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Tom's Bitter Creation

5 gallons, extract/specialty grains; OG = 1.054; FG = 1.021

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs. Alexander's amber malt extract
• 4 lbs. Alexander's pale malt extract
• 1 lb. Munich malt
• 2 oz. Northern Brewer hops (8% alpha acid), for 45 min.
• 1 tbsp. Crosby & Baker water crystals
• 1 oz. Perle or Northern Brewer hops (8% alpha acid), for 5 min.
• 2 packages Cooper's yeast
• 1 cup dextrose for priming

Step by Step:

Place 1 lb. of cracked Munich grain into a hop bag and put into 1.5 gals. of water. Bring water to 170° F. Turn off burner, but do not remove kettle from burner. Cover and steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove bag of grain and mix in malt extracts and water crystals. Bring to a boil for 10 to 15 minutes and add 2 oz. Norther Brewer hops. Boil for 45 to 50 minutes more. Add the 1 oz. Perle or Northern Brewer hops during the final five minutes of the boil. Remove from heat and cover for 10 minutes. Cool wort, transfer to primary fermenter, top up to 5 gals. if necessary. Rehydrate yeast and pitch. After primary fermentation is complete, transfer to a five-gallon glass jug. Top up and add stopper and airlock. After two to three more weeks, transfer to priming container, prime, and bottle.