(5 gallons, all-grain)

This recipe creates a smooth and slightly roasty ale that is very drinkable. To obtain the Irish Creme flavor I have had the best results from flavored syrups used in coffees. To test how much to use, add the amount recommended for coffee to a beer similar to the type you intend to brew and then adjust the taste. Multiply that result by the number of bottles in the finished batch to determine how much to add to the secondary. Remember, most of these are corn-sugar based, and the sweetness will be reduced in the brew.
Vince Weibert
Clovis, Calif.

Ingredients:

• 8 lbs. two-row pale malt
• 12 oz. crystal malt, 60° Lovibond
• 12 oz. flaked barley malt
• 4 oz. chocolate malt
• 3 oz. roasted barley malt
• 4 oz. Belgian Special B malt
• 1 oz. Northern Brewer hops (6% alpha acid), for 80 min.
• 4 oz. lactose, for 80 min.
• 1/2 tsp. Irish moss
• Irish Creme syrup
• Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale
• 3/4 cup corn sugar

Step by Step:
Use a single-infusion mash. Bring 11 quarts of water to 163° F and add to grains in pre-heated mash tun. Temperature should stabilize around 153° F. Hold at this temperature for about one hour, then bump it up to 165° F and hold for five minutes. Bring sparge water to 175° F and sparge until the original gravity of runnings drops to 1.005 when adjusted for temperature.

Bring to a boil. Boil 10 minutes and add the hops and lactose. Boil 65 minutes and add Irish moss. Total boil is 90 minutes. Cool, rack, aerate, and pitch in primary fermenter.

After primary fermentation subsides rack to secondary and add Irish Creme syrup. The syrup should be sanitized by immersing the entire bottle in a pot containing 180° F water and holding it there for about 10 minutes. Cool it before adding to secondary. You might notice signs of fermentation in the secondary as the yeast goes to work on fermentables in the syrup.

After seven to 10 days in secondary, prime with corn sugar and bottle.

OG = 1.056
FG = 1.019