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Honey Basil Ale

5 gallons, all grain; OG: 1.062; FG: 1.012; SRM: 10 IBU: 25    

Ingredients:

• 0.25 lb. toasted malt
• 0.3 lb. wheat malt
• 6.5 lbs. English mild ale malt
• 0.5 lb. unpasteurized raw honey
• 5.5 AAU Willamette hops (1 oz. of 5.5% alpha acid) (60 min.)
• 0.5 oz. fresh basil leaves
• 0.5 oz. Willamette hops
• Wyeast 1052 (American Ale) yeast
• 3 lbs. pasteurized alfalfa honey
• 0.6 cup priming sugar

Step by step:

Raise 3 gallons water to 160° F. Add 0.5 lb. unpasteurized raw honey, stir to dissolve, mash in grains and hold for 45 minutes. Sparge with 3 gallons 170° F water and collect 3.5 gallons runoff. Boil 20 minutes. Add hops according to schedule above. Turn off heat, add aroma hops and basil and steep 15 minutes. Chill to 75° F and rack to carboy. Take hydrometer reading of wort. Do not top up. Add yeast. Make honey solution with 2 gallons water and 3 lbs. pasteurized alfalfa honey, to match wort gravity as detailed in article. Put honey solution in a sanitized, sealed glass container. When yeast is at its most active (8-12 hours after pitch), add solution. Ferment at ale temperature 3-4 weeks. Bottle or keg when complete.