THE BREWSPAPER / RECIPE FOR RUSSIAN RIVER’S PLINY THE ELDER DOUBLE IPA REVEALED

The following homebrew recipe is featured in American Homebrewers Association recently released Top 50 roster of Commercial Clone Beer Recipes collected from 50 states. Click here for the complete 50 state recipes.

California’s recipe contribution is for Russian River Pliny The Elder.  Considered one of the finest craft beers made beer makers of all stripes can now try their hand at making a clone of this famous beer.

Pliny the Elder is one of the most coveted double IPAs in America. This recipe comes straight from Russian River (Santa Rosa, Calif.) brewmaster Vinnie Cilurzo and uses over three-quarters of a pound of hops, making for a bitter and fragrant double IPA experience.

INGREDIENTS

For 6 gallons (22.7 L)

13.25 lb (6.01 kg) two-row pale malt

0.6 lb (272 g) crystal 45° L malt

0.6 lb (272 g) Carapils (dextrin) malt

0.75 lb (340 g) dextrose (corn) sugar

3.5 oz (99 g) Columbus* hops, 13.9% a.a. (90 min)

0.75 oz (21 g) Columbus* hops, 13.9% a.a. (45 min)

1.0 oz (28 g) Simcoe hops, 12.3% a.a. (30 min)

1.0 oz (28 g) Centennial hops, 8% a.a. (0 min)

2.5 oz (71 g) Simcoe hops, 12.3% a.a. (0 min)

1.0 oz (28 g) Columbus* hops, 13.9% a.a. (dry hop, 12-14 days total)

1.0 oz (28 g) Centennial hops, 9.1% a.a. (dry hop, 12-14 days total)

1.0 oz (28 g) Simcoe hops, 12.3% a.a. (dry hop, 12-14 days total)

0.25 oz (7 g) Columbus* hops, 13.9% a.a. (dry hop, 5 days to go in dry hop)

0.25 oz (7 g) Centennial hops, 9.1% a.a. (dry hop, 5 days to go in dry hop)

0.25 oz (7 g) Simcoe hops, 12.3% a.a. (dry hop, 5 days to go in dry hop)

White Labs WLP001 California Ale Yeast or Wyeast 1056 America Ale Yeast

*Tomahawk/Zeus can be substituted for Columbus

SPECIFICATIONS

Original Gravity: 1.072

Final Gravity: 1.011

ABV: 8.2%

IBU: 90-95 (actual/not calculated)

SRM: 7

Efficiency: 75%

DIRECTIONS

Note: This recipe is for a 6 gallon batch, with 5 gallons intended to remain after hop loss.

To make this Pliny the Elder clone, mash grains at 151-152°F (66-67°C) for an hour or until starch conversion is complete. Mash out at 170°F (77°C) and sparge. Collect 8 gallons (30 L) of runoff, stir in dextrose and bring to a boil.

Add hops as indicated in the recipe.

After a 90 minute boil, chill wort to 67°F (19°C) and transfer to a fermenter. Pitch two packages of yeast or a yeast starter and aerate well.

Ferment at 67°F (19°C) until fermentation activity subsides, then rack to secondary.

Add first set of dry hops on top of the racked beer and age 7-9 days, then add the second set. Age five more days then bottle or keg.

Extract Version

Substitute 6.5 lb (3.0 kg) of light dry malt extract for two-row malt. Due to the large hop bill for this recipe, a full wort boil is recommended.

Steep grains in 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water at 165°F (74°C) for 30 minutes, then remove and rinse grains with hot water. Stir in dextrose and top up kettle to 8 gallons (30 L), and bring to a boil. Add hops as indicated in the recipe.

After a 90 minute boil, chill wort to 67°F (19°C) and transfer to fermenter. Pitch two packages of yeast or a yeast starter and aerate well. Ferment at 67°F (19°C) until fermentation activity subsides, then rack to secondary.

Add first set of dry hops on top of the racked beer and age 7-9 days then add the second set. Age five more days then bottle or keg the beer.

Russian River Brewing Company, Sonoma County, Santa Rosa, CA