11/14/2014 – Created a yeast starter

Made by Michael in the evening… typical process used (fill in later)

Wyeast 1056 American Ale Yeast

11/16/2014 – Brew day

1 lb – Flaked Rye
10 oz – English black malt
10 oz – English roasted barley
5.2 oz – Baird’s light carastan
5.2 oz – Crystal rye
8 oz – Crushed toasted pecans

Added cold and steeped for 30 minutes while 2.5 Gal of spring water rose to 170 degrees F.  Sparged with another 1 gal of 170 degree F spring water.  Removed pecans and saved them for later.

1 lb – Munton’s Extra Light DME
3.15 lbs – Wheat LME
3.15 lbs – Golden LME
1 lb – Simplicity Candi Syrup
3 oz – Target hop pellets (90 min)
6 lbs – Golden LME (15 min)
1 tsp – Irish moss (15 min)
0.5 tsp – Yeast nutrient (15 min)
8 oz – Crushed toasted pecans (0 min, saved from steep)
3 oz – Cacao Liquor (0 min)

Pecans removed again after chilling.

Dumped the entire pot into the fermenter (no straining) because it seemed like most of the cacao liquor would get strained out.  Topped up to 5.33 gal to compensate for more expected trub.

O.G.: 1.102, 23.5 degrees Brix

Aerated for 60 sec with pure O2 through an air stone

Pitched 1056 starter and Clarity Ferm (to reduce gluten)

Fermenting at 68 degrees F

01/25/2015 – Racked to Secondary

Added 2 oz American Oak Cubes – Medium plus toast

11/06/2016 – Kegged

F.G. – 1.021, 12.7 degrees Brix
ABV – 10.6%