Do It Yourself

Homebrewers- Make a Session Beer

Throughout Session Beer Month, we have had a number of homebrewers come to us for tips on making a Session beer like our Alpha Session. Many brewers find these styles to be tricky since they must find a way to produce body and flavor with fewer ingredients. So to help out, we approached our friend and local homebrew celebrity, Mike (Tasty) McDole to create and share a homebrew recipe that will help you make your own Session Pale Ale. A little on Tasty’s credentials:

1. In 2007, he won Boston Beer Company’s Longshot Competition with his Double IPA recipe.

2. Since 2009, Tasty has brewed his Janet’s Brown Ale (an American Brown Ale) at Russian River Brewing Company each year, as both a Pro-Am entry for the GABF and as a specialty offering in the fall/winter.

3. Tasty spends time every week imparting his homebrew knowledge on the internets via The Brewing Network.

Ok, enough of the brew cred. Here’s the recipe.

Tasty’s Session Pale Ale

Original Gravity: 1.044
Final Gravity 1.014  3.9% ABV
43% Rahr Two-row
19% Crisp Maris Otter
14% Castle Belgian Pilsner
14% Crystal 15
5% Crystal 40
5% Carapils

21 IBU Chinook at 60 minutes
12 IBU Cascade at 20 minutes
9 IBU Centennial at 10 minutes

Dryhop with Centennial at 1/2 ounce per gallon.
Notes: Mash at 156F for 45 minutes. Boil 90 minutes. Ferment at 66F with California Ale yeast. The 20 minute hop addition can be moved to flameout with a similar IBU contribution if followed by a 30 minute whirlpool rest. Any other hop regimen can be used that totals 40 to 50 IBU.

So brew on friends with help from Tasty. Make those Session Beers to last you into the hot summer months and enjoy. Might we suggest a brew day refreshment?

If homebrewers have any other questions regarding Drake’s brews, techniques, and recipes, we they are welcome to hit up our brewers via breweranswers@drakesbrewing.com.

Twitter people: You can follow Tasty online @TastyMcD.