I’m from the southeastern corner of Virginia, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Chesapeake Bay, so I grew up eating fresh fish and blue crabs by the bushel! This hoppy, strong beer is perfect for those hot summer days of shelling crabs and laughing with friends.
Lemon zest lends a bright note to the strong bitters in this solid IPA, while the black pepper gives a spicy flavor that grows stronger with each sip.
1½ gal (5.7 L) water
3 oz (85 g) caramel 30L malt
3 oz (85 g) biscuit malt
20 oz (570 g) Pilsen light dried malt extract
5 g Nugget hops pellets
6 g Chinook hops pellets, divided
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp (2.5 g) Safale S-04 dry ale yeast
1. Gather your ingredients and sanitize your equipment. You’ll need a 2-gallon (7.5-L) stockpot, a thermometer, a grain bag, a long spoon, a racking cane or siphon tube, a 2-gallon (7.5-L) brew bucket, a gallon (3.8-L) carboy and a bung and airlock.
2. Heat the water in the stockpot until it reaches 150 to 160°F (65 to 71°C). Pour the caramel and biscuit malt grains into the grain bag, tie a loose knot at the top and steep them in the pot for 20 minutes, while keeping the water temperature between 150 and 160°F (65 to 71°C). Remove the grain bag and let it drain back into the pot while you prepare for the next steps.
3. Bring your wort to a gentle, rolling boil. Add the dried malt extract and stir until the wort returns to a gentle boil. Add the Nugget hops and let those boil for 40 minutes. Add half of the Chinook hops and boil for 10 minutes. Add the remaining Chinook hops and boil another 10 minutes. Add the lemon zest and juice and black pepper. Fill a sink with ice water. Remove the pot from the heat and place it in the ice water in the sink. Let the wort cool until it is near 70°F (21°C).
4. Use the racking cane to siphon your wort into the bucket. Sprinkle the yeast into the wort and stir it. Put on the bucket lid, add the airlock, label your brew and store it in an area around 64 to 72°F (18 to 22°C) out of direct sunlight for 3 to 4 days.
5. Carefully transfer the beer into the jug, avoiding the lees at the bottom of the bucket. Return to the dark, warm place and wait for 2 weeks. Bottle when ready.
RECIPE NOTE: Not happy with the lemon flavor at the time of bottling? Add lemon zest to your priming sugar while it simmers.