Extract (with or without Steeping Grains)

This beer could easily be mistaken as a breakfast drink with the addition of coffee and chocolate, but it is probably best saved for after dinner. The specialty comes in adding one 85% dark chocolate bar (I used Lindt 3.5oz bars) for the full 60 minute boil and one 70% dark chocolate bar in the last 5 minutes. I know there are more effective ways to add the chocolate flavor but there was some magic in adding full chocolate bars that I could not resist. The beer fermented at around 68 degrees for two weeks in the primary, and then a further two weeks in the secondary. A day before kegging, I cold brewed 4oz of medium roast coffee in a French Press (the ratio is 1 part coffee to 4 parts water) and let it steep at room temperature for a day. The cold brewed coffee was then strained in the French Press and added to the keg. Finally, I racked the beer on top of that into the keg and sealed it up. Enjoy the breakfast, err, dinner drink.

No blood spilt this time through (or lost fingers), this is an updated batch based off remnant notes from the first time through. Plenty of bright American hop character with the zest of orange and tangerine to boost the citrus tone.

The simplest recipe you could ever make. This Blonde Pub ale is a great place to start your brewing career. Think American macro beers with a little bit of ale character. Can be brewed in under 3 hours! (Originally published in the Everything Homebrewing Book)