Huckleberry Ale

5 gallons, all grain; OG = 1.052, FG = 1.010; Bitterness = 22.5 IBUs; Color = 7.5 SRM

Ingredients:

• 7.0 lbs. pale North American malt
• 1.0 lb. carapils or dextrin malt
• 0.5 lb. crystal malt 40° Lovibond
• 4.5 AAU of Cascade hops (0.75 oz. 6.0% of alpha acid)
• 3.4 AAU of Liberty hops (0.75 oz. 4.5% of alpha acid)
• 5 lbs. fresh huckleberries or fruit of choice
• 1 pt. starter of Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or White Labs WLP-001 (California Ale)
• 2/3 cup corn sugar for priming

Step by Step:

Mash grain in 2.75 gallons of water at 150° F for 60 minutes. Sparge with 168 to 170° F water to collect 5.75 gallons of wort.

Total boil time is 90 minutes. After 30 minutes add Cascade hops and boil 45 more minutes. Add the Liberty hops, boil 15 more minutes and add the fruit to steep during whirlpool.

Whirlpool wort and cool to 69° F to pitch starter. Oxygenate/aerate well.

Ferment at 69° F for 7 days, transfer to secondary and ferment for 7 more days or until gravity is about 2° Plato (1.008) and fermentation stops.

Rack, prime and bottle condition at 50° F for at least one week before drinking.

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Huckleberry Ale

5 gallons, extract with grain

Step by Step:

Substitute the pale malt for 6 lbs. pale malt extract syrup. Other ingredients remain the same. Start with 5 gallons of 150° F water. Steep crushed grain for 30 minutes. Sparge grains with enough 170° F water to make 5.5 gallons.

Heat to boiling and add extract syrup. Total boil will be 60 minutes. At beginning of boil add cascade hops and boil 45 minutes.

Add the liberty, boil 15 more minutes and add the fruit to steep during whirlpool. Whirlpool wort and cool to 69° F to pitch starter. Oxygenate/aerate well.

Follow fermentation schedule as above.