When SLUG asked The Beer Nut to create a recipe, we wanted something sticky, juicy and memorable. We formulated an American red ale, loaded with rich, malty goodness and a blast of citrusy hop flavor. At 5.9 percent ABV, this ale satisfies the desire for a rich, full-bodied beer without knocking you off your skateboard. (Note: Don’t drink beer on a skateboard—you could spill some.) We’ve compiled two versions of the recipe: an all-grain and a mini-mash/extract version. Head to The Beer Nut and pick up the following:

Ingredients:
8 lbs. American 2-row pale malt if you are an all-grain brewer, or 6 lbs. light liquid malt extract if you are not
2 lbs. Belgian Munich malt, for that rich, bready malt backbone
1 lb. British medium crystal malt, 77ºL, for toffee sweetness and lovely color
12 oz. Canadian honey malt, for amazing aroma and a little more color
1 oz. German Carafa II, just a touch, to get that ruby-red hue

Hops:
1 oz. Columbus (15.4% alpha)
2 oz. Amarillo (9.3% alpha)
2 oz. Cascade (5.0% alpha)

Yeast:
1 package of Wyeast 1272 American Ale II or 1 vial of White Labs California V
For best results, make a yeast starter with this yeast 24-48 hours ahead of time. If you’ve never done this, we’ll be happy to teach you.
All-grain version:
Heat 4 gallons of your strike water to 172ºF, or whatever you calculate will get you a mash temperature to 152ºF. Dough in your grains and let rest for one hour.

Lauter/sparge until you reach a pre-boil volume of 6.5 gallons, or whatever your system requires to have an end volume of 5.5 gallons.

Kick up the heat and start the boil. Once your boil has settled in, add hops:
0.5 oz. Columbus for 60 minutes.
0.5 oz. Amarillo plus 0.5 oz Cascade for the last 15 minutes.
1.5 oz. Amarillo plus 1.5 oz. Cascade for the last 5 minutes.
These Pacific Northwest hops will contribute a pleasant bitterness to balance the sweetness of the malt and a citrusy, floral and piney aroma that you’ll feel behind your eyeballs.

Ferment in the mid-to-high 60s with American Ale II or California V. Once fermentation is complete, rack to a secondary for 1-2 weeks, then bottle or keg your delicious nectar. Carbonate and consume with extreme hedonism.

Mini-mash/extract version:
Steep the grains, omitting the 2-row, in 1.25 gallons water at 152ºF for one hour. Remove grains to a strainer, place it on your pot and pour 2 gallons 175ºF water through them. Get rid of the grains and add 6 lbs. of light malt extract. Top with water to your usual pre-boil volume and follow the same hopping schedule and fermentation as the all-grain version.

Nerd numbers:
O.G. 1.059 F.G. 1.015 Color: 14
SRM Bitterness: 44 IBU ABV: 5.9%
beernut.com – 1200 S. State St. – 801.531.8182