condition at 33° F for four to five weeks. Prime with corn sugar and bottle.

Extract with grains option:

Replace Pilsner and Munich malts with 7.5 lbs. of malt extract (such as Weyermann or Bierkeller). Steep Carafa III and aromatic malt in 3 gallons of 150° F water for 30 minutes. Bring water to a boil, add malt extract and follow all-grain instructions.