Recipe Type: Extract
Yeast: Wyeast American Ale 1056
Yeast Starter: 2000ml
Batch Size (Gallons): 5
Original Gravity: 1.056
Final Gravity: 1.010
IBU: 36
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 12.8 SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 7
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 14
Tasting Notes: Strong lemony aroma and flavor that gives way to warm maltiness and balanced hops

Specialty Grains

1.00 lb Flaked Rye (2.0 SRM)
0.50 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM)
0.50 lb Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM)
0.25 lb Crystal Rye (310.0 SRM)
5.00 oz Lemongrass

Steep for 60 minutes.

Fermentables

6.00 lb Pilsner Liquid Malt Extract (3.5 SRM) (Northern Brewer Pilsener)
1.00 lb Light Dry Malt Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract

Hops / Etc

1.00 oz Simcoe Hops [13.00 %] (60 min) 33.2 IBU
5.00 oz Lemongrass (60 min)
0.50 oz Hallertauer Hops [4.80 %] (15 min) 3.0 IBU
0.50 oz Hallertauer Hops [4.80 %] (2 min) 0.5 IBU

Yeast

Wyeast American Ale #1056, prepared from smack pack in 2 liter starter 48 hours before brewing.


I used around 10 oz of lemongrass total, 5 in the steep and 5 in the boil, cleaned and chopped up a bit so they'd fit in the grain bag; though actually I just put the boil lemongrass in loose, and they made it into the primary. I had to go to Whole Foods to get them, as I can only irregularly find them at the cheaper grocery store. It took 3 packages for me but as you may very well have another provider try to measure by weight.

I found that the rye becomes super gummy so you'll have some difficulty cleaning out the grain/hop bag if you use a reusable one.

Right now this beer is a little over 3 weeks old in bottles and is very quaffable. The lemon flavor and aroma is distinct and foremost when cold, but as it warms up there's some great maltiness and the hops come out. I imagine it will only get better after a couple months.

This was a conversion from a friend's all-grain recipe so I'll probably try the original at some point.

Edit: I think the original lemongrass amounts were a carry-over from the old recipe and weren't the actual amount used. I've updated the recipe to reflect this.