American Pale Ale

Sparge the Grains

• While the grains are mashing, heat the remaining 4.25 liters of water to 170°F (77°C) in a separate pot. This is your 'sparge water'.
• After 60 minutes, lift the grain bag out of the pot and let it drain for a minute. Do not squeeze the bag.
• Place the grain bag in a colander over your brew kettle. Slowly and gently pour the 170°F sparge water over the grains to rinse the remaining sugars. Collect this sweet liquid, called 'wort', in your kettle. You should have about 1.5 gallons of wort.

The Boil & Hop Additions

• Bring the wort to a rolling boil. Be careful, as it may foam up and boil over ('hot break').
• Once boiling, start a 60-minute timer. Immediately add 7g of Cascade hops. This is the bittering addition.
• With 15 minutes left in the boil, add another 7g of Cascade hops for flavor.
• With 5 minutes left, add the final 14g of Cascade hops for aroma.

Cool the Wort

• When the 60-minute boil is complete, turn off the heat. It's crucial to cool the wort to below 80°F (27°C) as quickly as possible to prevent contamination.
• The easiest method is an ice bath. Place the covered pot in a sink filled with ice and cold water. Gently stir the wort with a sanitized spoon to speed up cooling. This should take about 20-30 minutes.

Pitch Yeast & Ferment

• Once cooled, carefully pour or siphon the wort into your sanitized fermenter, leaving the thick sediment of hops and proteins (called 'trub') at the bottom of the kettle.
• Sprinkle the entire packet of American Ale Yeast onto the surface of the wort. Do not stir.
• Seal the fermenter and attach the airlock, filling it to the line with sanitizer or vodka.
• Place the fermenter in a cool, dark place, ideally between 65-70°F (18-21°C), for 1 to 2 weeks. You should see bubbling in the airlock within 48 hours.

Bottle & Condition

• After 1-2 weeks, when fermentation is complete (airlock activity has stopped for several days), it's time to bottle.
• Boil the 30g of corn sugar in about 1 cup of water for 5 minutes to create a simple syrup. Pour this sanitized syrup into your bottling bucket.
• Carefully siphon the beer from the fermenter into the bottling bucket, leaving the yeast sediment behind. The siphoning action will gently mix the beer with the priming sugar.
• Fill your sanitized bottles, leaving about one inch of headspace at the top. Cap each bottle securely.
• Store the bottles at room temperature for 2 weeks to carbonate. After that, refrigerate them for at least a few days before enjoying. Cheers!