Will-o-Wisp Autumn Ale (no pumpkin)

Autumn of 2022, my wife (aka the SheppyBrew Beer Model) told me she didn't really want to brew a Pumpkin Ale this year. I didn't really ask why, but I suspect that she didn't want me nagging her in 2023 to finish up the beer.

Seriously, the last time we brewed the pumpkin beer, we had it on tap from the end of September until the following MARCH!

She just doesn't drink enough to go through a whole five gallons.

For quite some time, I've been thinking that the beer would be better with just the base. No pumpkin and (more importantly) no spices.

Another advantage of doing just the base is that we could make a pumpkin spice tincture and add it "on demand" if she really wanted a pumpkin spice beer.

Win / win.

So ... this is the recipe we brewed. Since I really like the name, I kept it on the non-pumpkin beer.

It's my beer. I can call it what I want. If you brew your own non-pumpkin Autumn Ale, you can call it what you want.

Untappd: Will-o-Wisp Autumn Ale (no Pumpkin)

For more information on Will-o-Wisp, see Sheppy's Blog: Will-o-Wisp.

Will-o'-Wisp Autumn Ale --- Batch 1 (322)

Style		American Brown Ale		Batch Size		5.50 gal
Type		All Grain		Boil Size		6.60 gal
Brewhouse Efficiency		68.00		Boil Time		60 minutes

Recipe Characteristics

Recipe Gravity		1.054 SG		Estimated FG		1.014 SG
Recipe Bitterness		28.0 IBUs (Rager)		Alcohol by Volume		5.3 %
BU : GU		0.519
Recipe Color		18.5 SRM		Color
Measured OG:		1.053		Measured FG:		1.013
ADF:		74.6		Measured ABV:		5.3

Ingredients

Ingredients

Amt	Name	Type	#	%/IBU	Volume
7.96 gal	Denver, Colorado	Water	1	-	-
6.00 g	Calcium Chloride (Mash)	Water Agent	2	-	-
2.00 g	Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash)	Water Agent	3	-	-
2.00 g	Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash)	Water Agent	4	-	-
0.50 tsp	Lactic Acid (Mash)	Water Agent	5	-	-
9 lbs 4.0 oz	Golden Promise (Simpsons) (2.0 SRM)	Grain	6	78.7 %	0.72 gal
2 lbs 4.0 oz	Crystal, Medium (Simpsons) (55.0 SRM)	Grain	7	19.1 %	0.18 gal
2.0 oz	Midnight Wheat Malt (550.0 SRM)	Grain	8	1.1 %	0.01 gal
2.0 oz	Pale Chocolate Malt (200.0 SRM)	Grain	9	1.1 %	0.01 gal
0.500 oz	Nugget [15.20 %] - Boil 45.0 min	Hop	10	28.0 IBUs	-
1.00 Items	Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 mins)	Fining	11	-	-
1.0 pkg	SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04) [23.66 ml]	Yeast	12	-	-

Mash Profile

Mash Steps

Name	Description	Step Temperature	Step Time
Saccharification	Add 31.84 qt of water at 158.7 F	152.0 F	45 min
Heat	Heat to 158.0 F over 10 min	158.0 F	15 min
Mash Out	Heat to 170.0 F over 7 min	170.0 F	10 min

If steeping, remove grains, and prepare to boil wort

Recipe Notes
Brewing salts in the mash water. This should bring Denver water profile (as defined by BeerSmith) to
Ca=101,Mg=15,Na=21,SO4=223,Cl=119,HCO3=104
Acid addition to bring calculated pH around 5.4
Mash grains as directed.
Boil as directed. Cool to as close to 60 degrees as possble.
Hold low temperature for first 24 - 48 hours of fermentation, allowing to raise where it wants after that.
Ferment 2 weeks. Keg and carbonate.

Brewing Record

Brew Date:				Strike Temp:
Mash Temps:
Pre-boil OG		(1.049 SG)		Pre-boil Vol		(6.60 gal)
Actual Mash Efficiency				Pitch Temp
Fermentation
Day 1:
Day ...
Day ...