White Chocolate Pale Ale

5 gallons, extract with grains; OG = 1.048; FG = 1.012; IBU = 24

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. light crystal malt (30° Lovibond)
• 4 oz. malted wheat
• 5 lbs. light dry malt extract
• 8 oz. white chocolate chips
• 4 AAU Cascade hops (2/3 oz. of 6% alpha acid)
• 4 AAU Willamette hops (2/3 oz. of 6% alpha acid)
• 2 AAU Tettnang hops (1/2 oz. of 4% alpha acid)
• 1 pint starter American Ale yeast (White Labs WLP008 or Wyeast 1272)
• 1/2 cup dry malt extract to prime
• 1 cup white creme de cocoa

Step by Step:

Steep crystal and wheat 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 and white chocolate chips, bring to boil. Boil 15 minutes, add Cascade. Boil 20 minutes, add Willamette.

Boil 20 minutes, remove from heat. Add Tettnang, steep 15 minutes. Remove hops. Add wort to fermenter with enough chilled, pre-boiled water to make 5.25 gallons.

Cool to 70° F, pitch yeast. Seal and ferment for seven days, rack to secondary and age in a cool dark place for two weeks. Prime, add creme de cocoa and bottle.

Condition cool and dark for a month.