Maple Brew

Classification: maple beer, extract

Source: Jeremy D. Pike (jpike@moose.uvm.edu), r.c.b., 4/12/96

At bottling it seemed like all I could smell and taste was alcohol and hops. But on a second taste I think it'll turn into a very good beer in a month or two.(I've been known to be wrong many many times before, though) I hope SOME maple flavor comes through. Next time, I'll rack to a secondary after 2-4 days (lots of trub and gunk). Anyone have comments on this recipe? Especially those who have brewed a similar beer before, let me know if there are any obvious boo-boos I've made!

Ingredients:

6 lb. extra light LME
0.5 lb. wheat malt
0.25 lb mild ale malt
1 pint grade A med. amber maple syrup(freshly made)
5 gallons maple sap (4% sugar?---I measured SG at 1.015)
1.5 oz. Kent Goldings hops plugs (5%)
0.5 oz K. G. hops plugs (finish)
1 tsp irish moss
Muntons dry ale yeast

Procedure:

I boiled and cooled 4 gal. of the sap to sterilize. The remaining gallon, I added my grains, steeped to just below boiling 15 min and strained.

I then added the malt extract, half the maple syrup and boiling hops. After half an hour of boiling, I added the rest of the maple syrup and the irish moss. 3 min before the end I added the finish hops.

I cooled in an ice bath and added the wort to the 4 gal. sterile sap and aerated and pitched my yeast.

Specifics:

OG: 1.070
FG: 1.010