Alesmith's San Diego Dark Session Ale

Anyone who knows me would laugh if I told them I was going to brew a session ale.  For me, life starts at 1.060 OG and goes up from there!

As a part of our schwag for NHC 2011, we were given a commemorative bomber of San Diego Dark Session Ale, brewed by Alesmith in San Diego (the picture of the bottle on Beer Advocate is mine:)  The ale was incredibly drinkable – sessionable even – but with enough lightly roasted hoppy flavor to meet my needs.  The recipe was published in the May/June 2011 issue of Zymurgy as a 5 gallon recipe.  I threw the ingredients into Beer Tools for a 10 gallon batch, adjusted the OG for my system’s efficiency, and I plan on brewing this on Labor Day.  A starter of the new White Labs WLP090 San Diego Super Yeast is bubbling away on the stir plate as I type this entry.  This is the second batch of ale that will be run through my new  fermenter.

The weather here has been so hot I just haven’t wanted to brew and Monday is the coolest projected day for this weekend.  Additionally, the 26 month old Sears refrigerator that I use for a fermentation vessel crapped out last week.  Thankfully, it is now up and running again after a $139 repair bill.  It’s time to brew!

Here’s the recipe I’ll be brewing on Monday:

Central Valley Dark Session Ale
11-A Mild
Author: Mark Ranes
Date: 9/5/11

Size: 10.08 gal
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 194.62 kcal per 16.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.044 (1.030 – 1.038)
Terminal Gravity: 1.011 (1.008 – 1.013)
Color: 17.4 (12.0 – 25.0)
Alcohol: 4.32% (2.8% – 4.5%)
Bitterness: 31.5 (10.0 – 25.0)

Ingredients:
12.0 lb Maris Otter
1.2 lb Crystal 45
0.6 lb Biscuit Malt
0.6 lb Crystal 120
0.6 lb Crystal 75
0.6 lb Melanoidin Malt
0.25 lb American Chocolate Malt
1.0 lb Cara-Pils® Malt
0.4 oz Simcoe® (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 60.0 min
0.4 oz Warrior® (16.0%) – added during boil, boiled 60.0 min
0.5 oz Simcoe® (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 15.0 min
2.0 ea Whirlfloc Tablets (Irish moss) – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
2.0 ea Servomyces – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
0.5 oz Amarillo® (8.5%) – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
0.5 oz Cascade (5.5%) – added during boil, boiled 5.0 min
1.0 oz Cascade (5.5%) – added dry to primary fermenter
0.5 oz Amarillo® (8.5%) – added dry to primary fermenter
0.5 oz Simcoe® (13.0%) – added dry to primary fermenter
2000.0 mL Starter White Labs WLP090 San Diego Super Yeast